The Henson Journals

[174]

Monday, May 10th, 1920.

Ella received a telegram saying that poor Charles Parker had died after lingering hopelessly for some weeks. He cannot be more than two or three years older than I. It seems impossible to believe that we were his guests at Fairlie last August. How much longer shall I have on earth?

The Archdeacon came in, and talked over diocesan business for more than an hour. Then I wrote to Holland, the Vicar of Peterchurch, offering him the living of Weston–under–Penyard. Also I wrote to Knight of Holmer, telling him that I did not think he must leave that parish yet. Then I wrote two letters of condolence, one to Mrs De Vere, Bishop Moule's daughter, and one to Dorothy Parker.

Wynne Willson lunched here, & then accompanied me to Stoke Lacey where I dedicated War Memorials in the parish church. The building was crowded, and 9 clergy from the neighbourhood attended the service. After tea with Prebendary Morgan, I returned to the Palace, where we went through the letters.

Dunn, the Vicar of Lydbury North, came to dine & sleep. He wanted to talk over the question of his becoming Rural Dean of Church Stretton. He is naturally a little apprehensive of his appointment being resented by the local clergy, as he himself resides in another deanery. But there really is nobody in Church Stretton fit for the post. The natural man for it is wholly impossible, & there is nobody else. I don't think the distance matters as Dunn keeps a small car, & he could manage the expense.

[175]

Monday, May 10th, 1920.

My dear Rushton,

You must certainly both publish the Banns, & celebrate the marriage, either per se vel per alium [by yourself or by someone else].

I can understand your feelings of repugnance: but it is not really based on right reason. That there is a bad record in the past is a double edged fact. You, as parish priest, may, indeed ought to, seize any opportunity you may find to urge that marriage may be the start of better things, but you cannot arbitrarily cancel a citizen's rights.

It is like using the Burial Service over notoriously bad living folk. The Church has a large charity, & we must always hope. Besides, our present state of undiscipline in these matters cannot be altered by severe handling of individuals, but must be slowly remedied by constitutional action.

Yours ever,

H. H. Henson

Wynne Willson tells me that Welldon, who was staying at the Deanery Bristol last Sunday, said that there would be a strong local desire that the Bishop of H. should return to Durham. This is probable enough. On the other hand, such local demands for individuals hardly ever attain satisfaction: and, perhaps, in the few cases where they are satisfied, generally fail of ultimate endorsement.

[176]

May 11th, 1920.

My dear Archbishop,

I have to acknowledge your kind and interesting letter of April 24th, and to thank you heartily for it. It will give me very great pleasure to accept your invitation to assist at the Consecration of the Bishops of Vasteras and Wisby. I shall account it both an honour & a privilege to be allowed to take part in a service so important in itself, and so religiously significant. Archbishop Usher in the 17th Century left it on record that "for the testifying communion with the Reformed Churches of France & Holland, which (he wrote) I do love and honour as true members of the Church Universal", he would receive with affection the blessed Sacrament at the hands of their ministers. How much more shall I rejoice to hold intimate communion with a national church so kindred in spirit & system as the Church of Sweden. I shall arrange my plans, unless your Grace demurs, so that my wife and I can be with you in good time for the function on September 19th, and I shall assume that the delivery of the lectures shall begin in the week following.

I have been so pressed with business, public and diocesan, that it may be difficult for me to complete the lectures in due literary form. In that case, I shall ask permission to deliver them from my notes, and reserve their completion until a later time. But I shall try to finish them before September.

My wife and I are hoping to persuade Mr Brillioth & his wife to visit us here.

[177]

The forthcoming Lambeth Conference must needs be very important in the development of Anglican Christianity. You may be sure that I shall exert myself to draw closer the links between your Church and mine.

Believe me, my dear Archbishop.

Yours most sincerely.

H. H. Hereford

The most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Upsala.

---