The Henson Journals

[49]

Saturday, May 24th, 1924.

I wrote to Lord Daryngton asking him to postpone his motion for the Royal Assent to the Winchester Diocese (Division) measure – which he has put down for June 5th, when I am in Ireland – in order, that I may attend, and oppose the motion.

Clayton and I motored into Durham, where we lunched at the Club with Lazenby, and then attended the Chancellor's Visitation. I made a very brief address to a disconcertingly small attendance of churchwardens. Then we returned to Auckland.

Spencer, an Ordination candidate, whose performance in the deacons' examination had been pitiable, attended to hear his fate. I offered to give him the test of an oral examination, which, if he failed to pass, I wd have no more to do with him.

Richard Walter Tuesday, aged 161/2, the son of a lay–reader, came to propose himself as a candidate for Holy Orders! He is a gentle youth with a good character from his school, where he learned no Latin and Greek. He had started to teach himself Greek, of which, however, he evidently knows nothing. His father was with him, but not during my interview. I said that if he passed the Matriculation at Durham University, I would consider his case. The truth is that that one hardly dares to reject any candidate, who is not clearly impossible. Was the Church of England ever before in so humiliating a case?

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