The Henson Journals

[168]

Saturday, October 14th, 1922.

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I read through the Convocation Debates on the subject of women's position in the Church, or rather in the churches, and I realized that the constitutional authorities have already gone far beyond the point which I approve. On this subject the Evangelicals tend to feminism, & the "Catholicks" against. I have the embarrassment & humiliation of going into the same lobby with men whom I thoroughly despise! My present position is that in no circumstances may a woman address general congregations in the parish churches: that in extraordinary cases (i.e. where no other place can conveniently be used) they may address congregations of women & children in consecrated buildings: that normally they should address nobody, but confine themselves to the work more proper to their sex. All this, however, is far in the rear both of the Convocations and of the Lambeth Conference: and I doubt whether, however sound in itself, it is a position which can be permanently maintained. The argument from the oratorical gifts, and effectiveness, of women seems to me unsound. It is identical with that by which the Sectaries justify the preaching of boys & illiterates. Indeed the whole reasoning from spiritual results to Divine authentication breaks down before the indubitable fact that what are called spiritual results appear to have no consistent or apparent connexion with moral character. You can argue from goodness for character to genuineness of religion but that is another question all together.

[169] [symbol]

The day was brilliantly fine so that the autumnal colouring was seen to perfection. Ella and Fearne elected to go with me to the function at Haverton Hill in order to enjoy the spectacle. I noticed with concern that much corn is yet uncarried, and that it has an ominously black appearance. There was a very large of the people at the formal unveiling and dedicating of the Haverton Hill and Port Clarence War Memorial. Sir Hugh Bell and his wife cooperated in the unveiling, & I performed the dedication and pronounced the Blessing. Sir Hugh Bell made an oration, & there was a formal handing over of the memorial to the Billingham District Council. We returned to Auckland when the function was over.

The "Church Times" has a venomous paragraph about Chesterton's declaration that Ralph and I were responsible for his conversion to Rome:– "while Dr Henson's teaching had not attracted one educated man to the Church, it had robbed the Church of the genius of Mr Chesterton & of lesser men who are not content with cold negations". It is certainly difficult to disprove that kind of statement!

Alexander reports that the local police have asked permission to provide themselves with birch twigs in order to mete out wholesome discipline to some small boys to whom the magistrates have prescribed a birching!

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