The Henson Journals

[47]

Quinquagesima, February 6th, 1910.

A warm, wet muggy day. Knox celebrated at 8 p.m.: there were 17 comts.

Carlile preached for the Church Army at Mattins. He was nearly inaudible. Over £33 was collected at the doors for his work. I celebrated: there were 62 commts.

In the afternoon I went to the Abbey, and heard Beeching deliver his soul of a protest against an exhortation to non–fasters that they should obtain episcopal dispensations, which Nixon had temerariously made in the morning sermon.

At Evensong I preached in S. Margaret's: there was a fairly large congregation.

At supper came the following:–

1. Ernest Bennett
2. Gilbert
3. Bob Bineham
4. Alec Beechey
5. Plint
6. Reggie Still
7. Douglas Eyre
8. Harold
9. Mary
10. Linetta

[48] [symbol]

On Monday, Feb: 7th 1910, I attended the meeting of the Croydon Ministers' Association. It was held in the Vestry of the George Street Congregational Church, and consisted of 22 ministers of divers Nonconformist Bodies. I spoke for about 35 or 40 minutes on "The Relation of the Established Church to Nonconformity". The discussion was interesting. One Congregationalist minister said that the inadequate education of the Anglican clergy was to his mind the real stumbling block!! Another with more reason asked, which Church of England can we unite with, since there are at least two entirely opposed to each other? A third speaker said briefly that in his experience the clergy of the Church of England were the main difficulty! On the whole they were creditably self–restrained considering that I had told them some home truths of no flattering kind. I gave them copies of my Lectures on the Lambeth Report, and of the Sermon on 'Anglicanism & Reunion'.

I dined with the Brotherhood at Morrison's. Alford, Beeching, Gow, Church, Pearce, Shelford, Morrison and myself.

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Issues and controversies: recognition of/reunion with non-episcopal churches