The Henson Journals

[56]

Tuesday, November 27th, 1917.

1212th day

O God, Thou knowest the path wherein I walk, and whereto it leads. Have pity on my blindness, and guide my steps therein. Grant that I may not go astray from the way of Thy Commandments. Into Thy Hands I desire to commit myself. Show Thou me the Way that I should walk in for I lift up my soul unto Thee. Amen.

The Representative Church Council met in the Hoare Memorial Hall at 11 a.m. in larger numbers than I had anticipated. The Archbishop made a half–apologetic speech at the opening of the proceedings, & then ruled that anybody might speak on anything! The result was an orgy of talk, which had no very clear relevance to anything. Out of the welter of speeches, the Bishop of Manchester's stood out as far & away the best. I spoke in the afternoon, & made a very poor speech, saying little of what I meant to say, & much that I had not meant to say, & had better not have said. The Bishop of Southampton asked me whether I was Bishop of H. & said that he had it on the authority of a Cabinet Minister that I was. The Bishop of S. David's said that it was widely believed in Wales that I was coming as Bishop to H. Ernest tells me that he is to be the new Bishop in the belief of Bham! So the foolish gossip proceeds, & is most humiliating to everybody. The Bishop of Bristol arrived just before dinner. He told me that H. had been offered to him, & that he had declined it. It was offered to Burge, & declined by him. So now it is still open: &, if rumour be true, it lies between Ernest and me.

---