The Henson Journals

[148]

Saturday, February 2nd, 1924. Purification of B.V.M.

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"God be merciful to me a sinner" – it is the publican's prayer which rises in my mind on the anniversary of my consecration. The six years which I review carry too humbling a message to admit of any other. There is nothing on which I can rest my thought, and say to myself, "here at least is a solid achievement. Here is a justification for your becoming a bishop". Alike in Hereford and in Durham I have failed both in my personal life, and in my episcopal administration. The Church seems to be slipping away from me, and I from the Church. I am unable to approve or assist the prevailing policies of the hierarchy of which I am a member: & my dissent is the more sterile & unhappy since it is unconnected with any alternative policies that I can perceive or advocate. My friends, who more or less share my discontent, are able to acquiesce in what they disapprove, and to enjoy the ease and dignity which episcopal office may still secure to the bishop who can do so. But I cannot do this, and therefore my whole episcopal action is "against the collar". There is neither faith nor fervour in my work. If it were possible to sever the spiritual duty from the ecclesiastical business, I might perhaps gain a measure of contentment by confining myself wholly to the first, & ignoring the last. But it is not possible, and I perish in the paradox of their indissoluble union.

[149] [symbol]

I attended the consecration of Bishops in Westminster Abbey when Bardsley was consecrated to Peterborough, and Aglionby to Accra. There was a great concourse of bishops, as many as 26. I read the epistle, joined the Bishop of Dover in presenting Aglionby, and administered the paten. After the service I lunched in the Deanery. I walked to the St Paul's deanery, & had tea with Kitty. I dined quietly at Lambeth with the Archbishop&Mrs Davidson. His Grace spoke with enthusiasm of Ramsay Macdonald's speech at the Pilgrim's Dinner last night. He is plainly persuaded that he will get his way with the new Prime Minister in the matter of ecclesiastical appointments. After dinner I had a long talk with the Archbishop about Malines. He said that he had been very badly treated by the Papists: that Gasparri "had lied", for after sending to Mercier the assurance of the Pope's "official cognizance" of the "conversations", he had told the "Times" correspondent precisely the contrary: that, so far as his Grace was concerned, the matter was at an end. The Archbishop had received a rather offensive letter from Sir WmJoynson Hicks, & had replied to it. This correspondence would probably be published. I could not but tell his Grace that I thought he had made a mistake in associating himself with the business. The interview was painful to me.

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