The Henson Journals

[323]

Friday, January 14th, 1927.

A mild wet day. We pursued our labours without excitement, and covered a good deal of ground. The special collects for the Black Letter Saints were rejected, and the "Commons" referred to the Literary Committee. A photographer was introduced, and photographed us as we sate at the table. This incident seemed to me unworthy.

In the luncheon interval I made a fruitless attempt to recover my purple rug from the [L]ost Property Office, which has been transferred from the Embankment to a large office quite near the entrance to Lambeth Palace.

I walked to the Athanaeum, and had an interview, at his own request, with Mr Macassey. I was not favourably impressed with this clergyman, and declined somewhat shortly divers propositions that he made to me in the name of the newspapers he serves. It is humiliating that such men as he should make play with the names & reputations of greater men. Really with reference to the cheap press we may repeat the sombre words of the Gospel – "This is your hour and the power of darkness".

I wrote to Ella from the Club, and then walked back to Lambeth in time for dinner. The Bishop of Wakefield poured out his soul to me about a shameless Anglo–Catholick whom he himself in [an] evil hour made Vicar of Wakefield.

---