The Henson Journals

[18]

Tuesday, November 21st, 1922.

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I prepared notes for the address on Prayer–book Revision which I intend to give to the Parochial Church Councillors, and I took the two dogs for a walk in the Park. Then I worked at the Scott Lecture until Fawkes arrived.

I had much talk with Fawkes. He is evidently much impressed by the collapse of the orthodox agitation caused by the Conference of Liberal Churchmen in Cambridge last year. He says, what indeed I have heard from other sources, that the Conference "placed the 'Modern Churchman' on its legs financially and increased considerably the membership of the 'Churchmen's Union'. This is not altogether pleasant to hear: for not only is there something repulsive about making profit out of criticisms of Christian Faith, but there is the suggestion, which one cannot exorcize from one's mind, that some other motive than a disinterested passion for the truth may enter into the proceedings of 'Modern Churchmen'. Of course it is extraordinarily difficult to be just, and not merely fastidious or prejudiced. If people are interested in a subject, they will probably buy books which treat of it, and any treatment which is surprising, or in some sense shocking or scandalous, will attract many whose interest in the subject is neither very intelligent nor very conscientious.

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