The Henson Journals

[171]

Tuesday, September 16th, 1919.

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I prepared a sermon for the Oxford Freemasons by combining a Thanksgiving Sermon preached last year in Hereford cathedral and an address to the Durham Freemasons delivered in that Cathedral. Rushton of All Saints came to see me about Scott: Prebendary Seaton came to lunch. I instituted several clergy, including Tallents to Kimbolton. After lunch I had some talk with Streeter on my letter which appeared in today's Times, alongside of letters from the Bishops of Norwich and Manchester. Miss Mundella arrived on a visit, & was soon followed by Fearne Booker.

It will be interesting to see how the ecclesiastical situation develops. In any case, the near approach of the Lambeth Conference gives a special importance to these disclosures of the episcopal mind. So far the Bishops of Oxford and Winchester – the "great twin brothers" as I have dubbed them in Convocation – alone have spoken against the Norwich plan. The Bishops of Bristol, Carlisle, Manchester and Hereford have taken the other line. Will any more of their Lordships take a hand in the game? If the Liberal & Evangelical Bishops had any insight and any courage, they would rally at once to the Norwich platform, and destroy the possibility of Gore & Talbot's pretence to speak for the English Church being ever allowed to pass. But mostly they are as blind as bats, and as fearful as hares!

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