The Henson Journals
Tue 20 November 1917
Volume 22, Pages 47 to 48
[47]
Tuesday, November 20th, 1917.
1205th day
I made various preparations for departure, walked into the town & changed a cheque, & then presided over the Great Chapter, where everything was normal. I chose for my "residence" the month of September, making a protest that the Dean was under no obligation in the matter.
The papers report that Lloyd George triumphed over his critics last night in the House, & scored what is described as a great personal victory. It appears that his Paris speech had been submitted to the Cabinet, and had the approval of the most eminent French military authorities.
[48]
Pemberton came to lunch. He had been charged by the Council of the Durham Colleges to find out whether I would consent to represent the University on the Central Council for the Training of the Clergy, replacing Knowling, whom they hold to be ineffective. But I could not see my way to accept a position which might fairly be interpreted as implying some goodwill towards the Theological Colleges, which I regard as so many nests of "anglo–romanism".
Then I travelled to York for the Convocation, & put up in the Station Hotel. Archdeacon Derry and the Bishop of Carlisle shared my table at dinner. With the former I had a good deal of private conversation about the state of the Durham Diocese. He expressed himself with much disgust at the atmosphere of unreality in which the Bishop of Durham lives, & which is spreading through the whole diocese. He is at once incredibly feeble, and intolerably averse from taking advice. His appointments are invariably bad, and whenever the possibility occurs, mildly nepotistic! In the "Mission" he excelled himself. He exhorted the clergy to make public confession of their own sins in front of their congregations, and proceeded to set an example himself. But, Lord help us!, the iniquities to which he owned up were so mild and mealy, that the public expectations of something "spicy" were too sharply disappointed, & they were half–disposed to lament that Providence had not sent them in their Bishop a more courageous, or a more candid transgressor!