The Henson Journals

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Tuesday, January 18th, 1927.

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Barnes's admiration for Lenin & the other leaders of the Russian revolution amazed & alarmed me. He exhibited just the same attitude of resolute disbelief of everything unfavourable to the Bolshevists which baffles one in the case of the working people. The horrible moral & anti–religious proceedings, which even the Trade Union delegation reported, are brushed aside as no more than the natural & pardonable resentment of the victims of the Tsarist tyranny. Everything alleged against the Bolshevists is discounted as the fabrication of "the conspirators in Paris".

We finished our work on the Revision. The Rubrick about Reservation for the Sick, agreed upon by the Bishops of Bristol & Ripon with the members in charge was approved by 28 to 4: the minority being the Bishops of Chester, Truro, Birmingham, and (I think) Norwich. We dispersed for the afternoon, and on our re–assembling at 5 p.m. spent more than two hours in discussing how we should carry ourselves after Feby 7th, when the draft Prayer book will be made public. The general result of the discussion was that, as far as possible, we should avoid any public pronouncements before March 29th. The Bishops of Norwich & Birmingham announced their intention of opposing the revised book in the Assembly & in Parliament. The Bishop of Norwich is understood also to have written to the Times dissociating himself from his brethren.

[331]

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After dinner the Archbishop was most interesting. He told stories of Queen Victoria & of divers eminent men whom he had known. An anecdote about George IV is worth remembering, & his Grace vouched for its truth. On one occasion the King sent for the Dean of Windsor to administer the Communion to him at 10 o'clock. When the Dean arrived at the appointed time, he found the King furious because he had not come at 9 o'clock. When the Dean protested [that] the hour named to him had been 10 o'clock, the King sent for the footman who had carried the message, & demanded what hour had been named: & when the unsuspecting menial replied that it was 10 o'clock, the Sovereign overwhelmed him with abuse. Then he bade the Dean proceed with the service. "No, Sir", he replied, "that cannot be. I may not minister to [sic] the Sacrament to you in your present temper." "Why indeed", exclaimed the astonished sovereign, "what would you have me do?" "Send for that footman, & apologize to him for your abusive language", said the Dean. "Be it so", said George, &, when the footman had been summoned, the King made a low bow, & apologized with much dignity. Then the service proceeded, & the King received the Sacrament. This anecdote reflects credit both on the monarch & on the Dean of Windsor (Sumner). The Archbishop said that, when a schoolboy at Harrow, he remembered seeing Palmerston, & that on one occasion he was presented to the old Prime Minister.

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