The Henson Journals

[195]

Thursday, July 11th, 1929.

I received the contractor's account for the 'extras' done in the house – £144:7:6: and, as he happened to visit the Castle this morning, I paid him in person. "We don't often get such prompt payment, my Lord" was his comment. Then I went with him to see the window, which he is cutting in 'Scotland'. Instead of a 2 foot wall, as he had expected, he found the thickness of the wall to be no less than 5 foot 3 inches, and sound all through. At his suggestion I wrote to Caröe suggesting the removal of the door in the passage, so that the light might be better distributed from the new window.

I wrote to Maish, proposing that he should accept the benefice of Blaydon (Stella), from which the Vicar (Simpkinson) is moving to Kirk Merrington.

The Times reports the death of Sir George Craik. He married Mary Lyttelton last December. I wrote to Mary a letter of condolence.

Lionel and I walked around the Park, in which hay–making was proceeding busily. The heat was oppressive, though the sky is clouded, and there is a wind.

[196]

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'Those who never enter our churches because they are strangers to all religion can have no concern in a question about modes of worship.'

Bishop Thirlwall. Charge 1866. (v. Remains. vol. ii. p. 154)

This very obvious truth knocks the bottom out of all this windy declamation about the religious significance of the votes in the House of Commons on the Revised Prayer Book. Add, the unquestionable fact that the Book was rejected by the votes of non–English Members, so that, if the question had been left, as in equity it ought to have been left, to the Members from English constituencies (which were the only ones directly affected), the Book would have been approved, and the absurdity of this persistent representation, or rather misrepresentation, of the action of the House of Commons as a proof of the breach between the Nation & the Church, becomes ludicrous. None the less, the statement passes everywhere unchallenged, & is becoming the postulate of discussions on the ecclesiastical situation throughout the country.

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