The Henson Journals

[293]

Tuesday, July 20th, 1915.

351st day

After breakfast I walked & talked with mine host in the garden. He spoke of the strange credulity of the population in New Zealand, & the facility for careers of religious imposture which it provided. Then he walked with me as far as the Deanery. Furneaux was in the Cathedral attending Mattins when I arrived, but appeared almost immediately. We sate for half an hour in his noble garden, and talked of many things. He considered that, if a bishoprick were offered me, I should decline it, as being more likely to assist the cause of Anglican liberty in the relatively unrestricted position of a Dean than the routine–bound office of a Bishop. Moreover, he doubted whether the honestest man would be able to avoid compromising his liberty as a Bishop. Furneaux may be right: my own mind has for some while past moved towards a definite resolution to refuse advancement to the Bench if the occasion offers. Inge & Pearce take the view that, as a trustee for a Cause, I should not be free to refuse office. However, the necessity of a decision may never arise. I attended an intercession service in the Lady Chapel, & then returned to the Mount for lunch. Later, we motored some miles through the forest, and had tea with Admiral & Mrs Russell. On the way we stopped at a little way–side church in order to look at the monument of a poacher – James Smith – who had been hanged for 'attempt to murder' a game–keeper. The inscription expresses the hatred with which the game–laws were regarded, & the sense of injustice which they stirred in many minds. I think the date was 1830. Admiral Russell returned with us, & stayed the night. After dinner we had some conversation which interested me at the time, but would not really have been worth much since it left no recollections in my mind coherent enough to record!

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