The Henson Journals
Fri 12 July 1929
Volume 48, Pages 197 to 198
[197]
Friday, July 12th, 1929.
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The papers report a scene in the Upper House of Canterbury, when that [mountebank] vehement zealot (added above), the Bishop of St. Alban's, gave free course to his feelings in a direct attack on the Bishop of Birmingham. No Bishop is personally less qualified to be the critic of anybody. His own words & deeds have been not less exasperating to Protestants than have those of Bishop Barnes been to Anglo–Catholicks. In vain the presiding Primate strove to restrain his orthodox zeal. Barnes was truculent as might have been expected: & the Archbishop could not resist the temptation to smite him with a cold rebuke. It was all very deplorable.
The proceedings in the Lower House disclosed a considerable and determined minority in opposition to the Bishops' proposals. In these circumstances it cannot be said that the episcopal policy makes a good start. There are at least 5 bishops, and, perhaps, a fourth part of the clergy pledged to disobey, belittle, and, as far as possible, obstruct!
[198]
In the Primitive Church there was no single system of Church Order laid down by the Apostles. During the first hundred years of Christianity, the Church was an organism alive and growing – changing its organisation to meet changing needs.
Streeter "The Primitive Church" p. 261.
This is the broad conclusion to which Streeter's study of the documents has led him. He seems to imagine that it is important as facilitating 'Reunion', but it does not appear to me to carry the main question beyond the point at which Lightfoot left it. Episcopacy was one of several polities in the 1st century, but in the 2nd it distanced all rivals, and by the 3rd was universal. How can we go back on that conclusion now?
I motored to Newcastle, and visited my brother, the Bishop, in the nursing–home, where he has now continued for some weeks, recovering from an operation. He seemed to be cheerful, & confident that, in about 10 days, he would be allowed to go home. I offered him any help in my power.