The Henson Journals

[197]

Wednesday, July 20th, 1927.

I finished Fülöp-Miller's book. It is most illuminating, and makes Bolshevism at once more intelligible and more horrifying. His account of the religious situation is equally interesting and suggestive. Incidentally he confirms a suspicion that has been taking shape in my own mind viz: that there is a certain sympathy between Bolshevism & Papistry which may finally express itself to the advantage of the latter. At least the two tyrannies agree in recognizing individual liberty as the enemy. And, of course, the ruin of the Russian Church removes a rival.

"The Vatican, which had long known of the impending bankruptcy of the Orthodox Church, contrived most skilfully & diplomatically to take many cautious and imperceptible steps to gain a footing in Russia …. Thus it might quite easily happen that the propaganda of the Soviet government against the Church may ultimately bring about the ruin of the Byzantine Church only to replace it by Roman Catholicism". P. 252

The evident disintegration of the Protestant churches is plainly serving the interests of the close-knit autocracy of Rome: & the panic, which the advance of social Revolution is creating, predisposes many to take shelter under the strong government of the Pope!

[198]

Lionel and I motored into Durham, and there I licensed four assistant curates, or rather three & a deaf & dumb chaplain – a very poor lot. Then we lunched with Wilson and, after lunch, I called on Mrs Cruickshank. She gave me a book from her husband's library as a memento of him. I picked up the volume, Epicurus the Extant Remains, by Cyril Bailey. It was the first that came to my hand. Then we proceeded to S. Giles's Church, and there I consecrated a considerable addition to the Churchyard. We had tea with the Bishop of Jarrow, with whom I discussed some matters of business, & then returned to Auckland.

Mrs Benson and her sister arrived on a short visit. Both are good-looking American ladies, with enough accent to indicate their country but not enough to insult ours!

Ernest of Worcester has another foolish letter in the Times, headed "Dissentient Bishop's Dilemma". It never seems to occur to him that the majority of Anglicans has some claim to attention, & that what he is really claiming for himself & the other members of the minority is nothing less than a permanent veto on all ecclesiastical action which they do not approve. This claim is, of course, the negation of government and the bar to all progress

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