The Henson Journals

[121]

Friday, December 19th, 1924.

[symbol]

The worst of it is that their (the Jesuits') critics are always uncritical (from Pascal onwards) and by exaggerations or inaccuracies rob the sober (and far more damaging) truth of its credibility. They live on the blunders of their critics. Instead of saying "they have killed three men" they say "three men and a dog". The Jesuits produce the dog alive, and win a repute as calumniated innocents.

Father Tyrell. Autobiography ii 294.

The Jesuits have set the fashion of the Church. This method of calculated affectation of an extreme innocence while steadily pursuing the cynical policy which provokes denunciations too indignant to be accurate is precisely the method of the "Anglo–Catholicks". As the offence is given to the Christian conscience, which is often most sensitive & discerning in the least educated Christians, and the inaccuracies of statement are in matters of law, procedure, history or technical theology, where such persons are least well–informed, the opportunities for employing this method are many, and they are unscrupulously used. A red herring is easily drawn across the path, and the public is invited to ridicule an ignorant fanatick where in truth it should perceive a justly aggrieved citizen.

[122]

I celebrated the Holy Communion at 8.15 a.m. Then followed breakfast at which the rule of silence was observed, Clayton reading from a newly–published book by a gassy Presbyterian, Black, entitled "Dilemmas of Jesus". Leng arrived with the letters from Auckland.

I remained in my room until lunch, and inter alia wrote the names in the Bibles and New Testaments. It is a melancholy reflexion that for the 3 artisan deacons, the little volume will be 'a sealed book'.

After lunch I walked for an hour with Bishop Knight, and then attended Evensong in the Cathedral. I returned to the Castle, and had tea with the candidates, & then proceeded to have interviews with the laymen: I decided that Heselton should read the Gospel. He is a heavy fellow, rather unprepossessing in aspect, but devout and determined. The 3 "working–men candidates" did not impress me, and are certainly rather alarming to look at, but they may be better than they seem! Hall, who is going to St Gabriel's Sunderland, pleased me best. Stephenson gave his second address at Compline: and then I retired to my room, and occupied myself until I went to bed. The day was mild, and spring–like.

---