The Henson Journals

[49]

Thursday, November 8th, 1923.

Sixty years of my life have passed. There cannot be many more to come. On the most optimistic view, a decade of active life remains to me. It is not a comfortable reflexion. Substantially my life has disclosed its content. I can see quite clearly that my place will be a humble one in the general record. "I am not better than my fathers". I received gifts or letters from the little faithful group – George Nimmins, Alfred Spelling, Linetta, Fearne, Olive, and of course Ella and Carissima. Ld Birkenhead is reported to have denounced "sentimentality" at Glasgow; but there is a vast amount of sentiment in us all. Being on the sick list, I remained in my study, and did nothing more serviceable than writing letters of thanks to my Birthday correspondents, save that I had interviews with two of my clergy. I succeeded in passing on my engagement to dedicate a War–Memorial at Lyons to the Bishop of Jarrow.

I read through the Report of the Lambeth Conference Committee on "The Ministry of Healing", and was much distressed at its character. I cannot accept its "fundamental principle" viz "that the power to exercise spiritual healing [of the body] is taught by Christ to be the natural heritage of Christian people who are living in fellowship with God, & is part of the ministry of Christ through His Body the Church". The Committee is mostly composed of the least authoritative Bishops.

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