The Henson Journals

[185]

Friday, May 15th, 1903.

The idea occurred to me that we ought to have an amendment, which would give a platform to the moderates. So I drafted one & went with it to the Dean. We ultimately determined on the following:

"That this House do pray his Grace the President, & their Lordships the Bishops of the Upper House that in order to allay considerable distress & perplexity felt by many at the present time (owing to the raising of questions regarding the Virgin-Birth & Resurrection of our Lord, they, while re-affirming the belief of the Church, would invite the attention of the theological Professors in the Universities & other official Teachers of Theology to the special need at this time of a reverent and Scholarly study & exposition of these doctrines) [sic] ["]

The Dean moved this in an admirable speech, which made a great impression on the House. The Dean of Lincoln seconded, & it was supported by Wilberforce, the Dean of Salisbury, & Archdeacon Sumner. Wace made an effective speech in opposition, & he was followed by the ancient Archdeacon of Lincoln. Knox Little replied in a ranting speech, which disgusted [186] the House: and then we voted. The numbers were 29 against & 21 for the Amendment. The original motion was then carried by 25 to 15. On the whole this cannot be said to have been an unsatisfactory result. No moral weight attaches to a resolution carried by a mere fraction of the House in the teeth of protracted opposition.

We dined with Bryce. I met there also Lathbury, Mr Justice Kennedy, & others.

---

Issues and controversies: virgin birth