The Henson Journals

[107]

Tuesday, February 4th, 1930.

The Archbishop did not appear at breakfast, but I had an interview with him before taking my leave. As he lay in bed he looked very old & worne [sic]. I promised to send him extracts from my Diary which bore on the circumstances of my consecration. He seemed really pleased at this.

The Times has a most mischievous leading article on Church & State, in which it urges the Assembly to reject Temple's motion, & has a reference to me not very friendly. This article will, I fear, have influence.

I spent the morning in the Assembly, where we were engaged in the wearisome process of carrying the Cathedrals' Measure through the committee stage.

I lunched with Canon & Mrs Carnegie.

Then after another hour of acute boredom in the Assembly I visited the Bookseller and bought some books. Then I went to the club, & wrote letters: after which I prepared notes for my speech tomorrow. Headlam and I dined together. He is becoming quite definitely Protestant, his indignation with Gore's opposition to the South Indian scheme helping the process! Then I had some talk with the Bishop of Jarrow, after which I wrote for awhile, & then betook myself to 21 Park Lane, where I am to spend the rest of the week.

[108]

It is a curious thing, but though my mind has been much exercized for weeks past on the questions connected with the crisis in relations of Church and State, I seem quite unable to form a tolerable scheme of a speech for tomorrow's debate. Everybody is plainly expecting me to make what is called a 'great speech': & the disappointment will be general & profound! If I were boldly arguing for Disestablishment, my task would be comparatively simple, but to press for a commission of inquiry, which can have nothing to discern, & must at best be no more than a respectable screen for "taking it lying down" is an all but impossible undertaking. I might begin by emphasizing the unprecedented character of the motion, and showing that it had been occasioned by an unprecedented conflict between the Church & the State. The issue is one which transcends the familiar party divisions. On the question of spiritual independence all descriptions of Churchmen should unite, for none can tolerate the intrusion of the non–Christian into the sanctuary.

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