The Henson Journals

[121]

Friday, January 20th, 1922.

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A brilliant morning but a hard frost, and roads like glass. I decided to hang out the white flag so far as engagements were concerned. So I sent a telephone message to Quirk asking him to take my place at the Rescue Commtee, and I wrote to Hudson Barkers asking whether he could as much for me at Tynedock on Sunday afternoon.

Macmillans send me a batch of notices from the newspapers of "Anglicanism". They are incredibly poor stuff. There is not anything worth calling a review among them. All disclose a strong dislike of the book, & considerable perplexity as to the treatment which ought to be bestowed on it. Its arguments are not easy to controvert, but its conclusion is wholly repellent. Perhaps the condemnation of the Enabling Act embarrasses the Editors, for almost all of them have been engaged in "writing up" the silly venture in "self–government". But I have, no doubt at all as to the main reason why the book is being 'cold–shouldered' so effectually. The ecclesiastical business of the local newspapers is mainly in the hands of some energetic and aspiring local clergyman, & he almost always is a "Life & Liberty" zealot, often also an "Anglo–Catholick".

The Rev. A. Silva–White (v. p.114) writes to report that everything went off well at the Parochial Church Council Meeting, & to thank me for the justice which I had meted out to him. The Churchwarden, who had stirred up the mischief, wrote to withdraw his accusation!

Captain Carter, the newly–appointed Secretary of the Diocesan Board of Finance, came to see me, and stay the night. He seems earnestly resolved to get on with his work, but how to "begin" is not very easy to see. Raising money is an odious job at all times.

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