The Henson Journals

[212]

Tuesday, November 22nd, 1927.

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Headlam writes to me a long letter in his own almost indecipherable hand. He offers 3 criticisms on the 'Open Letter':viz: that it exaggerates the present anarchy: that it wrongly describes Transubstantiation as a materialistic doctrine: and that the style is over–elaborated. His words on the last point are interesting:–

"I like your style best the less trouble you take. Your sentences and words came so easily and you write with such facility, that you are very good when you are unprepared. When you take trouble you become rather too elaborate. This is immoral teaching, but it is true".

Is this criticism just? I should like to have it illustrated by specific illustrations. What, perhaps, would be true is that, when I feel keenly, I write simply & strongly: when my emotions are unawakend, I choose my words consciously and construct my sentences carefully.

I spent most of the morning in making preparations for a sermon on S. Hilda for use at the 1300th centenary of her baptism which is commemorated at S. Hila's Church in South Shields on Thursday. The notion occurred to me that I would speak of the position which women have come to hold in Christendom & consider how far that position was so far dependant on Christian principles as to be imperilled by the triumph of Secularism.

After lunch I walked for an hour and a half in a drizzling rain.