The Henson Journals

[166]

Wednesday, April 30th, 1919.

The Bishop of Southwark writes to say that he will be unable to attend the Convocation next week. He is staying with Lord Parmoor, who, as Chairman of the Abps' Committee, is deeply pledged to the Enabling Bill, & may be the source of the Bishop's opinion that it will probably pass the House of Lords, and may pass also the House of Commons this year. Fawkes writes to say that he has been attending the meeting of the Churchmen's Union, and finds there a strong disposition to support the Enabling Bill. The truth is that the "democratic" zeal for autonomy is attracted by a scheme which pretends to grant self–government; and men are little disposed to criticize their own shibboleths. For there is no real agreement between the advocates of popular rights, and those of "spiritual independence". The former are carrying over to the ecclesiastical sphere notions which belong to a phase of modern politicks. The latter are endeavouring in the XXth century to renew the ideas & methods of the XIIth! Rashdall and Lord Hugh Cecil unite in supporting the claim of autonomy. though their religious aims are mutually destructive. The whole movement is unreal, paradoxical, & insincere: but it goes forward on the tide of discontent with things as they are.

[167]

In the course of the morning Gilbert Simpson came to see me. He is still very happy though he has been married fully four months. He says that the demobilized civil servants are busily engaged in disentangling the confusions into which the régime of flapper–dom has brought their departments. Ella went to Elisabeth Asquith's wedding in S. Margaret's. In my toothless condition I did not care to expose myself to a city congregation as Swift would say. I went to Lock's and ordered a new episcopal hat, & then walked to the Dentist. He postponed the rest of the violences until after the session of Convocation.

This afternoon Austen Chamberlain introduces the Budget. For many of us, including perhaps most of the Bishops, its main interest lies in the question of the Income Tax. Is it to be still higher? The "Times" this morning thinks that an increase from 6/– to 6/8 is not unlikely. The addition would inflict an additional burden on me of nearly £150 per annum: and I am already at my wits' end to make both ends meet. If other things had remained the same, the burden of taxation would be very heavy, but as it is everything is more expensive. Wages, prices, railway fares, hotel charges – all are greatly increased. Books have become inordinately dear: postage & stationary are higher by 50%.The "fatal opulence of Bishops" has become rather a grim jest when the facts are realized.

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