The Henson Journals

[144]

Friday, August 3rd, 1923.

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Rather to my surprise, though perhaps I ought to have expected nothing better, the "Guardian" has an angry leader denouncing me almost fiercely for my article in the 'Morning Post'. The censure of the Bishop of Zanzibar is relatively mild! I suppose something must be allowed for Iremonger's Socialistic sympathy with a brother Socialist. Dramatic perorations about "the naked Christ" go a long way with the half–educated enthusiasts who mainly compose the religious public. Probably the 'Guardian' expresses the "official" policy, which is to ignore everything that disallows the comfortable assumption that "Anglo–Catholicism" is essentially 'loyal'. This refusal to face the facts cannot be reasonable, and any policy built on it cannot be sound. Personally I am paralyzed so far as influence goes by my inability to accord with any of the prevailing tendencies. I am not a tee–totaller or a feminist, or a socialist, or a "Life and Liberty man", or a sacerdotalist. I find my ideas and my leaders in the Victorian age, and in the year 1923 I am almost confessedly a "back–number". Accordingly, beyond the valueless applause of a few octogenarians, who, however, are quite unable to understand what I really think & care for, I have no supporters in the religious public. Probably my right place would be outside that public altogether. But at 60 it is difficult to shift one's spiritual domicile.

[145] [symbol]

The hurricane last night has done damage in the garden. Two of the most decorative trees have been destroyed – a cherry in the drive, and a large laburnum at the East End of the chapel.

Headlam is quoted in the Church Quarterly as saying with reference to 'the XXXIX Articles & other formularies which have been composed after the Reformation',

"I do not doubt that one of the first steps towards Christian union must be to recognize that these formularies are all obsolete."

If this sweeping pronouncement is based on the fact that Time renders all human works obsolete, then its reference cannot be limited to post–Reformation formularies but must extend to all statements of Christian belief which the past has bequeathed to the present. If, as seems probable, the emphasis is placed on the circumstance that the formularies in question were composed after the Reformation, then the proposition implicitly denies that the Reformation added anything of permanent value to the sum of Christian Truth, that it may properly be ignored, & that we may, nay ought, to face modern problems from the situation which the Reformers found, not from that which they left. This seems to me untrue & impracticable. Undoubtedly this assumption that the Reformation can be simply ignored is actually made by the Anglo–Catholics, & tacitly allowed by their episcopal patrons.

[146]

Clayton and I motored to Durham. There he remained while I went on to Newcastle in order to have my hair cut &c, and to buy a waterproof coat. I bought an evening paper, & learned therein that President Harding had died suddenly while talking to his wife. This is the more unexpected since the morning paper announced that the crisis of his illness had passed, & that his recovery was probable. We had tea with the Archdeacon and Mrs Derry, & then returned to Auckland.

I made my preparations for departure tomorrow: paid some bills: chose a few books for holiday reading: and tore up divers papers.

The 'Guardian' has a denunciating leader, expressed almost violently: the 'Church Times' contents itself with an insolent note on its front page in which it represents the Bishop of Zanzibar as having effectively done for me in the "Morning Post"! This is all one gets for going out of one's way to write gravely on a matter of admitted gravity! Abuse & misrepresentation almost too gross for belief! I suppose one ought to expect nothing else.

I gave Fearne a signed photograph. My stock wastes quickly. Already photographs have been given to.

1. Canon Macdonald.

2. Canon Stephenson.

3. The Leader of the Unemployed party.

4. Mrs Quirk.

5. Fearne.

6.

Considering that the wretched things cost me eight guineas for a dozen copies, this is costly work.

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