The Henson Journals

[68]

Monday, January 16th, 1928.

There is a growing consensus of opinion among independent scholars that Jesus instituted no sacraments, yet Paul found the rudiments of them among the Christians and believed he had the warrant of Jesus for the heightening which he gave to them.

Glover. 'Conflict of Religions' p. 158.

"Independent scholars" may mean either scholars who are without any limiting membership, of scholars who are free from any deflecting prejudices. is it possible for a Churchman to admit the view that the two 'Sacraments of the Gospel' were not instituted by Christ? In particular, could the Anglican Liturgy be fitly used by one who disbelieved the explicit assertions of the Consecration Prayer? Does not the 'apostolic' character of the church involve acceptance of the view, undoubtedly held by the Apostles, that Christ instituted the Lord's Supper? Is there any reasonable ground for thinking that Holy Communion would retain its place of paramount importance, or any place at all, if the opinion were generally to prevail that it was no more than an ecclesiastical institution?

[69]

Even paganism never laid down any such principle as that faith is not to be kept with heretics. The fires in Nero's gardens were not so much of a deliberate outrage on known truth as the burning of Huss or the battle of Varna.

Gwatkin. 'The knowledge of God' ii. 196

I went in to Durham, & presided at a meeting of the Clergy Widows Pension board, and afterwards had tea with the Bishop of Jarrow, & did business with him. We discussed the situation, which is as dark to him as to the rest of us. Then I returned to Auckland.

The starting on a book is a grave matter for me, since I cannot put it down until it is finished! And if the book happen to be a novel, the incidental waste of time may be considerable: if the novel be (as modern novels commonly are)demoralizing rubbish, the waste of time is not the only ill–consequence to be reckoned with. I rashly began a debased production by Compton Mackenzie, "The Life & Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett", which interested me enough to make me waste time on it.