The Henson Journals

[390]

Wednesday, October 16th, 1929.

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I went into Durham and confirmed two sailors, officers of the mercantile marine, in the Chapel of Durham Castle.

Gore sent me a postcard to this effect:–

"I read in the Times today an account of a most excellent address on "Disestablishment. Thank you indeed. I am heartily with you."

I fear Gore's agreement with me wd not carry very far, for I do not share his precise & vehement "Catholicism", but, on the issue of Parliamentary control of the Church of England, we can stand together. Indeed, short of thorough–going 'Erastianism', I cannot see how the existing situation in England can be defended: and such 'Erastianism' is plainly inconsistent with any theory of the visible Church as a spiritual society. I wonder how far Gore's attitude is that pf the general body of "Anglo–Catholicks".

[391]

"The record of the relations of Christianity to the great rational Graeco–Roman civilization and culture is an unhappy one, but one for which there are ample parallels in any spiritual upheaval and turning–point in history."

"Christianity appropriated much of permanent interest and moral worth from that ancient civilization."

"Christianity also acted in much the same way to its old home as Israel did to Egypt, from which it brought the cult of the golden calves but left the doctrine of immortality. So Christianity appropriated much that had better been abandoned and that has proved perilous and a handicap to its subsequent history."

v. Angus I.c. p.107.

This dogmatising is, perhaps, neither safe, nor altogether reasonable. Nor does it allow much for that guidance of the Church by the Holy Spirit which was been ever assumed by Catholick Christians.

[392]

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I dined with Ellershaw. Besides him & his wife there were only myself and Captain Napier & his wife. We had a good deal of mixed talk, and, when the ladies had withdrawn, our conversation came to take a definitely religious character.

My godson, Gilbert Simpson, in accordance with my request, sends me the names & birthdays of his two sons, viz:

Gilbert Francis born on October 27th

Donald born on February 22nd .

This of course means that I must send them birthday presents.

[symbol] The newspapers report that the "Edinburgh Review" has died of financial inanition. What use has the age of the "Daily Mail" for the substantial journals? Harold Cox has, I think, done all that an editor could do to make the Review popular: but there is no demand for 'Quarterlies'. Time has removed most of the hereditary supporters. The country house libraries which kept up their subscriptions in order to complete the series have disappeared with the country houses which they adorned.

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