The Henson Journals

[401]

Wednesday, October 23rd, 1929.

[symbol]

I breakfasted with Lord S. Then I walked to the Athenæum, where I read the Times. It contained a letter on 'Church and State' signed by Jix, (Lord Brentford), Ld Cushendon, and a number of 'modern churchmen'. Inge and Vernon Storr were among the signatories. (I went to the hair–dresser, & was dealt with capitally.) Then I went to Hugh Rees Ltd and purchased various books. After this I returned to the Club, & found Scott Lidgett there. I told him that I thought the Nonconformists were behaving very meanly during this crisis; that their own principles ought to have dictated an attitude of warm sympathy towards the Church's conflict for spiritual liberty; that they could do something considerable towards the unity respecting which they professed so much zeal if they threw their weight into the scale of a generous handling of the Disendowment question. He said that he was going to attempt something shortly, but that he feared the hard & uncompromising temper of his fellow Nonconformists.

I lunched with [402] [symbol] Strong, who is as charming and elusive as ever. So many years spent in the good feeding of Oxford, & the pleasant cynicism of senior common–rooms does not fashion heroes! However, he professed himself sound on the main question. I walked to Lambeth, and spent the afternoon in the Bishops' meeting. The Archbishop announced that the matter of the Commission on Church and State would have to stand over until February on account of the urgent business which must be dealt with in November. I spoke with some strength. The credit of the Church was too deeply engaged; the issue was too vitally important: the suspicion that the bishops' were weakening was too widely spread to permit of our treating the Commission as of slight urgency and importance. I think the general sense of the bishops was with me. Finally, the Archbishop pledged himself 1) to have an addition made to the agenda of the November Conference announcing that the question [403] [symbol] of the Commission would be the principal business of the February session: and 2) that he wd make such a statement in November as wd remove all misunderstanding. Probably we did as much as was possible, but I am not satisfied. There is a lack of genuine purpose in their Graces which provides a disconcerting commentary on their words.

I called at the Westminster Deanery and had some talk with Mrs Norris. She spoke highly of Harold Speech, who, she said, had criticised frankly but fairly the pictures painted by the Dean & her son.

I dined with mine host & hostess. Sir Henry Hadow was the only other guest. He announced to our amazement that he would shortly be married to Miss Edith Troutbeck. He must be 70 at least, and I should doubt if she is much less. It is hardly romantic, but it may work well enough. Hadow is as brilliant as ever. He holds on at Sheffield until next summer, when he will take up his abode in London, & start his married life.

---