The Henson Journals

[147]

Saturday, July 21st, 1928.

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"What does he really believe, Aunt May?"

"Well, he hardly has time for that."

"Ah! that's the new hope of the church. All the rest is just as much an attempt to improve on mathematics as Einstein's theory. Orthodox religion was devised for the cloister, Aunt May, & there aren't any cloisters left."

"Religion", said his aunt dreamily, "used to burn a good many people, Michael, not in cloisters."

'Quite so, when it emerged from cloisters, religion used to be red–hot politics, then it became caste–feeling, and now it's a cross–word puzzle – you don't solve them with your emotions."

"You have a dreadful way of putting things, my dear."

Galsworthy. 'Swan Song.' p. 140

This is very brilliant and incisive, but is it more than a clever sketch of half the truth about the evolution of Christianity? The Religion of Christ certainly did not begin in cloisters.

[148] [symbol]

I walked to the Athenaeum after breakfast, & read the papers. The Daily Telegraph gives great prominence to the announcement that the Archbishop of York has actually been appointed to Canterbury. I called on Dashwood, & signed the document referring to the Primate's resignation which is to take effect on November 12th. Dashwood, under great protestation of secresy [sic], told me that the Prime Minister had promised to announce the new Archbishop's appointment without delay. He added that Chelmsford was to go to York: that Ingram was to be got out of London by some method which he did not specify, & that Temple was to be brought to London. It would seem that I need not worry myself about having to leave Auckland Castle! After lunching at the Club, I went to Westminster Abbey, & 'tied the knot' which holds in marriage Mary Storr & her husband. Noel, her brother, gave her away: Storr himself gave the address: the Precentor intoned the latter part of the service; & the Dean gave the Benediction. It was an impressive function, & carried my thoughts back to October 21st, 1902, when Ella & I went through the same experience in the same place.