The Henson Journals
Wed 2 July 1919
Volume 25, Pages 49 to 50
[49]
Wednesday, July 2nd, 1919.
The announcement that next Sunday, and not August 3rd, to be the official date of the national thanksgiving for the peace has caused a mighty pother among the clergy whose arrangements are rendered nugatory. I have undertaken to preach in the cathedral next Sunday morning, and to go to Bridstow and institute Knight in the afternoon, and to preach at Ross in the evening.
Mr Gilbert Muir, the minister of the Eastbrook Hall Mission in Bradford, lunched with me. He had journeyed to Hereford in order to ask me to preach next March, & he was so pertinacious that I could not refuse a conditional promise for Sunday, March 15th in the Parish Church, and for Monday, the 16th in the Mission.
Accompanied by Herbert Nicholson, I motored to Ledbury, and arranged with the Vicar about the Thanksgiving Service. We inspected the Parish Church, & returned to Hereford. After tea we (Mr Porter acting chaplain, Herbert, and I) motored to Western Beggars, where I dedicated a way side Cross to the memory of the men who had died in the War. The quaint comedy–figure of the Irish vicar Mogridge, almost moved me to unseemly mirth, & the service was hastened by the immersion of a delude. I gave the final Benediction from beneath an umbrella!
[50] [symbol]
In spite of Moore's eloquence the Evangelicals at Cheltenham voted that it "could only support the Enabling Bill on the understanding that the national character of the Church be fully maintained", and that the negative clause of the elector's declaration must be deleted. It also insisted that the Church Assembly must not touch the Crown patronage, the jurisdiction of the Privy Council, and the Baptismal Franchise. This is practically my programme.
The Archdeacon & Wynne–Willson dined with me. Herbert developed a headache, & preferred to go to bed. The paper announces that Moore has arranged to exchange pulpits with Meredyth, the Baptist minister. He is evidently determined to get himself talked about. It is, I should suppose, plainly illegal for a secretary to preach in the pulpit of a parish church, but not more so than for a clergyman to wear the vestments, & observe Corpus Christi. The latter proceed securely at All Saints, & I make no sign. How can I decently object to the other in S. Peters? If there must be anarchy in the National Church, there must be no limit to the reign of that convenient principle? Let everyman do that which is best in his own eyes!!!