The Henson Journals

[66]

Monday, January 6th, 1930.

The following new volumes of the Loeb Classics arrived from Hugh Rees: –

Aristotle, The Physics.

Arrian, Books I – IV.

Plato, Timaeus &c.

Cornelius Nepos

Livy, Bks xxi – xxii.

Ovid, The Art of Love & other Poems.

I received a letter from Kirkham, the Vicar of St. Peter, Stockton, telling me that he had accepted a living in Westmoreland. This vacates an important parish with "Anglo–Catholick" traditions. The notion entered my mind that I might persuade Simmonds to withdraw his acceptance of the parish in Birmingham, & be nominated as Kirkham's successor.

Accordingly, I telegraphed to him, & he came to lunch. Afterwards, we discussed the situation. He appears to regard himself as honourably bound to stand by the people in Birmingham. However, he undertook to inform the patrons of my desire that he should retire, & to leave himself in their hands. But I fear the matter has gone beyond remedy.

[67]

[symbol]

The newspapers give considerable space to my sermon of yesterday: 'The Yorkshire Post' and the 'Newcastle Daily Journal' print most of it: and both the Times and the Manchester Guardian have considerable extracts. This indicates much activity on the part of the reporter.

The Bishop of Carlisle, writing in acknowledgment of my Christmas gift, expresses himself rather disconcertingly about Barnes's proceedings in Birmingham, I mean, that he seems to hold with him: Indeed I gather that he himself has been taking the same dangerous course of requiring specific promises as a condition of institution

"an ex–curate of All Saints, Middlesbrough, refused to promise any kind of obedience to me in private while he clamoured ad nauseam to be allowed to take the oath of canonical obedience, I refused to institute him……."

I wrote to the Bishop at once telling him that in my judgment, Barnes was taking up an indefensible position. The fact is that the Bishops themselves are hardly less guilty of law–breaking than the clergy: and that, since the legal system is incapable of being used, there is no alternative left to us but Disestablishment, or sheer anarchy conditioned by the tolerance of the public.

---