The Henson Journals

[74]

Friday, December 17th, 1920.

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I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8.15. The chaplain and candidates communicated. After breakfast I tried to prepare my "charge" for tomorrow. Clayton took his departure, & I attended K.'s address on the Greek Text: 2. Tim. I. After lunch there was a meeting of the Examining Chaplains in my study, Cruickshank, Moulsdale, Dawson Walker, & Knight attended. It is no easy thing to pronounce any measure of episcopal independence against the subtle, continuing, well–organised and steadily directed policy of centralisation, which aspires to tune out all the English clergy to a pattern, – the pattern of the sacristies! I am further handicapped by the poor quality, intellectual & social, of most of the candidates. It is impossible in the case of penniless men to insist upon educational auditions, the satisfaction of which entails on expenditure far beyond their means. Hence the cruel dilemma emerges – insist on adequate education, & you limit Holy Orders to the well–endowed classes: throw Holy Orders really open to all classes, & you must lower your educational standards intolerably. Which is the lesson of two formidable evils? How far can charity today do for the poor what charity did for them in the Middle Ages?

After tea I interviewed the candidates. They are not an exciting set. The most interesting are Rankin, and Diek. It is noteworthy that they all come from artisan and lower middle–class homes. After chapel at 8.45 p.m. I went to bed curiously tired.

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