The Henson Journals

[104]

Septuagesima, Sunday, January 28th, 1923.

I walked to Victoria Station, and caught the 10.10 a.m. to Birchington, where I arrived at 12 noon. The Sabbath–breaking fashion of the day tends to improve the Sunday trains on the holiday–resort routes, and I was the gainer. Marion was on the platform to welcome me. I found Carissima looking more vigorous & cheerful than when I saw her last, but, of course, appearances are, in the case of octogenarians, apt to be misleading.

I reflected on the kind of speech which it wd be advisable to make in the assembly when the Prayer Book Revision Measure is introduced. It is important to make these points at least.

1. This is the first occasion on which revision is being undertaken by persons who repudiate the Reformation altogether.

2. The "Catholics" are, on their own shewing, 'a small party tolerated in the Church", while they aim at dominating both Diocesan Conferences & the National Assembly by skilful organisation. (v. Secretary E.C.U. 'Letter' p. 14, 15)

3. The pretence that the Ctee propose "an Alternative Rite" is untrue & dangerous. (v. Ibid. p. 11)

4. The suggestion of a kind of 'deal' between 'Catholics" & 'Protestants' is inadmissible. It is not possible to barter small practical improvements for a surrender of essential principles.

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5. The goal of Revision is, not the negation, but the restoration of Uniformity, not indeed in every detail but in recognizable types of service. The fluidity of modern society adds greatly to the importance of uniformity.

6. Much can be conceded in an atmosphere of good faith, which must be refused in an atmosphere of suspicion.

7. The "Anglo–Catholic" movement is confessedly aiming at changing the type of English Religion. Its doctrine of authority destroys all confidence in its loyalty.

8. The E.C.U. Report on Revision makes no real concessions while professing to "live and let live" &c. And everywhere it ignores the parishioners.

The retention of the Decalogue.

The treatment of the Imprecatory Psalms.

The Quicunque Vult.

Reservation

Neither the Evangelicals nor the Modernists have approached the task in this bargaining spirit. The proposals of the Ctee represent an honest agreement of English Churchmen. If there had been any intention to barter one Rite against another, the Evangelicals and the Modernists wd each have proposed a revised Book in which their distinctive principles found frank expression.

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Marion accompanied me to the station, where I caught another excellent train. It left at 7.24 p.m., and arrived in Victoria about 9 p.m., never stopping at all between the stations.

Before leaving I read prayers with Carissima, and we exchanged blessings. Perhaps the less official of the benedictions was the most efficacious ! I walked from Victoria to Park Lane.

Lady Scarbrough tells me that she and Lord S. are going abroad and have let this house for 3 months. So, perforce, my "prophet's chamber" must for a while be closed to the 'prophet'! It is worth noting the power of association to transform the significance of names. Here is 'Park Lane', the very synonym in common parlance of vulgar ostentation, senseless luxury, and inordinate wealth. But I become myself allowed by the kindness of one of its tenants to reside from time to time within its precincts, and I find neither vulgarity nor ostentation, nor luxury, nor wealth: but a frank goodness of heart, a simplicity of faith, a manliness of habit, and a financial anxiety which might be normal in humbler ranks of life, and in more obscure localities. Of course, it may be freely conceded that not all the houses in Park Lane would yield this impression; but human life is nowhere monotonously good or monotonously evil. It is a mingled process everywhere: and we must take it as we find it in Park Lane as elsewhere.

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