The Henson Journals

[3]

Friday, December 4th, 1925.

Saint Jerome also translated the bible into his mother–tongue: why may not we also? They will say it cannot be translated into our tongue, it is so rude. It is not so rude as they are false liars. For the Greek tongue agreeth more with the English than with the Latin. And the properties of the Hebrew tongue agreeth a thousand times more with the English than with the Latin. The manner of speaking is both one, so that in a thousand places thou needest not but to translate it into the English, word for word: whom thou must seek a compass in the Latin, & yet shall have much work to translate it well–favouredly, so that it have the same grace & sweetness, sense & pure understanding with it in the Latin, and as it hath in the Hebrew. A thousand parts better may it be translated into the English, than into the Latin

v. Tindale. [sic] Preface to the Reader in "Obedience of a Christian Man". P.S. edition. p.148.

This Preface contains a vigorous justification of the policy of placing vernacular versions of the Scriptures in the hand of laymen.

[4]

The weather continues bitterly cold, and the ice on the roads makes travelling comfortless and risky. There is notable apathy on the part of the local authorities as to the accumulations of snow on the main roads. I left the Castle about 10.50 a.m. and motored to Newcastle, where I attended the meeting of the Barnard Castle School Governors. Bircham sent a note to explain his absence on the score of an inflamed eye, and, with the assistance of his absence, we transacted our business with speed and harmony. After lunching with the Governors at the Railway Hotel, I returned to Auckland, where I arrived in good time to preside over the meeting of the Preventive and Rescue. Association in the State Room. The Bishop of Jarrow addressed the meeting, at the conclusion of which we all proceeded to the Chapel, where a short service was held, and the "Women's offering" formally presented. Then followed tea in the large Dining Room. Spencer, the Vicar of Firtree, had an interview with me. He pleaded hard for his son, but vainly, as I had made up my mind not to accept him as an Ordination candidate. The Bishop of Farrow discussed with me various matters of diocesan policy, & then went off to Darlington.

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