The Henson Journals

[72]

Saturday, April 30th, 1927.

Carnegie Simpson writes to ask me whether the Bishops are going to make any public declaration of their resolve to enforce the new Prayer Book. He is being strongly pressed to oppose the legalisation of the book, but desires to avoid doing so. I replied to him at some length pointing out the practical futility of any such declaration, which would not bind any future bishops.

I finished reading 'Reality', & then wrote to Streeter thanking him for so excellent and suggestive a book.

Then Hayward, the Vicar of Brandon, – an impudent Silenus to look at! – came to lunch, & afterwards I spoke to him about Stephen Allen & Neville Hudson. I told him that the irreverence & noisiness of his choirboys had given me an ill impression when I came to his church for the Confirmation.

Morris Young came to see me. He accepts my offer of New Shildon, & is evidently pleased to receive it. And I think that Shaddick will be pleased to have him as his successor.

The Manchester and Blackburn Diocesan Conferences have voted for the Revised Prayer Book, but with ominously substantial minorities of laymen. This probably indicates what will happen in the Assembly. If the Anglo–Catholicks and the Inskipites join hands, as it is very likely they will, there will be so considerable an opposition as will facilitate the hostile action of Parliament.

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