The Henson Journals

[75]

Wednesday, January 3rd, 1923.

I offered the living of S. Ignatius, Sunderland to the Rev. G. H. J. Baily, Vicar of Christ Church Penrith. But, as he has only recently gone to his present parish, I don't suppose that he will accept appointment. This is my 5th attempt to find a successor to Sykes. A letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury proposes that I should be one of four Bishops to pursue "a little private inquiry to consider the religious and ecclesiastical aspects of the Marriage Laws and Divorce in the light of present day facts". The other bishops wd be Ripon, Gloucester, and Carlisle, of whom Ripon wd be Chairman. "It does not follow that the conclusions reached by the Commission, either Majority or Minority, are those which we ought to regard as assured. I want the thing looked into by men with open minds". Since I have for some while past been pressing both publicly and privately for some inquiry of this kind, I can hardly refuse his Grace's request, but whether the bishops suggested are "men with open minds" may, perhaps, be doubted.

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