The Henson Journals
Wed 10 February 1926
Volume 40, Pages 119 to 120
[119]
Wednesday, February 10th, 1926.
"Recognizing the world–wide commission of the Ministry of the Church I am ready to give equal consideration to invitations to service over–seas or at home. It is assumed that all who sign this undertaking will seek the counsel of the Bishop with regard to any invitation that may in consequence be sent to them."
In the diocese of St Alban's candidates are reminded that Ordination is to office "in the Church of God" without any specific limitation to the Church in England". The Bishop "will therefore expect them to be willing before their Ordination to give some such undertaking as is involved in signing the Enrolment Form issued in 1920 by the Recruiting Campaign for Service in the Kingdom of God". The terms of that undertaking are stated above.
How far has any Bishop the right to add a vow to those provided in the Ordinal? Is the undertaking exacted from the Ordination candidates reasonable? Does it follow properly from the fact that men are ordained to ministry in the Church of God that they ought to minister anywhere?
[120]
I received from the Bishop of St Alban's a full account of his dealings with the recalcitrant deacon, who had asked to be accepted as a candidate for Priest's Orders. Accordingly, I wrote to the young man rejecting his application, and counselling him to submit himself to his bishop. But I told the said bishop that if he had been oppressing the deacon I would not have refused sanctuary to his victim in S. Cuthbert's patrimony.
I have mooned away another day with very little to show for it. Promiscuous reading, or browsing is a very seductive practice, hardly distinguishable from a vice. Inter alia I read through in Wilkins the very characteristic letter which Henry viii addressed to Tunstall on the subject of the Supreme Headship. There is an attorney–like smartness about the mighty Tudor which made him a difficult controversialist.
The 2nd number of "The Bishoprick" made its appearance. My article on "Religion and Education" fills 17 pages. It is certainly too long: it is probably also tiresome. I doubt whether any good purpose will be served by it. But there is always the "off–chance" of hitting the mark!