The Henson Journals

[332]

Wednesday, October 4th, 1916.

793rd day

The post brings me the following from the Bishop of Bristol:

"I may say for your private information that sometime ago I wrote to the P.M. urging him strongly to consider you for one of the vacant sees, & I know Lord Curzon did the same. It is becoming really vital to us that we should have in Convocation & in the direction of ecclesiastical affairs those who can voice with logical clearness a more central & historical Anglican position."

But even if the P.M. were disposed to take this course, which does not appear to be probable, how could I possibly afford to accept the Bishoprick of Exeter saddled as it is with a pension of £1600 to the outgoing bishop. I have reason to know that the Bishops of Hereford, Southwark, and Newcastle also desire me to join the Bench; but all of them together cannot increase the income of the see! It is, however, rather disconcerting that money should play so large a part in these things.

I revised a sermon for tonight, and wrote to Ernest Rudling. Bayley lunched here to meet Craster.

I motored to Crook, and preached in the Parish Church, where the Harvest Thanksgiving was in progress. The wet weather was unfavourable to church–going, but notwithstanding there was a considerable congregation. The church is a mean building, and can accommodate about 500 persons. This, with a mission–room holding perhaps half as many, provides for a population of about 11,000 people. The Vicar, Mr Barker, told me that there were 13 dissenting chapels in the parish, including what was said to be the only Moravian congregation in the country. There are a good many Roman Catholicks.

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