The Henson Journals

[293]

Thursday, December 23rd, 1926.

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I wasted most part of the day in reading a preposterous book by a Papist writer, Montague Summers, on "The History of Witchcraft and Demonology". It is a curious disclosure of modern Papist mentality. The entire tradition of medieval superstition, guaranteed by papal authority, and securely rooted in the letter of Scripture & the immemorial belief of the Church, is accepted, & nothing is too gross or too silly for credence. He is very severe (and justly) on modern spiritualism, which he identifies with the old witchcraft. The last being under the ban of the Church carries the condemnation of the first.

Drury came to lunch, & afterwards discussed the case of his curate Ford, whom he describes as slack, unspiritual and religiously useless! I said that I could hardly censure the said curate without disclosing the offences alleged against him, & the source from which the allegations came. He decided to give him a further trial before formally reporting him to me.

I walked round the Park with Tom Hay.

The afternoon post brought me a little volume of verse from a Labour member, Mr William Wright. Its animus is disclosed in the lines: –

Have you ever watched the fortunes of the masters who have fought you,

With the weighted dice of hunger 'gainst your side;

How they ever got the pulpit & the press arrayed against you,

When a living wage to workmen they denied?

But the feeble shall grow stronger, & you shall be slaves no longer,

Making millions for your masters by your toil;

They were ever as the vulture, in their greed as profit–monger,

But with foresight you will all their schemes despoil.

I sent him a friendly letter of thanks together with a copy of "William Tyndale".

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