The Henson Journals

[210]

Friday, May 23rd, 1919.

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The substance of Watts Ditchfield's speech, as I noted it yesterday was as follows. After claiming that he had a real knowledge of Methodism, as having been bred a Methodist, & having continued in the sect until the age of 28, when he was confirmed, he proceeded:–

'The falling off in Methodist numbers doesn't mean very much, for membership among Methodists means membership of the class–meetings, & these are falling into disfavour & disuse. There are broadly 3 classes of Methodists. 1. The old–fashioned Methodists, spiritual & devoted to Methodism. 2. The dissenting section of Methodists, political & social, which inclines to the Free Church Federation. 3. The ecclesiastically–minded Methodists, whose leader had been Hugh Price Hughes. It was this section which drew towards the Church of England. There were two Methodist newspapers – the Methodist Recorder : respectable, courteous, most widely–read, & the longest published; & the Methodist Times, founded by Hugh Price Hughes, who was succeeded as Editor by Scott Lidgett, & which was now carried on by a Committee. This had less than one fifth of the circulation of the Methodist Recorder, and represented an Anglicising section with strong Socialistic tendencies: The ecclesiastical tendency of the age, and the general interest in Reunion movements [211] [symbol] had created a desire for a rapprochement with the Church of England. But the battle had hardly begun. The rank and file must ultimately be reckoned with, and as yet they have not begun to consider the matter. The men who had met the Bishop of London in conference at London House are all more or less under suspicion. Gregory & Rattenbury are advanced Socialists. Sir Henry Lunn is suspected because he never attends the Methodist chapel at Harrow, where he lives, but regularly goes to church. Sir Kingsley Wood is a Conservative, and on that ground regarded with suspicion: How would the reunion of all Methodist bodies be affected by the Bishop of London's scheme? The relations of the English with the American Methodists, especially with the Episcopal Methodists, a numerous and powerful community, must be remembered. He held, therefore, that it would be quite premature to appoint delegates, and suggested that "informal conversations" were the most that could be wisely attempted at present.[^'^]

The effect of the discussion was an emphatic condemnation of the Bishop of London's scheme, though there was sufficient compassion for his Lordship to disguise the fact under a complimentary formula. Neither the Tractarians nor the Evangelicals were willing to express approval of the scheme. It really found no defenders.

[212]

I left a note for Charnwood, urging him to take part in the opposition to the Enabling Bill. From what the Archbishop said yesterday, the debate will probably be adjourned over the Whitsuntide Recess. This delay ought to give some opportunity for developing the opposition.

We returned to Hereford by the 3 p.m. train from Paddington arriving shortly before 8 p.m.

Wynne–Willson came to go through the letters. There is still nothing from the Archbishop of Upsala. This is disconcerting & inconvenient.

Among the letters waiting for me was one from the Canadian soldier, Michell Pierce, whom I once picked up in the streets of Durham, and who has since written to me occasionally. He has reached his home in Winnipeg, and is in the seventh heaven of delight at being at last quit of the War. His letter is a curiously childish composition, suggesting that his big body & frank manly aspect encased an innocent & underdeveloped character.

"I will be obliged to abandon all ideas of the ministry, at least for a few years. I will have my mother to take care of, & that itself will be a glorious vocation. I thank God that he has left me health & strength to do it".

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