The Henson Journals
Mon 3 February 1930
Volume 49, Pages 105 to 106
[105]
Monday, February 3rd, 1930.
Pattinson went with me to Darlington, where I took train to London. On arriving there I drove to the Athenaeum, & then visited the hairdresser. Returning to the Club, I found Lord Sumner, who told me that he had today reached the age of 72 years. His resignation is announced in the papers. Then I walked to Westminster, & attended the Church Assembly. I returned to the Club and wrote to Ella, after which I drove to 10 Cheyne Walk to spend the night with the late Archbishop.
The old man has certainly "aged" since his retirement. He soon fails in conversation, and even though he continues to talk intelligently and interestingly, his voice becomes little more than a whisper. His study is a delightful room, & he has constructed by cutting out a portion of the drawing room a small chapel or oratory, which is plainly an object of pride & affection. He is evidently perturbed & distressed by the development of business in the Assembly, & says with truth that the Archbishop of York's Resolution goes beyond what he himself indicated as desirable.
[106]
He remains what he has been all his life though – a State Churchman, liberal in his theology, and tolerant in his policy, temperamentally reluctant to push anything to its logical consequences, and quite content to 'go along with' any system, however anomalous, which "works". 'Disestablishment' is repugnant to him in principle, for he loves the notion of a 'National Church', and immensely alarming in practice, for no one knows better than he the financial distress which it would involve. He hardly sees his way to deny what he can with difficulty admit viz: that these considerations which should have prevented the passing of the Enabling Act, can no longer be rightly urged in the situation which that unhappy Act has hastened, if not created. He spoke of my consecration, and said that he was going over the papers connected with it, & preparing a record. I think he is rather troubled at the probability that I may resent what he finally determines to publish: & he may have foundation for his anxiety.