The Henson Journals

[194]

Easter Day, March 31st, 1929.

A glorious morning, ideally Paschal. But how far from Paschal exultation is my mind, jaded and perplexed beyond endurance! The triumphant assumption of the Apostle's appeal is the difficulty now, not the appeal itself. For who of us now can respond with deliberate & plenary assent to the call – "If then ye were raised together with Christ." In what sense can we of the XXth century say of ourselves that we have been "raised together with Christ"? That grotesque person, Bothamley, in an Article contributed to "the Churchman" under the title "What Evangelicals stand for," is very confident that the language of the Epistles is wholly intelligible & relevant to those who share his Evangelical beliefs. They "become instinct with life to him". But who would seriously desire to be a Christian on the model of Bothamley? A kind–hearted man with a considerable measure of intellectual ability, but devoid of judgment and good sense. Men pardon his religion in consideration for his natural amiability.

[195]

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I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were 22 communicants. I noted some absentees – William, Rufus, Harry Long, and my guest, Page–Gourlay. The brilliant sunshine made the Chapel look very noble, and Alexander had decorated it with care & skill. I motored to S. Andrew's, Tudhoe Grange, where I celebrated and preached at the 10.30 a.m. service. There were 51 communicants, & by no means a crowded Church, but the people were devout & attentive. There were more than 30 men and boys in the choir. Marsh, the Vicar, is unmarried, a circumstance which undoubtedly facilitates his relations with the male section of the parishioners. The pros and cons of clerical matrimony are very evenly balanced. Perhaps the effect of the untoward conditions under which the Church now carries out its work, the pros cons are gathering strength. There are now no less than 10 unmarried bishops: and of the married, no less than 11 are childless. Unless I mistake, no living diocesan bishop has now a son in Holy Orders. In these circumstances the notable decline of nepotism on the episcopal bench becomes at once more intelligible and less impressive! If the same proportions of unmarried & childless persons obtains among the clergy, the effect on our recruiting for Holy Orders must be very considerable.

[196]

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We all motored to Durham, and attended Evensong in the Cathedral. The service was very inspiring, and the Hallelujah Chorus was admirably sung. We had my favourite Easter hymn – "The strife is over, the battle won" – which the large congregation joined in singing. I pronounced the Benediction from my throne. Rawlinson was there: I took occasion to ask him to be one of the examining chaplains, which he consented to be. Then we returned home. The weather, which started so well, degenerated as the day advanced, and in the afternoon had become chilly, gusty, and menacing.

I read through a brilliant little booklet in the "Today and Tomorrow" series – Eos. Or the Wider Aspects of Cosmogony by J.H. Jeans, D.Sc. &c, Secretary of the Royal Society. It sinks me in an abysmal and terrifying Agnosticism, which makes every affirmation an impudence, & the mere suggestion of a creed an intellectual outrage! I had not realized how very recent the reigning astronomical science actually is.

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