The Henson Journals

[141]

Monday, October 17th, 1927.

The plot thickens. Great prominence is given in the morning paper to the account of a scandalous scene in S. Paul's Cathedral, where a fanatick person, Canon Bullock Webster, made a protest against the preaching of the Bishop of Birmingham. His demonstration was evidently organized, for I received later in the day a "Copy of Solemn Denunciation & Protest made at the High Service in St Paul's Cathedral". It is very fanatically expressed, & denounces "the false & heretical teaching" in which the Bishop is said to have "denied & poured contempt upon the doctrines & sacraments of the Holy Catholic Church". We are to "try the said Bishop in respect of these alleged heretical & profane utterances, &, if he be found guilty, forthwith to depose him & cast him out of the church of God until such time as he do repent himself & recant his grievous errors"!!! It is all in the best Smithfield style. How far this fatuous business will be carried remains to be seen: but I suspect that many fanatical Romanisers will be glad of so promising an opportunity for diverting attention from themselves, and incidentally shipwrecking P. B. Revision. Barnes's sermon was an essentially orthodox effort to square science & Christianity: but it was almost [142] grotesquely out of place in the course of Divine Service, & must have been almost unintelligible to the greater part of the congregation. I think the key to this calamitous series of 'scientific' discourses lies in the fact that he is engaged in preparing his Gifford lectures on 'Religion & Science'. All this creates a very uncomfortable situation for me. I disapprove Barnes's behaviour, but I could not possibly take sides against him, if there is any attempt at a "heresy hunt". It is evident enough that, if he had left the Anglo–Catholicks alone, they would not have bothered about his biological excursions: but the onslaught on their "magical" theory of the Sacrament has cut them to the quick, & they are "all out" for a revolt. We may congratulate ourselves the he has cast in his lot with the opponents of the Prayer Book. That circumstance will make it more difficult for them to make capital out of his "heresies". But an extremely difficult situation has been created: & his position as Bishop may even become untenable.

[143]

I received from Messrs Longmans a cheque for £16 in payment for the article in the Edinburgh Review on 'Quakerism'. This I paid forthwith into the Bank. The whole morning was wasted in putting together notes for tomorrow's speech, and in reading the papers. Also, I read a good deal of Julian Huxley's book 'Religion without Revelation'. It is calculated to do much harm, all the more, perhaps, because it contains much that is true. But there is no place for Christianity in a religious scheme which denies the Personality of God. His references to Christianity are belittling and even contemptuous.

The Yorkshire Post gives prominence to the remarks which I made in West Hartlepool when I opened the new Sunday School. Thus the name of the episcopal "heretick" of 1918 is brought into suggestive proximity to that of the episcopal heretick of 1927. Barnes is an obstinate fellow, and he likes the importance of being a martyr. But he doesn't realize the disturbance of consciences which goes along with the clamour, nor has he any sympathy with the pauperes Christi. The tradition of the Senior Common Room holds him still.