The Henson Journals

[114]

24th Sunday after Trinity, November 9th, 1902.

I celebrated at 8 a.m. There were 36 commts, including Herbert Cox, who afterwards came to breakfast. Then I drove to S. Mary Abbot's, Kensington & preached on the Poverty of the Clergy to a great congregation, but overwhelmingly feminine. After service, I lunched with the Vicar, Canon Pennefather.

[115]

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The Bishop of Winchester wrote privately to me with reference to my letters to the "Times", and I replied as follows:-

November 13th 1902

My dear Lord Bishop,

I am much obliged to you for your letter, which gives me the opportunity of stating what I conceive my position to be in this controversy. It needs no saying, of course, that I am not in your Lordships' counsels. If I were my mouth would be closed: & everybody understands who understands anything at all that I speak & write as an individual standing outside official circles, & having no other means of forming an opinion on official conduct than those which are accessible to the meanest of my fellow-citizens. When, therefore, I say that 'the Bishops are apparently determined' to do this or that, the statement is, and is universally understood to be, the inference of an ordinary citizen from the facts under observation. It is not a statement of what is, but a surmise of what probably is the case. If it is a reasonable surmise I am justified in offering it: if it is an unreasonable surmise, I am certainly blameworthy, except in so far as the dullness of my wits may excuse the weakness [116] of my logic. What, then, was the situation which suggested this particular opinion, which your Lordship disavows, and I think, from the tone of your letter, resents? Three Bishops are understood to have declared themselves hostile to Colonel Kenyon-Slaney's Amendment - the Bishops of London, Worcester, & Rochester. These Bishops happen to be not only personally conspicuous, but also the members of the Episcopal Bench, who have been prominent in the discussion of the Education bill. It is understood, rightly or wrongly I do not and cannot know, but certainly with much plausibility, that the Bishops do act together on most public questions; & it is difficult to suppose that they would not do so on the Education Bill, if they ever did so at all. It is natural to think that the Bishops who speak represent the mind of the Bishops who say nothing, when Episcopal guidance is obviously required to endorse or restrain a quickly-spreading agitation. It seemed to me a week ago, and it seems to me now a fair thing to say that 'the Bishops were apparently determined' to oppose the amendment. I did say it because at least my saying it would have the effect of calling their Lordships' attention to a view of their silence which was [117] being taken by some, & might perhaps be taken by most ordinary citizens. As a matter of fact, I observe with much satisfaction that several Bishops have repudiated the agitation during the last week, though I think that a spirit of panic has seized on the clergy in some quarters which will not now permit of reasonable guidance. It may be of course that I stand more alone than I suspect on the main question: it is very conceivable that I was mistaken in thinking it worth while to protest against a movement which has grown rapidly into very large dimensions, but I was influenced solely by a desire to do my devoir by the Church in my place, & I cannot see that the Bishops have case against me for taking a view of their policy, which on the face of the facts seemed probable, & which at any moment they had it in their own hands to disprove. I have written with so much freedom because your Lordship seemed to invite me to do so; it only remains to renew my thanks for the opportunity given me to explain the absolutely independent attitude which I adopt on all ecclesiastical questions. Believe me, my dear Lord Bishop,

very sincerely yrs,

H. H. H.

[118]

P.S. I may perhaps add that as long ago as the 6th of November, the Times leading Article called attention to the fact that the Bishops of London & Rochester endorsed the opposition to Colonel Kenyon-Slaney's Amendment. The Bishop of Worcester's vehement letter appeared on the 5th, & my rejoinder on the 7th. My second letter, in which I made reference to the apparent policy of the Bishops did not appear until the 10th. In the interval no Episcopal voice had spoken to my knowledge to correct the impression created by the three Bishops, and a clerical agitation took shape under Episcopal sanction.

[119]

While the great meeting in support of the Education Bill, and against Colonel Kenyon-Slaney's amendment was proceeding in the Albert Hall, I slipped away to the Dissenting College at Cheshunt, and addressed the students on 'The place of Biblical Criticism in the Pulpit'. They were very attentive and even enthusiastic, and, when one has overcome the disgust provoked by their unctuous manners, & above all, by their extemporary "prayers", one is able to admit that they are perhaps not inferior in ability to the average Anglican candidate for Orders, and superior in earnestness &, possibly, in knowledge. I presented to their college library a copy of "Godly Union & Concord", and a copy of S. Margaret's Lectures.

[120]

O merciful God have compassion on me, & pardon my sin. The obstinately-clinging traditions of past errors, the moral obscurity caused by former self-surrender to evil, the distractions arising from my ill-ordered life, the confusion of ignorance, the mistakes of presumption & of timidity, the loss of the power to worship, and of the will to pray, the habits of personal self-indulgence, and the ambitions of personal pride - all these sins that I know & feel the weight of, all those other sins that I neither know nor feel. I beseech Thee for my Saviour's sake to forgive. Look down with pity on Thy people to whom I carry Thy message. Preserve them from the mischiefs of my sinfulness. Feed Thou Thine own sheep, O Divine Shepherd: and suffer none to be lost by my unfaithfulness. Pour upon them, and upon me, Thy Holy Spirit, that they may rightly hear, and I may rightly speak Thy truth: and grant that we may not be mere hearers, but also obedient servants of Thy truth, so that our public witness may not be contradicted & defeated by our private living. Grant these my prayers, O God, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Issues and controversies: education bill; Kenyon-Slaney's amendment