The Henson Journals

[89]

Tuesday, December 20th, 1921.

December 20th, 1921.

Dear Sir,

I am obliged to you for your letter from Cannes which reached me today, and which I answer at once in order that it may not be "snowed under" by other & less important communications.

You ask me to say how best, in my judgment, you may contribute to the Funds of the Church of England "so as not to assist the Anglo–Catholic party." I think probably the best administered Funds are the "Diocesan Funds", which exist in almost every diocese, and are controlled by the Bishop and a large Committee of clergy and laity elected by the Diocesan Conference. It would be reasonable to avoid the dioceses which bear a well–established reputation for "Anglo–Catholicism" e.g. London, St Alban's, & Chichester: and to bestow your – donation where you may be confident that it will be used in a loyal spirit. Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham do not, I think, need assistance so much as other dioceses. If you addressed yourself directly to the Bishop, he would give you any explanations you might desire.

With regard to organizing the Finance of the Church. I think there is too general a disposition to overrate the financial possibilities of the parochial unit. It is not sufficiently remembered that the Church of England is organized as a National Church, covering the whole land, altogether apart from the denominational requirements. Where the need of religion is greatest, there the resources of religion are often the smallest, for the law of supply and demand does not hold in religion. If it did, the supply would fail precisely where the absence of demand proved how urgent was the need. The Nonconformist denominations grow up in response to local demand: their basis is congregational, not, as with the Church of England territorial. The endowments alone make the parochial system possible over great part of the country, & these endowments have become pitifully [90] inadequate to present needs.

You may know that a very weighty Committee under the chairmanship of Lord Cave has been appointed by the National Assembly to inquire into the property of the church, and to make proposals for its better distribution. I am myself a member of this Committee, and we are setting to work with the definite purpose of effecting a thorough reform.

I think as a general proposition the Diocese is a much better unit than the whole Church. Apart from other considerations, central Finance means central control: and central control means government by the metropolitan dioceses which are the strongholds of the Anglo–Catholic party.

I fear you will find this rather tiresome reading. I can plead the excuse that you yourself are responsible.

Let me wish you all happiness in the New Year.

Believe me,

most faithfully yours,

Herbert Dunelm:

J. Stewart Dismorr Esq.

Villa Melisande, Lecannet, Cannes, France

I wrote letters all the morning. The Revd S. Bailey, curate of Crook, came to see me. He has been offered the Preachership of Ludlow, & wanted my advice. He told me that his father was a working miner. I asked him whether he found the fact helpful in his work among the miners, & he said that he did. A Canadian parson, who desires to work temporarily at Stockton, lunched here. I motored to Durham, and saw Dawson about the school at West Rainton. After visiting Andrew's book shop, I returned to Auckland: and wrote more letters.

A considerable tempest raged all the afternoon, and the weather became bitterly cold.

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