The Henson Journals

[223]

Friday, May 30th, 1919.

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My dear Mr Scott,

I am really anxious that you should, if possible, concern yourself with the Enabling Bill, the range and consequences of which are very grave, & yet are but little understood. Assuming that you have a copy of the Bill before you, I beg you in the first place to notice that the new constitution which is to be given to the Church of England is placed outside the range of parliamentary discussion. That constitution is referred to as "attached as an appendix to the addresses presented to His Majesty by the Convocations". The first amendment which seems to me requisite is one which wold bring this Constitution into the text of the Bill, and make sure that it was effectively discussed, &, if necessary, amended by Parliament. It is my own conviction that this new Constitution effects a revolution in the whole character of the National Church, a revolution not excessively described as disestablishment without disendowment, for the provisions of the Bill designed to secure an effective control for the State are in my judgment illusory. Be that as it may, it cannot be a self–respecting procedure on the part of a national legislature to acquiesce in an ultimatum presented to it in this way. If legal authority is to be given to this new Constitution, it must be after thorough Parliamentary discussion.

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Next the Bill creates an Ecclesiastical Committee of the Priory Council, charged with undefined powers. These must be thoroughly explored and determined.

Thirdly, Clause III (6) gives unlimited range of action to the "National Assembly" which is to be set up. I hold that, if the Establishment is to be maintained, the essential points in which the Establishment is effectively expressed must be "reserved" for the free action of Parliament, excluded from the handling of the subordinate legislation which Parliament is setting up. I would instance 3 such points:–

1. The franchise on which the 'National Assembly' will be elected.
2. The supreme appellate jurisdiction of the Privy Council
3. The Crown Patronage of the Bishoprick Deaneries &c.

Fourthly, method by which the assent of Parliament is to be given to measures passed by the "National Assembly" is wholly inadequate. It has been suggested that the method already adopted in the Ministry of Health Bill – procedure by Draft Orders in Council which can be modified by Parliament – would be more suitable. Certainly the method of the Enabling Bill – a method only suitable for non–contentious business of minor importance – is wholly improper & inadequate in the case of measures which may affect the most important [225] [symbol] interests of Church & Nation.

I have said enough to indicate the kind of amendment which appears to be essentialif the Enabling bill is to be consistent with the maintenance of the Church as an established and endowed institution, national in fact as well as in name. Personally I think that before such a Bill is passed, a Royal Commission ought to explore the ground, & report.

Yours v. sincerely,

H. H. Hereford.

Leslie Scott. K.C., M.P.

The "Times" has a leading article on 'Church & State', which sums up against the Bill, "If it were passed it must result in a revolution in the character of the Church of England and its relation to the nation …. It is because the Bill, if passed must destroy some of the most valuable elements in the life of the Church of England that we hope it will not become law". So far, so good. There is also a letter from the Dean of Canterbury to the effect that if the declaration of the qualified elector were amended so as to permit Methodist & other friendly Nonconformists to claim membership of the Church of England, he would bring himself to acquiesce in the Bill, and so avoid the unpalatable necessity of opposing a measure which the Heads of the Church are promoting!

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Lilley came here at noon, and joined me in what the late President of Corpus was wont to describe as "an 'asty snack": then we motored to Halford, and attended the funeral of de Castro, the late Vicar, an eccentric but hard working and devoted clergyman. Lilley read the lesson, & I took the committal prayer. There were about a dozen of the local clergy present, and a large gathering of the parishioners. The country is looking its best. Lilacs, laburnums, red and white may, are in full bloom: & every garden is bursting with flowers. The orchids are losing the glory of their blossom. Every mile was a fresh apocalypse of beauty. The variety of hill & valley adds fresh interest to the changing scene. Ludlow & Stokesay brought their distinctive contributions of history & architecture. Even in England it would be difficult to rival this feast of interest & loveliness. I got back to the Palace at 5.30 p.m. and then was visited by a bore who hailed from the Isle of Man! Wynne–Willson did the letters with me, & I wrote some indispensable letters. Then we dined in the garden to the singing of the birds, keeping their vespers in the trees. How hard it is to realize that we have just come out of the greatest War of all history and are probably on the brink of the vastest & most sanguinary of all social revolutions!

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