The Henson Journals

[180]

Thursday, March 22nd, 1928.

I worked at the Conference Address all the morning. In the afternoon Lionel and I motored to Barnard Castle, where I confirmed 22 boys in the School Chapel. This is the smallest number presented so far. We motored to Gateshead, where I confirmed 225 persons in S. James's Church. There was a very large congregation. This parish is extremely poor, but the present Rector, Hutton, an ex–Church Army officer, seems to be getting hold of the people. The churchwardens told me that there was still much unemployment. We returned to Auckland after the service, & were hindered by the fog between Gateshead and Chester–le–Street.

The question of ordaining women to the Priesthood can be hardly be answered apart from the larger question of women's rôle in society. Is Sex a factor of such importance as to necessitate recognition, so that the issue may not properly turn on the competence of individuals? That Nature imposes a distinction of function is apparent: ought the distinction to involve an allocation of political & social duties? To admit that it does is to disallow the whole tendency of post–war legislation.