The Henson Journals

[185]

Tuesday, November 20th, 1928.

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'I have not so much as heard of Mr Warburton's "Alliance between Church & State". But I never conceived them to be far asunder, since Bishopricks & their Translations were in the world.'

Letter from Mr Whaley to Dr. Sneyd Davies

Mar. 28 1743 (v. Nichols. Illustrations of the Literary History of the xviiith Century. vol I. p. 531.

This suggests an aspect of Establishment which was more frankly talked about in the xviiith century than in the xxth, but was, perhaps, hardly less important. There is very much to be said for the ancient canons which prohibited translation as sinful. From the State's point of view, as an instrument for bridling the episcopate & thereby taming the church, translation was formerly of the utmost value: but now it only survives as an influence which secularizes the bishops without adding anything considerable to the State. For in the vast communities of the modern world the church is too unimportant a factor even to be worth taming, & the State loses as much as it gains by its ecclesiastical function.

[186]

I made a start on a sermon for the Centenary celebration at Seaham Harbour next Sunday.

Lionel and I motored to Gateshead where we lunched with the Rector. Then we proceeded to Heworth parish church for the funeral of the Vicar, C.L. Gwilliam, who died suddenly last Sunday. There was a considerable gathering of the clergy, and an immense crowd of the parishioners. The Churchwardens took occasion to beg me to send them a 'moderate man'. Gwilliam seems to have developed "Anglo–Catholicism" recently to the chagrin of many of the people! After the service we returned to the Castle.

The Warden of Wadham writes more re–assuringly:–

"I am sorry if I misled you about his (Kenneth's) character: there is absolutely nothing against his moral character. What I meant was that I regard him as lacking in force of character & balance."

From what his Tutor, Lennard, writes to me. I incline to think that it is a case of a young homebred lad rather overwhelmed by Oxford, and oscillating between excessive self–confidence and a no less excessive self–depreciation.

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