The Henson Journals

[124]

Tuesday, July 8th, 1930.

Today the discussion, or rather the speeches, were more interesting, the subject lying well within everybody's interest viz:

The Life and Witness of the Christian Community, individual & corporate, in the fulfilment of the Divine purpose with special reference to the questions of – (alphgreek) Marriage (β) Sex (γ) Race (δ) Education & Governments (ε) Peace and War.

In the morning session we dealt with Marriage and Sex. The Bishop of Winchester ̭(Woods)̭ led off, and I followed. My speech did not please me, but it seemed to impress the house. The Bishop of Southwark (Garbett) spoke well: and a young Australian Bishop, who "voiced" the new attitude very forcibly. In the afternoon, the heat was terrible, & many of the Bishops fell to sleep. I did not wait to receive these interminable Easterns, who were formally received at the close of the afternoon session.

[125]

The general impression made on my mind by the speeches was that the Bishops were generally disposed to go far towards accepting the modern horrors, 'contraceptives', 'sterilization', etc. etc. There has been a considerable movement of the episcopate towards the left. At least the orthodox have made no sign yet, but I can hardly doubt that S. Alban's and Nassau will 'give tongue' in the committee. The colonial and American bishops are not a very weighty set, and, speaking generally, the English Bishops seen to make more of a show than their numbers would authorize. The Bishop of South Dakota ^(Burleson)^ made a pleasant speech on the Race question, which pleased the Conference. He was followed by the negro bishop Howells, who spoke with fluent incoherence, & was loudly applauded. The Bishop of Johannesburg ^(Kainey)^ spoke with vigour on the unchristian temper and attitude of the White population in S. Africa. Apparently the Whites refuse to accept the religious ministrations of the Black clergy. Meanwhile the Mohammedans both preach and practice fraternity among the followers of the Prophet.

[126]

[struck through] I sent a cheque for £26:18:0 to Kenneth's landlady in payment for his board & lodging during 10 weeks. It is certainly excessive, but it is the last payment for that purpose that I intend to make. The Bishop of Carlisle told me that he had known several cases of Oxford undergraduates "coming to grief" in the schools, through philandering with female students. He drew the very just inference that co–education was a wrong policy. I suspect that Kenneth's failure is traceable to the same cause.[end]

I drafted a short address to the King from the Lambeth Conference. It is curious that so simple a matter should seem so difficult.

[struck through]I wrote to the Dean of Windsor thanking the Auckland Brothers through him for their "affectionate greeting" which they all signed & sent to me from Windsor at their recent meetings.

Derek sent me his weekly letter, and sent also the Epilogue, which was recited at the Speech Day.

There would appear to have been an outbreak of matrimony among the Durham masters, for there are many hymeneal allusions.[end]

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