The Henson Journals

[47]

Saturday. August 19th, 1922.

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[^written in Greek^]

This is the moral of the parable of the Unmerciful Servant, itself suggested by S. Peter's question:– [^written in Greek^]; Our Lord makes the Divine Forgiveness contingent on a circumstance which lies within the sinner's control. But that circumstance is the "acid test" of repentance. He who will not forgive another's offence is not penitent for his own. And this is the point of the identity of situation and of plea between the two debtors. That community of failure should have induced sympathy & consideration. But what is it to forgive [^written in Greek^]? There must be a genuine plucking up of the resentment, however legitimate that resentment may have appeared. And it is precisely here that the disconcerting character of Christ's doctrine of forgiveness is disclosed. To cancel a claim in magnanimous scorn is comparatively easy, to forego a vengeance which is clearly within one's power is not excessively difficult, to resume amicable relations with one who has injured us is not impossible, but to "forgive from the heart" demands more than unassisted human nature can give. Yet in no direction has the victory of Christ been more manifest than in this of forgiveness. The precept of the Redeemer, pathetically illustrated & reinforced by His Example, has secured a measure of obedience from His disciples which, perhaps, is unique.

[48]

August 19th, 1922.

Dear Mr Davies,

I shall be pleased to institute you in due course to S. Francis, South Shields.

The two points you raise must be dealt with separately:

1. The type of churchmanship prevailing at S Francis is that now commonly styled "Anglo–Catholic"; and, as the Church is a mission venture in a poor district, no other kind of churchmanship is known to the people. In these circumstances I should judge it probable that changes might be resented, but, if they were commended by courtesy, consideration & industry. I do not doubt that the resentment would be but temporary. In any case, you are bound in law & conscience to the system of the Church of England, & cannot rightly break your pledges in order to avoid difficulty.

2. I think it wd be well for you to write to the Eccl Commrs, & ascertain whether S. Francis does not come under their scheme for raising the value of all livings in public patronage to £350 p.a. I do not think it probable that the curates' grants wd be available for increasing the incumbent's stipend: nor is it probable that the House wd be wisely abandoned in view of the difficulty of securing housing accommodation.

Believe me,

Yours v. faithfully.

Herbert Dunelm:

The Rev J. Davies

[49]

I stayed within doors, nursing my precious cold. The morning was mostly occupied with letter–writing, and in the afternoon I read "large". I finished "Old Mortality", and read again in Jupiter Carlyle's most fascinating Autobiography. In describing a visit that he paid to an old relation, who was both hospitable and convivial, he observes:–

"This lady, who, I confess, had not many charms for me, was said to be able to empty one of those large bottles of brandy, smuggled from the Isle of Man, at a sitting. They had no whisky at that time (c.1733), there being no distilleries in the south of Scotland".

Carlyle himself witnessed the execution of Captain Porteous in 1736, and his narrative has clearly been drawn upon by Scott. He makes an acute observation on the consequence of the dullness of the Professor of Theology, whose lectured he attended in 1739/40:–

"There was one advantage attending the lectures of a dull professor – viz. that he cd form no school, & the students were left entirely to themselves, & naturally formed opinions far more liberal than those they got from the Professor".

In this way he explained the fact that "the young clergymen of that period (his own contemporaries) so far surpassed their predecessors of his early days in useful accomplishment & liberality of mind".

May we base some hope for the future in the Church of England on some such consideration? There is little reason for doing so yet apparent.

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