The Henson Journals

[197]

Thursday, October 26th, 1922.

I walked to the Athenaeum, and prepared notes for my speech on Christian Evidence: then I went to Westminster, and called upon Vernon Storr, with whom I had some interesting conversation. He also thinks that disruption is coming into view, and that it may be morally requisite. He, and some of his friends, are about to issue another volume of essays designed to help the Evangelicals in their domestic difficulties, which are threatening to disrupt the Church Missionary Society – a result which I could sustain with equanimity! I lunched at the Club, & then went to the Caxton Hall for the Christian Evidence Society's meeting. I spoke for about half an hour, and was followed by Dr Selbie. Then came 4 speakers for 8 minutes apiece, and so the meeting ended with the Benediction. I was interested to see & hear the Marquis of Tavistock, a young man who is Chairman of the Committee. The meeting over, I returned to the Club, and found the Dean of Windsor there waiting for the Archbishop. After some talk with him I had tea, and wrote to Ella. Rashdall came into the Club, and complained of continuing & severe indigestion. I fear his health is far from reestablished. Then I wrote up my journal.

[198] [symbol]

I dined at the Athenaeum with Hicks as my comrade at table. He is trying to believe that the Anglo–Catholic movement is being transformed into loyalty. Athelstan Riley joined us. He said that Ld Halifax had been accompanied by Frere and Armitage Robinson in his conference with Cardinal Mercier, who had with him his Vicar–General and the Abbé Portal. Riley himself thinks that Halifax has "gone too far" in concession, but his Oriental & Russian sympathies influence him. He doesn't seem to realize how repugnant to ordinary Englishmen is this furtive plotting with Roman Catholics "behind the back" of the Church of England. Considering the intimacy which obtains between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Wells, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that he has been privy to these negociations with Cardinal Mercier. And if that be assumed, it is impossible to acquit his Grace of behaving with a certain lack of candour to the English people. In any case, there is vastly too much of this cryptic method of handling religious issues. The Archbishop is carrying on negociations with Papists, Orthodox, and Nonconformists at the same time. It would be interesting to compare the versions of the English Church which are offered severally to the three!

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