The Henson Journals

[175]

Tuesday, September 21st, 1926.

Last night there was a frost, a reminder that winter will not wait for the ending of this preposterous "stoppage". I spent the morning in attempting to write the Lock Memorial Lecture, & had written but 4 folios when Jimmie arrived on the scene. He lunched here, and then he and I walked round the Park together, and talked much. He seems to be very keen about his work, but there is this troublesome business of getting a degree to be gone through before he can bring an undivided mind to it. Budworth informed me that the R. V. Bible for the school chapel had arrived, so I sent a cheque for it to Oxford straight away.

I wrote to Sir Lewis Dibdin thanking him for the memoranda of the discussions at the Ecclesiastical Commission on Sunday Games, and telling him that I had decided not to move a Resolution in the Assembly on the subject, but that, if a Resolution were moved, I should support it.

The Principal of St John's writes to me again about that deplorable man, Gibson, who is now seeking to get Ordination in the Diocese of Liverpool. It will certainly be extremely scandalous if he succeeds in his purpose, and yet I cannot feel very confident that he will not do so. The grave shortage of candidates makes the rejection of any applicant a difficult proceeding: & the decline of discipline disposes the Bishops to belittle the gravity of even grave disqualifications. Besides, his Lordship of Liverpool is a sentimental creature who would be easily gulled by any plausible humbug. Nevertheless, if he writes to me, as I suppose he is bound to do, I shall tell him plainly what I think.

Ella accompanied by Fearne motored to Northallerton, & had tea with Canon & Mrs Brown. Then she went on to Mount Grace, & had tea again with Lady Bell. During her absence Elizabeth Smith arrived on a visit. Lionel returned from his holiday.

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