The Henson Journals
Wed 30 October 1929
Volume 48, Pages 416 to 417
[416]
Wednesday, October 30th, 1929.
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Temple sends me a letter which he had received from Lang, which goes to show that the leader in the Times was written without his knowledge. He refers to it as an 'ill–informed Article' which 'may do some harm': and notes that 'it is the first time that the Times has differed from the policy of the Bishops.' He suggests that as Temple is specially mentioned in the Article, it may perhaps be worth while to notice it. I am glad to have this assurance that Cantuar. had not himself privily torpedoed the ship! I revert to my original suspicion as to the origin of the Times article viz: a conversation in the Athenaeum between Lord Davidson and Dawson or Buckle. The changed attitude of the Times – if we may infer so much from a single article – would be very unfortunate. It would not altogether surprise me to find that, when the Assembly meets in February, the Archbishop of York's proposal for a Commission will have a cold welcome.
[417]
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I motored to Newcastle, & took train to Edinburgh, where I arrived at 6.15 p.m. The Bishop of Edinburgh – a rather insignificant–looking little man who had, I think, been a missionary in Africa – met me at the station, & carried me in a car driven by his daughter to his house. There I found the Primus, a large man, amiable & perhaps rather common–place. After an early dinner, we walked to S. Mary's Cathedral for the "Jubilee" service. This was a very fine service indeed. The choir numbered no fewer than 150 men and boys. The Cathedral was completely filled. To my surprise the acoustics of the building were rather unusually good. There was a clock in the pulpit which enabled me to know that my sermon occupied 27 minutes in delivering. The MS. was carried off by a reporter. I was thanked cordially &, with seeming sincerity, by divers bishops. Mine host wore cope & mitre, looking curiously like a bishop in an advertisement! We walked back to the house, and sate for an hour & more talking before we went to bed.
The weather was cold but fine.