The Henson Journals

[156]

Wednesday, March 7th, 1928.

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'Child' said my father to me, when I was young, 'you think to carry everything by dint of argument. But you will find, by and by, how very little is ever done in the world by clear reason'. Very little indeed! Passion and prejudice govern the world; only under the name of reason. It is our part, by religion and reason joined, to counteract them all we can.

John Wesley. October 3rd. 1770.

(v. Letters. P158).

'Religion and reason joined' – a combination as precious as it is infrequent, for as religion becomes ardent, it smothers reason: and as reason grows insistent it kills religion.

'Passion and prejudice' are never so powerful and never so ruthless, as when stirred and directed by religion, which consorts with them more easily than with reason. The 18th century had much excuse for its low estimate of what it called, 'enthusiasm', the blending of religion with passion and prejudice.

[157] [symbol]

I spent the morning at Lambeth in discussions which bored & humiliated me almost beyond endurance. I was mostly displeased with what was done, and rather distressed at the temper of my colleagues, who have (unless I misjudge them) declined quickly from the sturdy independence with which they began. The Archbishop of C. expressed a natural and legitimate resentment at the behaviour of Armitage Robinson, who, having absented himself from the debates in Convocation when the subject was being dealt with, writes to the Times at considerable length against the Alternative Communion Office.

I dined at Grillions where the party was:–

1. Lord Harris

2. Lord Hardinge

3. Lord Sumner

4. Lord FitzAlan

5. Lord Eustace Percy

6. Owen Seaman

7. Hugh Macmillan

8. Archbishop of York

9. Bishop of Durham.

I sate between Percy & Macmillan, & had much pleasant talk. Owen Seaman spoke about the request that he had received from Heawood that he should assist the Appeal for Durham University Castle in Punch.

He suggested that I might be a 'Personality'.

[158] [symbol]

FitzAlan, though a strong Papist, was very civil. I was a little afraid that he might resent my dealing with his Cardinal. Owen Seaman who is, I think, also a Papist, was particularly civil. There may be no love lost between his Eminence and the Popish laity for ought I know to the contrary!

Macmillan told me how he had purchased from Maggs the MS. Of one of Scott's novels for £700, and presented it to Edinburgh. He was enthusiastic on the beauty of the hand–writing.

I asked Owen Seamen how he worked, and he said that when, on a perusal of the Times, he had decided on this subject, he set to work, & stuck at it until he had finished his poem. He was generally through with it about 4 p.m: but he was 'held up' by a single word for as much as an hour. He attributed his facility largely to the training at his school, Shrewsbury, under Moss, who had made much of Latin & Greek verses. The boys discussed these among themselves, and acquired the conviction that, if you couldn't do the thing one way, you could in another.

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