The Henson Journals

[172]

Saturday, February 19th, 1921.

If there was not a minister in every parish, you would quickly find cause to increase the number of constables: and if the churches were not employed to be places to hear God's law, there would be need of them to be prisons for the breakers of the laws of men.

South. 'Religion the best reason of state'

I believe this to be as true in the XXth century as in the XVIIth.

That dear fellow, J. G. Wilson, sends me this morning a bound volume of papers concerned with former Bishops of Durham, and a book which I was anxious to get, "Territory in Bird Life" by H. Eliot Howard. He really bends his imagination to the service of his kindness, & is always thinking out what will give pleasure.

My morning was disturbed by two visitors. 1. Rev. R. H. Talbot, the Minister of St Aidan's, Annfield Plain, who wanted my advice about his two sons, aged 19 and 18, who are aspiring to be ordained. 2. Captn Thompson, who desired my assistance in the work of the League of Nations Association. In the afternoon a deputation from Houghton–le–Spring came to see me with respect to the appointment of a new Incumbent. I gave them tea, & then listened to what they had to say. They told me that the population of their parish was about 12000, and the electoral roll numbered but 350. I gave them good words, & we parted amicably.

[173]

The "Times" has a letter from General Booth headed "Divorce". He picks up my suggestion, made at the National Assembly, of "a committee representing the theologians, the social students, the politicians, the doctors, and the lawyers (all Christian men) which should be charged with this reference – to set before us a fresh, unprejudiced, and thorough investigation of the question – What is the right expression of Christian principles in the actual circumstances of our modern world?" He quotes from my speech as reported in the 'Guardian'. He adds some very sensible observations.

The "Times" also publishes the names of the Committee which the Archbishops have appointed to investigate & report on the property of the Church. There are 17 members viz

Lord Cave (Chairman)	Sir Lewis Dibdin
Lord Selborne	Mr H. Hobhouse
The Bishop of Durham	Miss Constance Smith
The Bishop of Bristol	Miss Sybil Thesiger
Bishop Ryle	Mr T. W. H. Inskip K.C.M.P.
Lord Hugh Cecil M.P.	Rev. B. O. F. Heywood
Sir George Murray	Rev. F. A. Iremonger,
Mr G. N. Barnes M.P	Mr W. H. Le Fanu.
–	Canon A. C. Headlam.

What the two ladies have to do with a matter of this kind is not very obvious.

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