The Henson Journals

[96]

Monday, June 25th, 1926.

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The "Subscription required of such as are to be made Ministers" prescribed in Canon XXXVI, of 1604, was brought into its present form in 1866, when an amending canon was promulgated. The clause "except so far as shall be ordered by lawful authority" was then added. It is evident therefore that no inference can be drawn from that clause as to the unexpressed limits within which the substantive obligation was meant to be taken. Yet the "Anglo–Catholicks" build their case for cancelling their undertaking to use the Prayer–Book on that clause, which they interpret as if it ran thus: "except so far as the Prayer Book contravenes the doctrine and practice of the Undivided Church as I think these existed prior to the year 1054." Under the authority of this preposterous claim, the Prayer Book may be, and in some cases actually is, ignored and cast aside. While the practical confusions which result from this unmitigated individualism are very great, I incline to think that the degradation of clerical character by indulgence in so demoralising a sophistry is probably an even worse consequence of this device for evading pledges. I am sure that the injury to the credit of Religion is considerable. The severance of religion from morality, which is the besetting danger of the religious life, is seen to be illustrated in the case of those who, as the commissioned exponents of Religion, should be the guardians of its purity.

[97]

I do not believe that boys can be induced to apply themselves with vigour, and what is so much more difficult, perseverance, to dry and irksome studies, by the sole force of persuasion and soft words. Much must be done, & much must be learnt, by children, for which rigid discipline, & known liability to punishment, are indispensable as means. It is, no doubt, a very laudable effort, in modern teaching, to render as much as possible of what the young are required to learn, easy and interesting to them. But when this principle is pushed to the length of not requiring them to learn anything but what has been made easy and interesting, one of the chief objects of education is sacrificed. I rejoice in the decline of the old brutal and tyrannical system of teaching which, however, did succeed in enforcing habits of application: but the new, as it seems to me, is training up a race of men who will be incapable of doing anything which is disagreeable to them. I do not, then, believe that fear, as an element in education, can be dispensed with: but I am sure that it ought not to be the main element….

J.S. Mill 'Autobiography' p. 52.

I went in to Durham, & presided at the meeting of the 'Church Building Board'. After this, I had an interview with an Ordination Candidate in the Castle, & then I returned to Auckland.

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