The Henson Journals

[58]

Wednesday, November 14th, 1923.

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This is poor Marion's Birthday. It is hardly more than four months since she died, and but little more since the notion that her death might precede Carissima's entered my mind. How dark are the ways of God with His own! "Thy way is on the sea, and Thy paths on the great waters; and Thy footsteps are not known". How hard to say deliberately and sincerely – "Thy Will be done!"

I spent the day at the Bishop's meeting in Lambeth. The Archbishop of Canterbury read a carefully prepared memorandum on the "conversations" at Malines between Cardinal Mercier, and Lord Halifax, Dr Armitage Robinson, & Dr Frere. "On my own responsibility" I added to these Bishop Gore & Dr Kidd. He had himself drafted a memorandum for their guidance; making it clear that in no circumstances cd the Church of England abandon the position set forth by Hooker & the other standard English divines. I contented myself with expressing my regret that these "cryptic negociations "had been undertaken, & said that a great shock wd be given to the Church of England & to the Anglican Communions when it became known that the five gentlemen named were chosen as representatives of the English Church. Frere made a speech, and Headlam made a few observations: & so an unsatisfactory business was disposed of.

[59] [symbol]

Headlam introduced the subject of clerical subscription & its bearing on recruiting for Holy Orders. I moved that a Committee of Bishops should undertake to draft a revised form of the 39 Articles, & report to the Bishops Meeting with a view to the work being undertaken by Convocation. Rather to my surprise this was carried, & the Bishops of Durham, Ripon, Gloucester, Chichester, & Truro were appointed to form the Committee.

I dined with Bayley in the Athenaeum. There were also present Colonel Bayley mine host's brother, Colonel Paget of the War Office, & a French Colonel, named, I think, Fagalde. We had much interesting conversations about the situations in the Ruhr, the War, & the League of Nations. The Frenchman spoke English excellently, and happily was sufficiently good tempered not to resent plain speaking. Colonel Paget motored me back to Park Lane.

Sir Lewis Dibdin told me that George Talbot's judgement was generally wrong. He thought, therefore, that his promotion to the judicial Bench, announced this morning, was not wise. He also observed on the unanimity of the Bench of Bishops, & contrasted it with an earlier time when strong men like Thompson, & Magee, were bishops. He ascribed the change partly to the influence & policy of the present Primate.

[60]

Viviani, so the Frenchman assured me, is the most eloquent of orators. He never makes preparation but improvises boldly. A curious circumstance about him is the vulgarity of his ordinary language which contrasts strangely with the loftiness & purity of his orations. Poincaré writes out his speeches, and carries the MS. in his pocket, but delivers them from memory. I inquired whether the Ruhr policy was approved by the French people, and was told that Poincaré's only fault in the eyes of his countrymen was its excessive moderation. It is either Reparations or Bankruptcy for France. He spoke contemptuously of the Poles, & said that if they were on the other side of the Rhine, the French would be free of fear. But Germans were the best soldiers in the world, and against them securities were indispensable. I asked which of the English generals was most highly thought of by French soldiers, and he replied "Allenby". Petain was placed before Foch, as being more uniformly on his highest level, whereas Foch had greater heights & depths. "Is it the difference between genius & eminent talent?" I suggested, & he agreed. If the Kaiser were restored in Germany, he thought the French would at once march to Berlin. Lüdendorf was the ablest of the German generals, & old Hindenburg a mere name. I was much pleased with the frank carriage & good humour of this officer.

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