The Henson Journals

[51]

Tuesday, November 22nd, 1921.

A damp foggy morning. I walked to Westminster, and spent the morning in the National Assembly. The debate on the Bill for giving powers to the Parochial Church Councils was continued and conducted with much vigour. The Bill was attacked by Marcus Atlay, the Bishop of Norwich, Sir Edward Clarke, Lord Phillimore, and myself. It was defended by Lord Parmoor, the Bishops of Manchester and Chelmsford, & Sir Lewis Dibdin. I think there can be no doubt that the balance of ability and argument was decisively with the former. Nevertheless, the latter prevailed. But there was a considerable minority, especially of the clergy. Of the Bishops, 18 voted for the Bill, and 6 against. The laity were mostly the "Life and Liberty crowd", who had come up to "vote the ticket". It was significant that the older men no more commanded their support. However the size of the minority was large enough to justify a renewal of the conflict in Parliament. I lunched with Burge in the House of Lords. Then I walked to the Deanery, St Paul's in order to see Paula. The poor little thing looks woefully ill, but was said to be slightly better. On the Embankment I fell in with Walter Runciman, who started to talk about the Lambeth Appeal. It appears that he and other leading Nonconformists are to spend a day at Lambeth in order to discuss it. But I could not encourage him to think that there was any real prospect of success. Returning to the Church House, I had an interview with Captain Heath, who offers himself as a candidate for the Secretaryship of our Finance Board. Then I had a long interview with Mr Will Reason, who wanted me to approve some kind of social crusade: but this I declined to do. Then I attended a meeting of the newly–appointed Patronage Board. Finally, I walked to 108 Eaton Square, and dined with the Charnwoods. After some pleasant talk with Godfrey, I made my way back to my "prophet's chamber" in Park Lane.