The Henson Journals

[239]

Friday, November 12th, 1926.

I spent most part of the day in writing a long letter to old Sir Edward Clarke on Prayer Book Revision. It will probably alarm & displease him: but I want to free myself as far as possible from the entanglement of misunderstandings. The Church Times gives prominence to my observations on Revision at the Diocesan Conference, & finds in them only the threat of prosecution!

Parry–Evans came in to see me about Escombe, & I told him what I had already told Caröe, that I would not extend the work beyond the necessary repairs of the fabric. Furniture can be introduced at any time, & so long as the present Incumbent holds the benefice, the less the better.

Lionel and I walked round the Park after lunch. The weather was fine & still. The autumnal colouring of the trees was seen at its best.

I sent £20 to Wynne–Willson for the Mission Building in the new district. That disposes of my earnings from the last Evening Standard article.

I received three books: "The Legacy of the Middle Ages" presented by E. F. Jacob: "The Life of Sir Samuel Romilly" by the author, John Edwin Mitchell: and "Birth Control" presented by Douglas Sladen. The last is a translation of a book by Johann Ferch, President of the Austrian Birth Control League, & is edited with an introduction by Maude Royden. There is something extremely repulsive about such a subject being handled by an unmarried woman. I wrote shortly to Mr Sladen, since he requested my opinion of the book, saying that I could not approve it. The effect of all this propaganda on unmarried girls cannot but be very evil.

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