The Henson Journals
Mon 1 July 1912 to Fri 5 July 1912
Volume 17, Pages 446 to 447
[446]
Monday, July 1st, 1912.
We bade a pleasant farewell to our hosts, and returned to town, where we arrived a few minutes after 11 p.m. [sic]. I went immediately to the Chapter Meeting, which sat till nearly 1 p.m.
Launcelot Troutbeck came to see me. We had some talk about the possibility of him becoming a clergyman.
I dined with the Literary Society. There were but seven of us dining – Sir Sidney Colvin, Sir Henry Cunningham, Sir Valentine Chirol, Arthur Benson, Champneys, Nathan, and myself. After dinner I walked back to Westminster with Chirol, holding much interesting converse with him about India.
[447]
Convocation met on Tuesday, the 2nd July, and Wednesday the 3rd the Bp. of Southampton & the Archdeacon of Leicester stayed here. The first day was occupied with Prayer–book Revision: the last mainly with the Relations of Church & State.
There is a reckless temper in the Anglican clergy which facilitates the way of the 'high–fliers': and, unfortunately, the Abps. have given them a lead. In the Church as in the State leaders strive to divine the set of the wind that they may run before it, & so long as they can be first in the race of folly they account themselves to be 'leading' their followers!
On the 4th July, Thursday, the Representative Church Council met. There were, of course, the inevitable Welsh Church resolutions recommended by the inevitable speeches. These ended, we had Lord Halifax on the feet demanding urgency for his resolution about Deceased Wife Sister. I made some fight, & did succeed in getting a modification of the original wording.
On Friday, the 5th July, the whole morning was spent in discussing a platitudinous resolution on Industrial Unrest. After lunch I carried a Rider to this effect:– 'that improvement in economic conditions is most gravely compromised by breaches of agreement, & by the exercise of intimidation, whether on the part of employers or employed'. I spoke for 25 minutes, & was well received.
Issues and controversies: prayer book revision