The Henson Journals

[356]

Tuesday, November 21st, 1911.

I attended the celebration of Holy Communion in Henry VIIth's Chapel. Lang was the celebrant, & from his hands I received the Sacrament. There was a very small attendance of the members of the Representative Church Council.

I travelled to Manchester by the 10.30 a.m. express from Euston. A young minister met me on the platform, & conducted me to the Free Trade Hall, where the Manchester & Salford Wesleyan Mission were holding their annual demonstration.

A young lady, Miss Hilda Rank, was in the chair. I spoke for 25 minutes, & was very well received by an audience of some 3000 people. Dr Saleeby, whom I listened to yesterday in the Jerusalem Chamber, was another speaker. We travelled back to town together, & I found him a very interesting companion: though I should judge him somewhat disposed to be a Fanatick on the questions which he makes his own.

[357]

On Wednesday, Nov: 22nd 1911, I attended the Meeting of the Representative Church Council, and I was bored to death by a prosy 'debate' ('twas a succession of disconnected & insufferable monologues by our too well–known self–puffers) on Church Finance.

At 12.30 I 'dedicated' the window in the Tower–porch, which the widow & family of Sir George Bartley have set up to his memory.

In the afternoon I returned to the Council, & made a foolish speech about giving the suffrage to Women who were communicants of full age.

On Thursday, the 23rd, I attended the Letters of Business Ctee at 10 a.m.: & the Council at 11 a.m. We spent the morning in talking over another of these vague, useless resolutions about better relations with Nonconformists. Halifax & Riley cooed softly like turtle–doves: & I walked out clatteringly before the vote was taken.

In the evening I wrote another letter to the 'Times' on Welsh Disestablishment, answering a letter of Carlyle.

On Saturday, the 25th, my letter appeared, together with another from Arthur Benson.

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Issues and controversies: female suffrage