The Henson Journals

[181]

Wednesday, May 7th, 1919.

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Gore presented a petition yesterday signed by 14 clergymen of the advanced "Catholick" type. This was a kind of ultimatum addressed to the Bishops on the subject of Reunion.It is a very fanatical document, and expressed rather offensively. Nine "conclusions", arrived at in two meetings held in Pusey House, at the first of which the Bishop of Oxford himself was present, are set forth. Of these the following may be noted:–

1. "We ought not to take part in united services either in our places of worship or in those of non–episcopal bodies".
2. "It is not possible for us in any circumstance to preach or minister in the places of worship belonging to non–episcopal bodies, at any of their services, though we may, at their invitation, expound our beliefs to them subject to the consent of the bishop & the parish priest".
3. "There are no circumstances in wh. we can invite members of non–episcopal bodies to minister or preach in our Churches".
4. It is not permissible to admit members of non–episcopal bodies to Communion, except in the case of a dying person who has expressed a desire for reconciliation with the church".

This presumably is designed as the counter–stroke to the efforts to get some formal permission for "exchange of pulpits" between Churchmen and Nonconformists.

[182]

In view of the grave circumstances of the time, I must needs be interested in the question of the possibility of my getting into the House of Lords before the Bishops have been excluded from that assembly. There are now, as I reckon, 14 bishops without seats in the House, & of these I am the 13th.

The list is the following:

1.	Birmingham	1911
2.	Salisbury	1911
3.	Truro	1912
4.	Lichfield	1913
5.	Ripon	1911
6.	Peterborough	1916
7.	Exeter	1916
8.	Newcastle	1915
9.	Sheffield	1914
10.	S. Edmondsbury	1914
11.	Chelmsford	1914
12.	Bristol	1914
13.	Hereford	1918
14.	Worcester	1919

It seems probable that no less than 9 bishopricks will be vacated this year viz:

1. Chester } Resigned
2. Chichester } Resigned
3. Oxford } Resigned (July 1st )
4. St David's } Disestablished
5. S. Asaph } Disestablished
6. Bangor } Disestablished
7. Llandaff } Disestablished
8. Lincoln (Sept. 1st )
9. S. Alban's (Dec. 1st )
10. Bath & Wells
11. Ripon
12. Carlisle

At the end of 1919 I shall probably stand 4th in the succession for a seat in the H. of L. And, of course, there are always unexpected eventualities.

[183] [symbol]

There was no report of my speech in yesterday's Convocation, but my letter, which contained the gist of it, was duly published. It reads, I think, effectively, and will make people think. There was not much business in the Convocation today, and certainly nothing of importance.

I asked Gore whether the petition which he presented yesterday expressed his own opinion, and he replied rather evasively. I said that it was crudely and even offensively expressed, as if designed to give pain: & he agreed, adding that he had told the signatories such.It can hardly be reconciled with the Report on Faith & Order, which bears your signature, I observed. Oh yes, it can, he rejoined, and then said, "I suppose if you pressed me closely, I agree with the petition". That, of course, is precisely what I have ever contended. The apparently liberal pronouncements of the Tractarian leaders are really no more than tactical. The underlying principles remain unaltered; the only difference between Gore & Talbot on the one hand, and these cruder bigots on the other, lies in the point of good taste & good feeling. But the general body of Churchmen do not perceive this, and are easily gulled into assuming that the true leaders of the great Reconciliation are the principle exponents & apologists of Exclusiveness!

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