The Henson Journals

[283]

Tuesday, December 14th, 1926.

I worked all morning at the "Charge" for the Ordination candidates, and, in the afternoon, walked in the Park. On returning to the Castle I wrote a letter of condolence to Lady Emmott, whose husband died suddenly yesterday. He was a silent man, as became one who was Quaker bred, but his character commanded respect, and his sound judgment was recognized in the political world. He was a fairly regular attendant in S. Margaret's, Westminster, when I held that Rectory.

Lord Grey made it very clear yesterday that, so far as Lloyd George is concerned, nothing is forgiven or forgotten. The Liberal Party is to continue leader–less and unprincipled!

Lionel and I motored to Southwick, where I confirmed 78 persons, mostly women & girls. We were encountered by something like a blizzard going, and returning the roads were snow–covered & freezing. Everywhere the boys were sliding. Why is it that some parsons present a reasonable number of males, & others can show hardly any but females? It is certainly the case that in "Anglo–Catholic" parishes, not only are the candidates markedly younger than elsewhere, being, indeed, as young as the diocesan regulation will permit, & sometimes (deceivingly) younger, but also the proportion of males is much smaller. The insistence on confession is, perhaps, the reason. Boys who have reached the age of puberty are extremely reluctant to go to confession, unless, indeed, they have fallen into some habit of impurity, & then they are even too ready to do so.

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