The Henson Journals

[176]

Palm Sunday, March 24th, 1929.

Still the glorious weather: but my cold is too heavy on me to admit of my enjoying it. I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were 13 communicants, including Major Wills, John, Rufus, & the 4 Brydens.

I went to South Church, and confirmed 137 persons from the parishes of Bishop Auckland and Coundon. The fine church was completely filled, and everything seemed reverent and edifying.

Some cranky papist who calls himself "Bishop" Howarth, having received some kind of consecration from an eccentrick named Matthew "Anglo–Catholic Archbishop of London", has written "A Protest against the Tyranny of the Roman Inquisition & of His Holiness Pope Pius X, addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Bourne", of which he sends me a copy. So far as I can understand his complaint, he appears to have been excommunicated by the Roman Catholick Authorities, and no doubt for adequate cause.

[177]

["]It is the most astonishing instance of the irony of events that the Lateran Council should have been dissolved (1517) with promises of peace on the very verge of the greatest outbreak which had ever threatened the organisation of the Church. It may be pleasant to be free from demands of reform, but it is assuredly dangerous. The quiet of indifference wears the same aspect as the quiet of content: but it needs only a small impulse to convert indifference to antagonism. …. It was a time of material wellbeing and eager striving after riches. The increase of knowledge had brought self–complacency, & the pride of superior wisdom separated each man from his fellow. Old objects of common effort had passed away, & none had taken their place.["]

v. Creighton. "Papacy" iv. 235.

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