The Henson Journals

[101]

Friday, March 14th, 1919.

A bright but cold day. I worked at the Anson Memoir all the morning, & produced 3 sheets by lunch time! A deaf lady from Much Dewchurch lunched, & then we had a visit from old Canon Palmer. He said that he possessed some pieces of plate which had once belonged to Bishop Van Mildert. I wrote to Professor Adam of Hartford, Conn. U.S.A., from whom I received a letter inquiring whether there would be a sphere for him as a lay–preacher in the Church of England, he having been bred a Presbyterian & being nowise discontented with Presbyterianism, yet averse from Nonconformity. On James's advice I wrote to the Norwich Union Insurance Office reporting the motor collision in which poor Croft was knocked down. He thinks that, as there appears to have been no negligence on either side, there would probably be no legal case for compensation, but there can be no doubt as to the equitable grounds for such compensation, for the poor man was without fault in the matter, & has received considerable injury.My brother of Worcester is being early initiated into the trials of a bishop, for already he has to decide upon a difficult & displeasing case of discipline. Can a man who has married his niece at a registry office be admitted to Holy Communion? In these cases the difficulty is to find a remedy. The offence once committed, there seems no choice open but to condone it!

---