The Henson Journals

[94]

Monday, June 18th, 1928.

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A beautiful summer's day from first to last. I wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury suggesting that the National Assembly should be invited to agree on a kind of 'Petition of Right'.

I motored to West Hartlepool, & lunched with the Rotarians in the Grand Hotel. After lunch I addressed them on the too–familiar subject of Durham Castle, which wakes little interest, less enthusiasm, & least support! Poole, in a short speech of thanks, mentioned a Confirmation candidate who expressed a desire that the Bishop of Durham rather than his Suffragan should confirm him, & being asked the reason of his preference, replied, "Because the Bishop of Durham is next to the King, & all the other bishops have to do what he wants." Poole told the boy that he was 'thinking along the right lines'!

Mr.Plumptre, a clergyman from Toronto, who is own brother to Mrs Wynne–Willson, came to tea, & afterwards was shown over the Castle. He spoke very decisively of the failure of Prohibition in Canada.

The 'Modern Churchman' writes very extravagantly about the ecclesiastical situation:–

"For the Modernists the Disestablishment of the English Church would mean the cessation of all further interest in it." !!!