The Henson Journals

[201]

Wednesday, October 13th, 1926.

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I wrote to Noel Gwilliam in answer to a letter in which he said that, with the Bishop of Jarrow's approval, he desired to postpone his B.D. examination until after his Ordination to the Diaconate. The postponement probably means that he will never take the degree at all.

I went in to Durham, and instituted Knowlden to his hon: canonry. Also, I licensed three curates – Nicholson to Whitburn, Sharpley to Bishop Auckland, and Burgess to Willington. Then I lunched with J. G. Wilson at the County Club. After lunch I presided at a meeting of the Diocesan Finance Board. Rather disconcertingly, one of the laymen proposed that everybody should stand in silence for a minute, & thank God for my recovery! It was well–meant, but rather terrible. There is no doubt that our diocesan finances are in a very bad way: and there is no prospect of improvement.

I received a letter from the Hon: C. H. Strutt, thanking me for my attitude on the "stoppage", & reminding me of old days in Essex:

"You will remember in the old days we used to meet. I think it was at the Essex Diocesan Council. I remember after one of these meetings saying to Canon Ingles, not I fancy much to his liking as he looked upon you as too much of a free–lance, that I thought you the second cleverest man in Essex; my partiality being to put my brother Rayleigh first."

He sends me his speech at the annual meeting of the Anglo–Dutch Plantations of Java. This speech was sent me by Harold Cox, & I made an extract from it in my Edinburgh Article. It is always interesting to know what impression one made on others in one's youth. It must be about 30 years since Mr Strutt thought me "the second cleverest man in Essex".

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