The Henson Journals

[172]

Wednesday, September 17th, 1919.

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Gee and his wife came to lunch. He spent most of the afternoon here, and talked much with me. His relations with the Bishop of Gloucester are not very cordial. He finds his Lordship formal and frigid, very unsympathetic with anything that could be described as evangelical or liberal. Caröe & his wife also lunched, Alban came with them. He is growing a big lad.

The "Times" has a short leader supporting the Bishop of Norwich. I received a friendly letter from Carnegie Simpson in response to my message of thanks. He says that he is being "snowed under" by Anglican correspondents, & therefore writes but briefly.

"so I say no more at present than that I feel, in the interest not of ecclesiastical union (which is a long way off) but of healthy & Christian religion in England this exclusive principle must be stood up to. If all liberal evangelical Churchmen had your clarity of vision & courage in act it would be done in a day, but some good people are weak reeds when it comes to a point".

I agree so far that the shortsightedness & timidity of the Evangelicals are the main obstacles.

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