The Henson Journals

[87]

Monday, August 1st, 1921.

I attended Matins in the Lady Chapel at 8 a.m. After breakfast I called on Lilliey, and talked with him for an hour. Then I walked with the Dean to Dynevor ^[Dynedor]^, and got back in time to lunch with Mrs Lilley at 1.15 p.m. After luncheon I returned to the Palace, & sat in the Garden with the Bishop until dinner time. We had much conversation on many things. On the whole he impressed me more favourably than I had expected. He is evidently handling the diocese with vigour and good sense. I judge him to be a better diocesan than I was, or ever could have become. He agreed that the reduction of the diocese of Hereford to the single county, which would be the result of creating a Shropshire diocese, would provide too small an area, but, nevertheless, he had agreed to push forward the scheme for the new bishoprick, because there appeared to be no other reasonable method of relieving the diocese of Lichfield, which was excessively large. I asked his views on the reception of the Lambeth Appeal, and rather to my surprise, he replied that "the appeal seemed to be already forgotten". He does not appear to have much power of connected thinking, & his knowledge of ecclesiastical history is evidently slight. I was impressed, and again surprised, by his ready & hearty agreement with the contemptuous opinion of the Evangelicals which I expressed. Considering his paternity and his ecclesiastical record, I hardly expected so decisive an attitude. I suspect that his zeal for episcopacy represents an escape from his family traditions plus the usual element of swell.