The Henson Journals

[133]

Saturday, July 12th, 1930.

[struck through] I called at Dashwood's office, & discussed the questions concerning my income tax. The upshot of our talk was that I wd send him a cheque at once, and leave the other matters until my return to the Castle.[end]

I spent the morning at Lambeth, when we discussed the question, 'Youth and its Vocation'. This seems to me an ill–chosen subject for such an assembly. Every age of man has its vocation, and why we should select 'Youth' alone of all the Ages of Men for our consideration is hard to see. The unwisest bishops in England did the speaking, I mean, the Bishops of London ^(Winnington–Ingram)^, S. Alban's ^(Furse)^, Portsmouth ^(Lovett)^, Ripon ^(Barronghs)^ & Whitby^(Woodcombe)^. The only other orators were the Bishops of Nasit ̭(Loyd)̭ and New Hampshire ̭(Dallas)̭ and they contributed little enough. Most of the bishops went to Liverpool to attend yet another function in the unfinished Cathedral: but I went to the Athenaeum, where I lunched in peace. Athelstan Riley came & talked to me. He is growing tiresomely deaf. Rather to my humiliation, he expressed entire agreement with my address on Church and State to the English Church Union.

[134]

[struck through] Ella and I went to the Royal Academy, and looked at my portrait. I like it less every time that I see it. However it compares well with the portrait of the Archbishop of York, which hangs beside it. We called on Lord Dowding, and, finding him absent, left cards. Then we spent an hour in the Exhibition of Medieval Art in the Kensington Gallery, after which we returned home.

Jack Carr writes again to me. His is one of the many young clergymen, who are leaving the Home Church for the Mission Field.

"I know it must seem to you almost like desertion when we go away and have the home church so frightfully short of men. I have thought it all out many times, however, and cannot see any other way for myself. It has been my goal from the first, and I have never had any doubt that it was what I was intended to do."

Clearly, there is nothing left for me but an acquiescence in the lad's decision.[end]

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