The Henson Journals

[118]

Saturday, July 5th, 1930.

We drove to Victoria, & took train to Canterbury in order to attend the service of 'reception' in the Cathedral. The day was brilliantly fine, but exceedingly hot. All the arrangements were well made, & worked well. Vehicles met the train and conveyed the bishops & their ladies to the Cathedral. Boy scouts took charge of the episcopal bags, and arranged them conveniently in the Chapter House. There was an hour to spare before lunch, & we walked round the Cathedral. Certainly the magnificent church is admirably looked after, and at every turn well composed statements give all necessary information to the visitor. We lunched in S. Augustine's College, together with an imposing array of Orthodox Easterns. The service in the Cathedral was most impressive. So great a number of bishops made a fine show. Lang's address from S. Augustine's chair was most dignified, but rather too long & elaborate. The hymns were excellently chosen, & excellently sung: but the Te Deum, sung by the Cathedral Choir sounded thin & inadequate.

[119]

After the service there was a garden party, and then we got away to London. The crowd & hustle on the platform were unpleasing, but unavoidable. We got back to Neville Terrace shortly after 10 p.m.

Several bishops, mostly, I imagine, Anglo–Catholicks, thanked me for my speech to the E.C.U., which they had heard. Two of these, Trollope of Corea and the Bishop of Fond du Lac, I know to be extremists. Mrs Ford, who was in the train, expressed herself enthusiastically: she also belongs to the same description. The most part of the English Bishops are, I suspect, in the mood of reluctant acquiescence. The cannot see their way to resist what nevertheless they cordially abhor. That, indeed, is mainly my own point of view. The subject is repulsive, why not let it fall into the background, and be suffered to pass from mind? I do not doubt that this expresses the real mind of the Anglican rank–and–file. They cling to the hope that the Abps Commission may find a Scotch road out of the mess.

[118][sic]

[struck through] Dear Mrs Hodgson

Yesterday there was forwarded to me from the Castle a letter from Kenneth enclosing an account from his landlady for no less than £46.15.0. for 10 weeks board & residence. This seemed to me rather excessive, so I have written to Mrs Lee asking for details and informing her at the same time that I will be responsible for no further expenditure on Kenneth's account.

I note that he stayed up for Commemoration without first asking my permission, a proceeding which would hardly seem fitting.

He wrote from Oxford, but is, I presume, now at home.

Believe me,

Yours sincerely,

Herbert Dunelm:

The puzzle–knot of that hopeless youth's future becomes more impossible to untie, the more it is considered.[end]

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