The Henson Journals

[155]

Saturday, February 2nd, 1918.

1279th day

I was consecrated Bishop of Hereford in Westminster Abbey. The consecrating bishops were the following:

Province of Canterbury	The Archbishop of Canterbury
"	The Bishop of Lincoln
"	The Bishop of Southwark
"	The Bishop of Peterborough
"	The Bishop of Bristol
"	The Bishop of Llandaff
Province of York	The Bishop of Durham
"	The Bishop of Newcastle
"	The Bishop of Carlisle

Bishop Ryle, Dean of Westminster

Bishop Boyd–Carpenter

Bishop Quirk of Jarrow.

Bishop Taylor–Smith, Chaplain–General.

and two other suffragan bishops. So the requirement of the canons was fully satisfied. Ralph preached excellently, & made a very kind reference to me as his "dearest friend". Burge & Ryle presented me. There was a large congregation, which included a numerous contingent of my personal friends. Ella, Marion, Kitty, the Spooners, Frank Pember, Katherine, Linetta, Violet Carruthers, George Macmillan, Lord Muir–Mackenzie, Sir John & Lady Struthers, Sir Henry Craik, Beeching, & others were there.

[156]

The service was stately, and very solemn, though my mind was inevitably harassed by a half–expectation at the crucial points that some fanatick would break in with a protest, or an insult. Nothing, however, happened to mar the function. Among the communicants were Katherine Pember and Elizabeth Smith, two maidens who have attached themselves to me with much ardour of affection, & whom I myself regard with genuine regard. Rather to my surprise, & greatly to my satisfaction, Lord Muir–Mackenzie communicated. Afterwards he came to me in the Athenaeum, and expressed his sense of the excellence of the "catechism" (i.e. the interrogations) in the Consecration service. Ella, Kitty, Ralph, and I lunched at the Deanery. The Bishop of Peterborough and Sir Henry Craik were also there. The meal ended, I walked to the Athenaeum, & wrote to Carissima. It seemed right that the first letter signed "H. H. Hereford" should go to her. Several men came to me in the club, and gave me their congratulations. Returning to the St Paul's Deanery, I dined quietly with Kitty, the Spooners, & Ella.

So closes one chapter of my life, and opens another. It opens with extraordinary omens of disaster, and also with many expressions of loyalty. It is odd (and very grievous) to think that I have ceased to be Dean of Durham, & can no longer look with the pride of proprietorship on that noble Church.

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