The Henson Journals

[149]

17th Sunday after Trinity, October 8th, 1922.

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Shall I, or shall I not, make a motion in Convocation on the subject of the "Anglo–Catholic" movement? If that movement is to be adopted officially, then it would seem requisite that the standards of Anglicanism should be revised. Is it right or even politic to maintain the present subscriptions in the circumstances which the Anglo–Catholic propaganda has disclosed?

Of course the prevailing temper is hostile to any insistence on the claims of truth, and there is a powerful tendency towards everything "Catholic" which indisposes most people for anything which may compel criticism of, or opposition to, a "Catholic" movement. And this must all be reckoned with. Nevertheless, the present situation is becoming intolerable, morally indefensible, and, I must needs think, religiously enfeebling. The Anglican clergymen makes pledges and makes declarations which he does not honour & which are not sincere. So far as these concern his beliefs, the general policy of granting the largest possible liberty of opinion may, perhaps, justify our procedure, but inasmuch as they deal with matters of practice in which the conduct of public worship is directly concerned, the case is not so obviously easy. The self respect of the Bishops is directly affected, for we have our own pledges to reckon with, and these can hardly allow us to accept the humble role of endorsing whatever the "Anglo–Catholics" may say and do!

[150] [symbol]

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m: and, after breakfast retired to my study and wrote letters. On the whole the decision to take some open action in Convocation seemed to me sound, and I forthwith drafted & despatched a resolution which would serve sufficiently as a peg on which to hang a speech.

I wrote to Headlam commenting on his memorandum about the proper distribution of the Ecclesl. Commissioners' Revenues, & seizing occasion to ask him to assist me in getting an opportunity for seeking Ordination Candidates in Oxford, and in funding a suitable vicar for St Ignatius.

The "Observer" has a long and impassioned denunciation of British policy in the East, calls for an immediate & complete surrender to the Turkish demands, and insists on the resignation of the Prime Minister. Garvin has been staying in Paris, & , it would appear, keeping strange company there! How far do newspapers really indicate popular opinion? Here are 3 very different journals – the "Spectator", the "Nation", & the "Observer" – uniting in a clamour for L.G.'s retirement from office.

I motored into Durham, & attended Evensong in the Cathedral. After service I had tea with Mr Watkins, & then called on Professor Guillaume, who is in some disquiet about a mare's nest raised by Moulsdale as to his appointment to Bow Church. I told him to ignore it: but he is clearly worried on the matter.

[151] [symbol]

October 8th, 1922.

My dear Archbishop,

I propose to take advantage of the meeting of Convocation on November 7th, in order to call attention to the really intolerable situation which has been created by the Anglo–Catholic movement, and especially by the open patronage of it by the Bishops. I have, therefore, drafted the enclosed resolution, of which I beg to give you this early, & formal notice.

The Bishop of Carlisle thinks it right to suggest that the Bishops who decline to associate themselves with the movement are "partisans", and the Bishop of Newcastle permits the "Anglo–Catholic" programme to appear in his Diocesan Gazette. When men, supposed to be moderate & prudent, act like that, it would seem that the time has arrived for us to come to a clear understanding on the main question.

Believe me,

Yours ever affty

Herbert Dunelm:

The Bishop of Durham will move:

That in view of the apparent conflict between the teaching & practice of the English Clergymen, now commonly styled "Anglo–Catholic", and the legally prescribed conditions under which men are ordained & beneficed [152] [symbol] in the Church of England, it is desirable, and indeed morally requisite, that the said conditions should be considered, and, if necessary, revised.

That, the President be respectfully requested to nominate a Committee of both Houses of Convocation to consider & report on the legally–prescribed conditions under which men are ordained & beneficed in the Church of England.

But, it may and will be asked, what possible effect do you suppose that your motion can have? You cannot be so simple as to think that you will influence the organizers of the Anglo–Catholic movement: nor can you reasonably expect that the Bishops, who have patronized it, will don a white sheet & cry peccavimus. If, as is almost certain to be the case, the motion is rejected after a series of glozing irrelevances from the Archbishop & others on mutual toleration &c, what have you gained to outweigh the odium which will assuredly be caused? These questions are not easy to answer, but the situation is growing to be too humiliating to consist with honour or conscience and, by frankly confessing the fact, something is done towards rescuing one's own reputation, and something towards interpreting the position to the nation. In any case, silent or protesting, we march, as a Church, to disaster.

[153] [symbol]

October 8th, 1922.

My Dear Bishop,

I am really puzzled, and not a little disconcerted, by what floats across the Tyne as to the proceedings of the Bishop of Newcastle! It is said, and something in the "Guardian" seems to confirm the report, that the Bishop has seized this time, when the "Anglo–Catholics" are very vocal and insistent, to adopt the Cope & Mitre which is a notable innovation on the episcopal "use & wont" in England since the Reformation. It is also said that the Bishop has allowed the programme of the "Anglo–Catholic" Congress to appear in his official Gazette.

I had known, & regretted, your consent to be President of the Congress, but I thought your mind was clear to me, and that in the main you held with me, as to the essential unsoundness of the "Anglo–Catholic" movement. Your present attitude appears hardly reconcilable with anything but an essential agreement with the movement. I note that the Bishop of Carlisle does not scruple to suggest that a Bishop who does not see his way to associate himself with the "Anglo–Catholics" is a "partisan". In these circumstances I think we must face the question of the legal conditions under which men are ordained & beneficed, & which we, as Bishops, have to insist upon. I propose to raise the question in Convocation, & have sent notice to the [154] [symbol] Archbishop that on its next meeting I will move the following resolutions:

That, in view of the apparent conflict &c

If that be carried I should move:

That, the President be respectfully &c

It is a real grief to me to feel that you and I are walking in different directions.

Yours affly

Herbert Dunelm:

The Rt. Revd the Bishop of Newcastle

I suspect that Wild is being dominated by two influences, that of the Bishop of Ripon, for whom he has a great regard & admiration, and that of the men whom he has himself brought to the diocese, Newsom and Quick, both of whom are eagerly accordant with the "Anglo–Catholicks". He is, perhaps, to some extent the victim of his own temperament, which is rather lethargic and easy going, disinclined to take a strong line in any direction. He thinks he can make others distinguish, as he does himself, between essentials & accidents: and, perhaps, he is not wholly unaffected by the affectionate flattery which the Anglo–Catholic clergy so freely pour out on their episcopal patrons & victims.

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