The Henson Journals

[348]

Monday, June 14th, 1926.

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The Archbishop of Canterbury writes to me in reply to my letter in a conciliatory & even affectionate tone, though he might very naturally have resented my brutal frankness. But the severest critic of his public action must concede that he is magnanimous in all that concerns himself. Indeed, it is this circumstance which more than anything else makes criticism of his Grace unpalatable and all but impossible. His Grace says that Cardinal Bourne "was party to the Appeal which he (the Archbishop) issued:

"He saw it before it left my hands and suggested the alteration of some of its words, which alteration we adopted."

But the essence of the case against the Archbishop's action during the general strike is, not that he made foolish proposals, but that in the actual circumstances he made any proposals at all.

The wily Cardinal was quick to seize the opportunity of presenting himself to the public in the character of the good citizen in vivid contrast with the fumbling & untimely peace–making of the Primate. If he knew, & had assented to, the Archbishop's proposals, his conduct can hardly be purged from the charge of disingenuousness: I think my letter will not be wholly profitless, if it brings home to the Archbishop the fact that apprehension is felt in some episcopal minds over the facile and frequent pronouncements from Lambeth.

[349] [symbol]

The Bishop of Hereford writes deploring my absence from the Prayer Book Revision Session at Lambeth which begins today.

"I do personally deplore the fact that you will not be in your place in the House of Bishops during the next week: the constructive policy which you have advocated hitherto has to my mind been of singular value. Your absence will be felt not so much in dealing with the Anglo–Catholic element, for this is numerically small, but in inducing reason in the more definitely Protestant section. Personally I fear the starker men on my own side more than my friends the enemy. Is there any possibility that you could express your views on Reservation in a letter which could be read. I quite recognize that the "litera scripta" is not as persuasive as the personal appeal: but I think such a letter would carry weight, if it is not wholly out of order: & greatly daring, I venture to suggest such a course, which may have suggested itself to you already."

The Bishop of Jarrow had tea with me. Also Jimmie Dobbie. The manager of the London & Provincial Bank brought me the order for investing in War Loan the £300 sent to me by the Catholick Apostolick Church, & I signed it.

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