The Henson Journals

[129]

Thursday, July 9th, 1925.

The extent to which the supply of Ordination candidates may be affected by the decline of the Birth–rate among the clergy, whose sons have in the past provided many & the best candidates, is, perhaps, illustrated by the circumstance that the Bishops, who are probably representative in this respect of the clergy as a whole are largely celibate and childless:–

Celibates	Childless
York	Canterbury
London	Durham
Oxford	Carlisle
Worcester	Winchester
Salisbury	Manchester
Southwark	Lichfield
Truro	S. Alban's
Norwich	Bath & Wells
Gloucester	–

Here are no less than 17 bishops out of 37 who are childless. Take such a proportion throughout the clergy, & it will be apparent that the hereditary character of the clerical profession is not being maintained. It is probably true that the proportion of unmarried & childless men in the upper–middle class is not less among the lay than among the clerical element.

[130]

I walked to Westminster, & spent the day in the Assembly, where a futile discussion of the everlasting question of religious education occupied us. I lunched at the Westminster Deanery: & afterwards attended a Garden Party at Lambeth.

The newspapers report the debate on the Mining Crisis last night in the House of Commons. Ritson, one of our Labour members referred contumeliously to the Bishop of Durham, & Mr Cook announces his intention of "answering" that gentleman, whose income – as the "Daily Herald" is good enough to inform its readers is £7000 annually! The "Yorkshire Post" re–produced some of my article in the "Evening Standard", & no doubt other newspapers have done as much. So there are materials for a "week–end" flutter.Per contraour Trade–Union member, Bartle, met me at Lambeth, and volunteerd the statement that he approved what I had written.

The Pope of Alexandria was taken ill at the dinner at which he was being entertained by his English Brethren. I inquired of Athelstan Riley what was the nature & extent of his illness: and was informed that he had lunched not wisely but too well with Lord Beauchamp earlier in the day!

The venerable Dean of Chichester, Dr Hannal, was taken suddenly with a paralytic seizure yesterday in the Assembly, & was with some difficulty transported from the Hall by the Archdeacon of Middlesex.

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