The Henson Journals

[200]

Wednesday, October 23rd, 1918.

1542nd day

I spent the whole day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lambeth in conference with the other Bishops. We decided to have a special meeting of Bishops in November to discuss further the question of co–operation with Non–conformists. This matter having been thus disposed of, we went quickly through many items on the agenda. The Archbishop read a letter from Dibdin stating that it was illegal for lay men to read Banns. We had some figures from the Chaplain–General about the Chaplains. From February to September, 561 names of clergy had been sent in by the Archbishop to the C.G. Of these 314 had been accepted, & 56 rejected. 88 had been withdrawn (i.e. the men wouldn't go ). 35 were medically unfit: 29 had been provisionally accepted: 10 were over–age: 25 were "pending", and 41 awaited investigation. To keep up the provision 40 fresh chaplains were required every month. In the course of the discussion on the Examination Scheme for Service Candidates, I stated that I would not personally be bound by any common scheme, but would retain my liberty of action unimpaired. Several other bishops were in favour of this course. It was on the whole a tiresome & futile day.

I dined in the Athenaeum with Radcliffe & Oman. Then I wrote to all the nominees to office in the Universities' Lodge, Durham, asking them to accept the positions assigned to them for the coming year. I also wrote to Moulsdale informing him that I had done so. Then I returned to my Hotel, & concluded a laboriously dull & wasted day.

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