The Henson Journals

[33]

Monday, May 14th, 1928.

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The 'Yorkshire Post' prints the bulk of my address to the Churchwardens, & the Northern Echo adds a surprising caricature of 'Dr Hensley Henson', and has a leading article not very friendly to that gentleman's contentions! Also the 'Times' and the 'Manchester Guardian' publish shorter reports of what I said. Old Dr McCullough expressed warm approval, & he is a fair representative of the best kind of old–fashioned Churchman.

Lionel drove me in his car to Blackhill, where I confirmed 76 persons, of whom two–thirds were females. The streets were full of youths & young men, who stared with a kind of bovine curiosity at the spectacle of a bishop. They are in no kind of contact with the clergy, who seem to be quite content to leave them outside their ministry. Old, often ailing, despondent, discontented men for the most part, how can the clergy appeal to the young? Beyond all question the weakest point of the Church of England is the personnel of the clergy, their quality is inferior, their number insufficient. I found on returning to the Castle that George Nimmins had arrived. He looks very well, & speaks with freedom & intelligence of java. He hopes to be married before he leaves England at the end of the year.