The Henson Journals
Thu 23 July 1925
Volume 39, Pages 145 to 146
[145]
Thursday, July 23rd, 1925.
It is always a mistake to pass by events: it is a serious blender with Erasmus, and a fatal one with Luther. In the critical days when the views of Luther began to appear, the contest between Charles V and Francis I prevented the former crushing him, and to the last day he lived he profited by the complications of the foreign policy of the Emperor. If any one cares to give either Frances I of France or Suleimon I of Turkey – or to both – the title of "The Protector of Lutheranism" he will speak the exact truth of the work that the French king wittingly and the Turkish Sultan unwittingly performed.
Robert H. Murray. Erasmus & Luther. P.60.
Chute writes to say that he has been elected Dean of Divinity at Magdalen College, Oxford. The diocese loses one of the very few young clergymen it possesses, & the best. I wrote to Jack Boden telling him that he might inform any criticks of the Bishop of Durham's journalistic activity that the poor gentlemen only wrote articles for the two objects (1) to find money for repairing Escombe Church, and (2) to pay for the preparation of an Ordination candidate.
[146]
After lunch I motored to Stockton, and dedicated the foundation stone of the new Church in S. Paul's parish. There was a considerable gathering of clergy, and a large congregation. I shouted away my voice, and then went back to Auckland.
Kenneth Kay, who was also a chorister in Durham Cathedral when I was Dean, and is now a graduate of Durham University, came to see me about Ordination. He is an honest–looking, rather silent, young man of 23.
Clayton and I motored to Gateshead in order to attend the collation of the Revd G.D. Williams to the Vicarage of Holy Trinity. On the way, too far on for return, Clayton realized that he had forgotten the documents! He was in a tragical quandary, & I thought he would have expired with humiliation! However we got through quite well by remembering the formulae, which have become quite familiar. We carried Parry–Evans home with us.
I was not well–impressed with the congregation which consisted mostly of young women, & had a squalid aspect: and the concourse of parishioners which collected to watch our departure had a still more disconcerting appearance. We returned to Auckland after the service.