The Henson Journals

[333]

Friday, September 20th, 1929.

A blustering and chilly day, prophet of the approaching winter. I spent the morning in writing a letter to Professor Barker: and then visited the dentist!

Among the company which came to play lawn–tennis was Lady Bell, a wonderful old lady. She asked me to visit old Sir Hugh, who is again at home after his severe operation. I promised to do so, but was it sincerely? Her daughter, Lady Richmond, came with her, & was much interested in the Richmond portraits in the State Room.

The Roman priest who denounced Inge and Barnes as ignorant men, & the Church of England itself as destined to become a 'sect' or even an 'insect', has evidently been 'called over the coals' by his superiors. A rather laboured 'apology' appears in the newspapers. The incident serves to reveal the sentiments with which ardent Papists regard the Church of England, and perhaps also the poor type of the Roman priests. No doubt the Centenary of Catholick Emancipation is stirring a spirit of truculent self–assertiveness in the Popish sectaries.

[334]

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"As early as 1753, D'Argenson had noticed that the number of communicants was rapidly diminishing, that the College of Jesuits was deserted, that the priests were on all sides ridiculed or hated, and as the century moved on, the anti–christian spirit became far stronger & more serious. The tone of literature, the tone of science, the tone of the drawing–rooms was no longer that of scepticism, but of an assured and derisive incredulity. In the Church of Bossuet, Massillon, & Bourdaloue, not a voice of any weight or power was heard in defence of Christianity, & the few who defended it did so mainly on grounds of expediency. The most conspicuous of the clergy had caught the prevailing spirit. Popular preachers began to drop the name of Christ from their sermons, & to speak only of "the legislator of the Christians". Great bishops & priors were known in their familiar circles to scoff at the popular belief, & it was said by [335, symbol] a good observer that there were probably not more than four or five sincere Christians in the French episcopacy. There was a profound & serious division between atheists of the school of Holbach & deists of the school of Rousseau, but among the overwhelming majority of educated Frenchmen there were but two opinions about Christianity. There were those who regarded it as a noxious superstition which ought to be abolished, & there were those who regarded it as a harmless & beneficent superstition which must, in the interests of social order, be maintained."

Lecky. History of Ireland. ii. 200

So far as my knowledge of the English bishops goes, & it is fairly extensive, I do not think it would be possible reasonably to advance any such charge of general irreligion against them. Most of them appear to me to be very sincerely religious, but not very well–informed or very intelligent. They are so occupied with the practical distractions of their office that they have no time either to read or to think.

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