The Henson Journals

[37]

Saturday, November 10th, 1917.

1195th day

I wrote to the Revd R. T. Petch suggesting that the title of my promised address at Manchester on December 4th might be "Some conditions of Establishment", or "Conditions of autonomy in the C. of E." I asked for advice on the subject before making a decision. If the projected meeting were of the conventional type, I would speak on "A plea for delay".

After considerable reflection I returned the following answer to the Rev. Sidney M. Berry, who had asked me to preach in Carr's Lane Church, Birmingham:–

Dear Mr Berry,

I have considered with much care your very kind invitation. You assume rightly that my single purpose in breaking through an isolation, wh. has no sufficient grounds either in law or in religious principle, is to promote better relations bet. fellow Christians: & I am necessarily in great measure dependent on the local knowledge & good faith of those who are kind enough to invite me to their pulpits. If, in your judgment, my preaching in Carr's Lane Church wd help, and not hinder, the cause of Christian fellowship, I will come willingly (if no unforeseen circumstances emerge to obstruct my purpose) on April 14th, which is the second Sunday in that month.

Believe me, Sincerely yours,

H. Hensley Henson

Who can say what the situation may be in Church or State, to say nothing of my personal concerns, before that promise "comes home to roost"?

[38]

This day has been given up to writing letters. I wrote to Hutton, mildly rebuking his bad habit of preferment seeking. This is an ill temper very general among the clergy, &, I suppose, a temptation to us all. The two pieces of preferment wh. came to me – a Canonry of Westminster in 1900, and the Deanery of Durham in 1912 – came unexpectedly. I had some reason for thinking that the Regius Professorship of Eccles. Hist. wd be offered me on Bigg’s death, and, when the offer came, I refused it. With respect to a bishoprick my language has always been that, if a suitable see were proposed to me, I shd hold myself bound to take it, but that I would not lift up my little finger to seek one. Is this legitimate?

I wrote to George, from whom I received a cheerful letter written at Sierra Leone, & posted at the Cape: to Cecil Ferens: to Gilbert Simpson: & a sheaf of "business" letters.

In the afternoon I had a long walk with Gee, who is mightily discontented with his situation. For the Castle is practically empty of students. His income as Master has, he avers, fallen by at least £400 per annum, to say nothing of the loss through the increased income tax. He thinks the outlook for the University here very dark. Indeed, he speaks of resigning his position in order that the task of "reconstruction" might fall to a younger man.

Gee, like Hutton, is visibly thirsting for the vacant Deanery of Gloucester! I did what I could to dissuade him from "pulling strings", & spoke much of the essentially irreligious character of that kind of behaviour. But I doubt if I made any real impression!

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