The Henson Journals

[129]

Tuesday, October 11th, 1927.

The thought came to me in that greatest of all idea–factories, "the Bath" that I would, when I preach in the Abbey on the 30th, take as my subject Christ's insistence on almost ruthless decisiveness when individual faults are concerned, and His impressive complaisance in front of corporate or public faults. On the one hand, "If thy right hand causath thee to stumble, cut it off", on the other hand, "Let both grow together until the Harvest". The essential distinction between the Christian, and the Revolutionary method of reforming society is here disclosed. High standards of personal conduct with a strange indifference to public evils have ever marked the history of the Christian Church: individual profligacy liked with enormous professions of public virtue is the very hall–mark of revolutionaries. But since social life must always ultimately sink or rise to the levels of men & women who comprise society, it follows that the Christian Indifference to public evils works out in their abolition: and the revolutionary exaltation of public virtue leads to its total forfeiture! This is the paradox which the history of society discloses: & which was never more apparent than at the present day.

[130]

For some unknown reason I was quite unable to do anything today. Both will and power to work failed me. Colin Kennedy went off in the course of the morning. He has developed considerably since I saw him at Hereford. He is stouter, more consequential, and self–confident. Jackson from Sunderland came to see me about the question whether or not he should be allowed to give a tithe to a deacon. I finally decided that he might. After lunch he and Lionel walked round the Park with me. His account of Pastor Jeffries the Faith healer, whose meetings he had attended, was illuminating. The man is evidently a crude fanatick. His much vaunted cures amount to very little, but the credulity & enthusiasm of the people are boundless.

Ella and I motored to Newcastle, and dined at the Mansion House with the Lord Mayor "to meet the Lord Bishop of Newcastle". The Duke of Northumberland was there & proposed the Bishop's health, to which his Lordship made reply. The company included the two Archdeacons, Canons Boot & Newsom, & Lazenby. The rest were presumably civic folk. After dinner the Lord Mayor gave us an exhibition of his singing. Both he & his wife are very musical. I had some amiable conversation with the Duke – a quaint little ferret–like man. We got back o the Castle about 11 p.m.