The Henson Journals

[218]

Thursday, September 20th, 1923.

The statesman always seems to me in a non–moral position, because he has to consider what is possible as well as what is best, and the compromise is necessarily pitiable. The growth of public conscience has been slow: I don't wish to antedate its influence. It seems to me that the great charge against the church after the 13th century is that it did not promote, but hindered its growth.

Creighton to Lord Acton. Ap. 12th '87 (v. Lord Acton's Correspondence. p.310)

I celebrated the Holy Communion at 8.15 a.m. The Chaplains and Ordination candidates communicated. The morning was occupied in preparing a 'charge' for the candidates. After lunch I walked with Knight in the Park. About 5 p.m. Canon Cunningham arrived. From 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. I was occupied in having private interviews with the candidates. Then followed Evensong in the Chapel, when I delivered the 'Charge'.

The candidates are the following:

1. Hector Bamlett, aged 23. B.A. Durham.

2. Cecil Henry Beaglehole, aged 27

3. Cecil Booth aged 27. B.A. Cambridge.

4. James Lawrence Cecil Horsted, aged 25. B.A. Durham

5. Roger Sharpley aged 25

6. Lionel William Trotman, aged 31.

[219]

Bishop Mountague in his 'Appello Coesarem' (1625) describes the Church of England as 'the absolutest representation of Antiquity this day extant', 'than which I know none, nor can any be named, in all points more conformable unto purest Antiquity in the best times'. But the Church of England is not to be judged by the opinions of individuals.

"Our mother hath sufficiently made known her mind in her public, promulgated, authorized Articles & Communion Book: with those other, to which we have all subscribed, that are publically interested in the Priesthood & Function of this Church" (v. A. C. p. 49)

Elsewhere (p.111) he speaks of "the whole & entire doctrine of that Church, proposed in Synods, confirmed by Law, commanded & established by Act of Parliament".

This language is representative. The Bishop of Zanzibar's denial that there exists "a consistent body of theology that can properly be called the peculiar teaching of the Church of England" would have sounded strangely in the ears of the English Churchmen of the XVIIth century. Neither the Laudian nor the Caroline divines would have approved it: and as for the Puritans they would only so far have understood it as it could be interpreted in the sense that the doctrine of the Church of England was identical with that of the Reformed or Calvanist churches. This, so far as essentials were concerned, was maintained by all Anglicans, but the Laudians & Carolines held that the English Church was unique in its moderate Reformation.

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