The Henson Journals

[350]

Tuesday, December 1st, 1925.

It is difficult for the modern reader to understand the extraordinary attraction which the writings of the Reformers evidently possessed in the eyes of their contemporaries. They are now almost unreadable, for the ideas & phrases which distinguish them have become unendurably hackneyed. But then they had all the freshness of complete novelty. Tyndale thinks it requisite to write a Prologue to his New Testament preparing his readers for its perusal by some explanations, 'that ye will understand the New Testament: the law, the Gospel, etc'. All was startlingly novel. This novelty of the Scriptures is the sufficient answer to the claim of modern Roman Catholics that there had been vernacular translations before the Reformation, & that all the ecclesiastical authorities objected against was false translation & heretical commentary. It is the case that the medieval populations, though abundantly familiar with Bible stories & edifying texts, had no acquaintance with the Bible as a whole, & no understanding of it as an independent spiritual authority.

[351]

I wasted the morning in preparing notes for my address at the Westoe Secondary School tonight. It is a question whether it is really worthwhile to bestow so much labour on these occasional speeches, but they reach the ears of another kind of folk than that which still, though in fast diminishing numbers, frequent the churches. I seek to get into circulation ideas which otherwise I could hardly bring under public notice. But the expenditure of good time is terrible! The Dean of Hereford arrived at lunch–time from Bishopwearmouth where he had been spending the week–end. I sate with him in my study talking until it was time for me to set out for South Shields. There was more snow on the roads than might fairly have been expected, but we travelled without damage, and arrived at S. Michael's Hall, Westoe, without being late. There was a crowded attendance of boys & girls, (for the Secondary School is a "co–ed" institution,) and their parents. I was surprised that not one clergyman or (so far as I perceived) one sectarian minister was present, though the Mayor (a Labour man) & others of the municipality were there. I got back to Auckland about 10.30 p.m. picking up Clayton in Durham on the way.

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