The Henson Journals

[163]

Wednesday, October 11th, 1922.

[symbol]

I spent the morning in preparing a sermon for Guillaume's Institution next Sunday. My intention is to use the occasion in order to fasten attention on the startling discrepancy between the declarations which every English clergyman makes at his Ordination, and on his Institution to the cure of souls, and the teaching & practice of the "Anglo–Catholics". Rashdall is, perhaps naturally, rather nervous about any attempt to attach importance or reality to clerical subscriptions, and it is certainly the case that the necessities under which our "Liberals" lie to insist on a very large freedom of interpretation, have opened the door to the shameless policy of those who abhor all liberty. Nevertheless, the two cases are wholly distinct from one another. The "Clerical Subscription Act" of 1865 was undoubtedly passed in the interest of "Liberals", and on that very account was hotly opposed by the Tractarians. It is not sufficiently remembered that that Act did, while modifying the form of subscription, re–establish the Thirty–nine Articles in their historic position of the "platform" of the Church of England. So long as they retain that character, the claim of the "Anglo–Catholicks" to represent the true mind of the Church of England will be untenable, and the 'Protestantism' of that Church will be naked & laid open. But as Westcott said in 1899, "Alas! fighters are needed"!

[164] [symbol]

October 11th, 1922.

My dear Rashdall,

The difficulty you mention about subscription is very present to my mind. I meet it, so far as it can be met, by 2 arguments:–

(α) Liberty of opinion in matters of doctrine was deliberately granted by the Clerical Subscription Act of 1865: which yet retained the Articles as the Anglican standard, indicating that there was no alteration of the general type of Christianity which, as a Reformed Church, the Church of England expresses.

(β) Liberty of opinion, and even of teaching, may, & in the Church of England is required to consist with uniformity of practice i.e. such uniformity as the Prayer Book involves.

The Anglo–Catholics have not only repudiated the type of Christianity represented by the Articles: but they have thrown aside the Prayer Book, and substituted the Roman type of worship. In both these respects there is no real parallel between them, & the Liberal Clergy who are essentially orthodox, & who use the Prayer Book.

Herbert Dunelm:

[165]

I motored to Durham, and, after lunching with Quirk, went to the Cosin Library, and presided at a meeting of the Finance Board. There seemed to be a large attendance, but there was not much business, & we were out before 4 p.m. Then I went to my room in the Castle, and had an interview with Walters, the vicar–designate of S. Peter's, Bishop Auckland. He don't like evening communions, & fears that to abolish them would move the anger of his new parishioners. I counselled him to make no change whatever for a whole year; to promise the people to consult the Parochial Council before making any changes: and to be perfectly straight with the people. He asked me whether I should myself take the Eastward position in celebrating at his institution, and I said that I should follow my invariable rule by doing so. He will cover himself under my example! I dined with the Bishop of Jarrow, & then went to the Townhall [sic] and presided at a meeting of the Durham Society for the Protection of Women & Girls. There was but a scanty attendance. After the meeting I returned to Auckland, where I found a Scottish clergyman, named Macrae, whom Ella had invited to stay the night in order that she might hear something about him. Macrae appears to have been with Jim's battalion in France. I had some talk with him afterwards in my study. He did not greatly impress me.

---