The Henson Journals

[17]

Saturday, December 17th, 1927.

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The real causes of the vote on Thursday night, (which might fairly be described as a vote of censure on the Bishops,) were certainly not the defects of the Revised Book or the arguments advanced against it, but the volume of^ exasperation against the excesses of the Ritualist clergy, which has been accumulating all over the country for many years, and had at length found an opportunity for expression and a Cabinet Minister to express it. More immediate reasons were found in the foolish language of the Bishop of London, the ceremonial absurdities of the Bishop of StAlban's, and the embitterment of feeling aroused by the Bishop of Birmingham. The squalid agitation of which Bishop Knox was the organiser and the Bishop of Norwich the nominal leader did much to inflame passion, and bring pressure to bear on the Members of both Houses. In the House of Lords that pressure was less effective than in the House of Commons, but it was severe in both, and severest at the end. Possibly the unexpectedly large majority in the Upper house had more effect than the three–lined whip in bringing to the division every possible opponent.

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Several abusive cards from the Protestant underworld disclosed the delight with which the rejection of the Revised Prayer Book is hailed in that region. On the other hand, there were more messages of sympathy. That rather odd parson, Parr, of Medomsley, sent me quite a pleasantly expressed letter.

"The vote last night is an overwhelming disappointment and discouragement to us, but I feel that it must be far worse to you, with all the burden of Diocesan administration on your shoulders, 'the care of all the churches'. May I venture to assure you of the sympathy that I Know the great majority of us feel, & I think it will be shown in our loyalty and responsiveness to your guidance."

He signs himself 'your faithful & obedient servant and son'.

Godfrey sent me a brief note of 'personal sympathy for one whom what seems a public disaster concerns so nearly'.

Kitty Inge used the admission forms I sent [19] [symbol] her, and heard my speech. She writes:–

'You were splendid this afternoon. How you caught in a moment the ear of the House, and never lost it until you ended with your splendid peroration! But what a will o' the wisp you were, here, there, & everywhere, you kept us all on the alert wondering where you would appear next! York, I could not hear well, & he was much too long'.

This has value as a first –hand testimony.

Chancellor Lawrence asks me to accept a copy of Cripps on Church & Clergy 'as a token of regard & admiration'.

J. G. Wilson writes that he has been told that Lord Hugh Cecil's speech alienated 120 votes! He seems to have been in his worst form, & at all times he is ecclesiastically suspect by the H of L.

I talked for a few minutes to the Ordination Candidates about the Revised Prayer Book as an authoritative statement of Anglican teaching on many disputed subjects. I took occasion also to make some observations on Dick Sheppard's incredibly foolish book.