The Henson Journals

[31]

Thursday, February 5th, 1920.

K. sends me a letter which he has received from T.A. Lacey with reference to the proposal of the recent Conference at Oxford that ministers of different Churches shd receive "authorisation" from one another, & thus be qualified for exchanging pulpits. K. had asked for an explanation of the word "authorisation" as used by "an Anglo–Catholic". Lacey's letter is suggestive of some "slimness" on his part:–

Dear Mr Knight

The term "authorization" was used because it had to cover all forms of reciprocal action. Of course the only kind of authorization that wd suffice in our case is imposition of the bishop's hands with suitable prayer. Legal difficulties wd probably make the use of the complete rite of the Ordinal necessary, but I very much wish that a modified rite containing the bare essentials were available. I explained this to the drafting Committee, citing in illustration the procedure of Bramhall in reconciling a Presbyterian in 1661. You will find it in vol. 1. P.xxxvii of his Works, ed. 1842. Some people wd reckon this ordination: others wd reckon it, as Bramhall did, the "supply" of something canonically required. This difference of estimate is unavoidable. My judgement is that we ought not to "offer" anything. They must ask for it. They will do this when a real desire for full communion is developed, & until then it is useless to attempt any action. They are moving in this direction. [32] I very much wish that the bishops wd adopt Bramhall's precedent in dealing with all dissenting ministers who in present circumstances wish to join us, instead of putting them through the mill with ordinary candidates for Ordination. It wd be an object–lesson, showing what wd be done in case of corporate reconciliation, & my impression is that it wd much reduce reluctance. I have urged this course on our own bishop, who is pretty certain to consult yours about it.

Yours v. truly

T.A. Lacey.

K. himself shares my suspicion that there is no sincerity in these conferences with nonconformists in which Anglo–Catholics take a prominent part.: " I can't help feeling that the recent conference at Oxford has trapped the Nonconformists & bambooled the Evangelicas".

Mr Kearley, Vicar of Prestaign, called to make arrangements about the consecration of a grave.yard in his parish. Then I went to the Cathedral & licenced a curate to Little Birch. Also I instituted Preb: Machen to Frodsley, Mr Elgar Jones to Montgomery, & Mr Astbury to Llanveynoe. The new Vicar of Montgomery came to lunch. He will go out of my diocese in a few weeks, when the Welsh Act comes into force.

Ella & I motored to Kingsland, & had tea with Mrs Warde Jackson. Mr & Mrs Boughton–Knight from Downton were there, & expressed themselves very pleasantly.

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