The Henson Journals

[73]

Wednesday, January 13th, 1926. Lambeth Palace.

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A villainous toothache harassed me great part of the night, and did not improve my efficiency all day. I received the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. We got into the controversial area, when the question of a Festival of Corpus Christi was proposed, for the suggestion of a Festival of St Joseph was summarily rejected much to my relief, & more to my surprise. The Bishop of Southwark move a resolution conceding the Festival but disallowing the Roman date, & this was seconded by the Bishop of Manchester. As the discussion proceeded, it became apparent that the general sense of the bishops inclined to this course, & that it commanded the approval of the Archbishops. It was opposed by the Bishops of Durham, Worcester, & St E. and I., & rather less decidedly by the Bishops of Ripon, Peterboro, and Exeter.

I dined at the Holborn Restaurant at the annual dinner of University College, Durham. Lord Burnham was the other "principal guest". He reminded me that he and I were in the same class in the same honour list at Oxford in 1884. I proposed the toast of the Castle, & he that of the College. Hogge, who is organizing the appeal, said the £15,000 had already been collected.

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