The Henson Journals

[2]

Friday, May 28th, 1920.

My letters included a cryptic message from Charles, who has been letting his tongue wag about the Chair of St Cuthbert, & is quite persuaded that he has filled it. "The announcement will be made on Saturday if not before." In that case it does not concern me in the least. Later a reporter came with a newspaper cutting which settled the question in the usual oracular style, and I had to deny that there was any truth etc. It appears that some penny–a–liner in the Globe declared it was probable: & a Durham newspaper announced it was imminent! It is all very humiliating.

I presided at a meeting of the Women's Political Association, at which the subject of State Purchase was introduced by Mrs Rankin, a humourless orator, and Mr Nield, the Quaker from Leominster who was inclined to be fanatical. The motion in favour of State Purchase was opposed by Mr Dymond, the ex–Mayor. I amended the resolution into an innocuous form, & enunciated some platitudes. The meeting seemed to me very dull & futile.

The Archdeacon reports that about 75 people attended the "Anglo–Catholic" meeting last night: Marcus Atlay explained that the real purpose of the Conference in London was, not to intimidate the Lambeth Fathers, but to demonstrate against "Modernism" in the Church!

---