The Henson Journals

[30]

Thursday, May 8th, 1924.

The report of Convocation in the papers informs me that the Dean of Chester made a violent attack on me yesterday. Moving a resolution condemning the practice of eminent ecclesiastics writing letters in the newspapers, he referred to my letter on Malines, & practically moved a vote of censure! "Eventually the motion was withdrawn" but the mover had achieved his purpose of publicly insulting the Bishop of Durham, who was absent and without knowledge of the attack!

The Review of Rawlinson's "Authority and Freedom" in the Times Literary Supplement is evidently written by a friend of the Author with strong leanings to Anglo–Catholicism. It opens with the Author's words, – "It is the thesis of this book that Protestantism has worked itself out" – and, with slight reserves, endorses them.

The posthumously published Ford lectures of Haverfield on "The Roman Occupation of Britain" are excellent reading, and full of information. The volume is adorned with an excellent photograph of the author, and a number of illustrations. He was a man whom I knew but slightly, and he did not attract me, but he must have been a man of unusual quality & a vast industry. The Biographical Notice which precedes the Lectures draws a not unattractive picture.

I frittered the day away in laborious futilities – writing letters, attempting to write a sermon, walking through the rain in the Park, and reading.

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