The Henson Journals

[11]

Friday, December 6th, 1918.

I revised another sermon for use in Manchester next Sunday, for I am absurdly pledged to preach twice. Then I went to the Cathedral for the service which had been arranged to coincide in the point of time with Bishop Percival'sfuneral service in Clifton School Chapel. There was a smaller attendance both of clergy and laity than I expected. Especially noticeable was the absence of the Prebendaries. I suspect that he was ill–regarded by most of them, for he conflicted both with their ecclesiastical and with their political opinions. My margin of discord is smaller for I have little sympathy with Radicalism, and I think the inevitable dénouement of the Labour policy is "Bolshevism" i.e. sheer anarchy. They live in an unreal world of class hatreds disguised by altruistic sentiment: they have no notion of the decisive part which sound finance plays in the affairs of nations: and they stand pledged to social & economic policies which must involve the nation in bankruptcy, and then in anarchy. Nor do I see from what source any relief is to be found, for the class–suspicion has been so developed among them that they will not believe any authority, however well–informed & independent which does not echo their class shibboleth!

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