The Henson Journals

[72]

Tuesday, June 5th, 1928.

This Mansion House Meeting haunts me. I wrote to Ralph, asking him to be one of the two speakers: to Lord Salisbury suggesting that I should raise the matter of the Castle in the House of Lords: to Mr Justice Roche, invoking his assistance: & to Mr Archibald Campbell, the Chairman of the London Stock Exchange, begging for Funds.

I motored to Newcastle, & had my hair cut &c, returning to Auckland immediately after the operation.

Merrefield, the Rector of Etherley, died yesterday. He has been ill for months, during which his duty has mostly been done for him without charge. Lionel has officiated constantly, & I myself have preached twice. He has held the benefice for 8 years. It is in the gift of the Bishop of Manchester, & is only worth £283 net.

Baily of St Ignatius having rejected my suggestion of an exchange of livings with Bailey of Heatherycleugh, I wrote to Bott of St John Baptist's, Stockton–on–Tees proposing the same exchange to him. He is a hopeless failure where he is, but whether he could endure the isolation of a remote moorland parish is very doubtful indeed.

[73]

[']The wonderful work of Methodism in Bristol has begun, Whitefield and Wesley being the instruments. With characteristic deference Wesley consults the bishop of the diocese. Butler said, 'Well, sir, since you ask my advice, I will give it freely. You have no business here: you are not commissioned to preach in this diocese. Therefore I advise you to go hence'. Wesley replied, "My lord, my business on earth is to do what good I can. Whenever, therefore, I think I can do most good, there must I stay, so long as I think so. At present I think I can do most good here: therefore here I stay".[']

v. Letters of John Wesley p.70

[']A Low Church pamphlet appeared in 1699 which insinuates that the clergy of the Church of England are divided into two camps: "one party were for finding out Means of Reconciliation with Rome, & bringing the Pope to terms", and this, adds the pamphleteer is "the true Difference between the High Church & Low Church (as they are called) to this Day.[']

v. Wickham Legg's English Church Life, p. 411.

Are not these words substantially true at the present time? Rome still provides the test.