The Henson Journals

[57]

Wednesday, August 31st, 1927.

My own cooevals are quickly passing. The papers report the death of the Provost of Trinity. Bernard was 67 on July 27th of this year: I shall be 64 on November 8th.

In the afternoon I motored into Newcastle, dropping Ella & Fearne at Framwellgate Moor on the way. After getting my hair–cut, I returned to Auckland with my ladies. We had tea with Mrs Vaux.

At 6 p.m. I had an interview with the Vice–Principal of Bede College (Mr F. E. Dann) who poured out a formidable list of grievances against the Principal. I think that the latter has sound ideas, and means well, but he is hasty, dogmatic, and lacking in frankness. He has raised against himself the prejudices of the students, who resent discipline, and the staff, who prefer the laxity of the past. I think he may be going too fast. It is difficult to see what I can do, but I promised to see Braley, & have a straight talk with him.

Then Kenneth came to see me. He has got his County Council Scholarship (£80), but that will not go very far towards his expenses at Wadham. If he is as able & industrious as he looks, he ought to get some College exhibition. Meanwhile I must assist him! I wrote to the Warden of Wadham telling him that I would stand in loco parentis for the necessary financial assistance.

[58]

["]There is no accepted test of civilization. It is not wealth, or the degree of comfort, or the average duration of life, or the increase of knowledge. All such tests would be disputed. In default of any other measure, may it not be suggested that as good a measure as any is the degree to which justice is carried out, the degree to which men are sensitive as to wrong–doing and desirous to right it? If that be the test, a trial such as that of Servetus is a trial of the people among whom it takes place, and his condemnation in theirs also.["]

v. Macdonell's Historical Trials, p 148.

Apply this suggested test to the United States as its judicial procedure discloses its level of civilization. The recent outcry against the execution of two anarchists convicted of murder seven years ago shows a widely–distributed suspicion of American justice as well as a general disgust of legal procrastination. Dicey used to say that the test of civilization was the amount of respect for human life which obtained in society. Judged by this test also the American Republic is shown to be uncivilized. The daily murder in Chicago outweighs all the windy "idealism" of Boston & New York.

[59] [symbol]

["]Religious persecution often extirpates new doctrines, but commonly fails to maintain the belief in old tenets. You can prevent whole classes of men from hearing of the religion which is congenial to them, but you cannot make men believe a religion which is uncongenial. Persecution in intellectual countries produces a superficial conformity, but also underneath an intense, incessant, implacable doubt.["]

Bagehot. Literary Studies, vol. II, p. 434

The Reformation was stamped out by persecution in the Latin countries, but a ribald scepticism is the habit of the educated classes in all Latin communities. Toleration prevailed sooner and more completely in Holland and England than in any other European community, but can it be said that religious belief has more successfully resisted the disintegrating influences of the modern world? No religious policy has any real power to save a faith against a hostile atmosphere. It wilts and dies like plants in time of drought. And something of that kind seems to be happening in Christendom now. All forms of organized religion are failing before the subtle continuing influence of an unwholesome social and intellectual climate. Will there be a resurrection from the dead for Christianity?