The Henson Journals

[133]

Saturday, February 17th, 1923.

The Roman Catholic priest is to the people what the lawyer is to his client, and the physician to the patient; the Protestant minister is to his people what the lawyer and physician are to the legal and medical people.

Archbishop Whately (Life 310)

So far as the official relation is concerned, I think this is true: but over and above that relation there must needs grow personal ties, which cannot but be affected by the official relation. The Confessional is hardly a possible foundation for friendship since it destroys equality, and may destroy respect. At best the Confessor may acquire a paternal relation to his penitent; but out of the instructions of a teacher may grow interest, confidence, intimacy, and friendship. Keble was Pusey's confessor, but not until a comparatively late stage of Pusey's life. Even so, I think there is observable a new note of subserviency in Pusey's letters to Keble after they had acquired the status of penitent and confessor. The game is not fairly played between two men thus circumstanced, for the one has a hold over the other, which the other does not possess. No doubt in theory the priest and the man are wholly distinct, but in fact they are inseparable, and the combination is felt where it is not seen or stated.

[134] [symbol]

The papers announce that Goa is dead. The "Times" has a column of appreciative comment on his life and character. I wrote to Mrs Goa, but what can be said on these occasions? The papers report at full length the opening of the sealed chamber which was expected to contain Tutankamen's mummy. It proved to be another ante–chamber filled with wonderful things. The actual burial chamber remains to be opened.

I worked at the Edinburgh Article, which is now more than half written.

Colonel Burdon lunched here. We discussed the situation at Horden. He complains much of the indolence & carelessness of his own parson. Why is that, quite gratuitously and in matters which quite obviously lie within their control, the clergy should put themselves in the wrong, and alienate the people? But the proverb "Familiarity breeds contempt" is always being illustrated in the behaviour of clergymen. Like choirboys, though in more fatal measures, they suffer from what was called, I think by Bishop Walsham How, ' a deadening familiarity with sacred things'. Here is an experienced clergyman, who happens to be also what is called a gentleman, and he offends his people by ministering the Holy Communion with unwashed hands after he has been milking his goats! That is not exactly a breach of the rubricks, but it causes scandal.

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