The Henson Journals

[148]

Thursday, July 17th, 1930.

July 17th, 1930.

[struck through] Dear Mr Barwick,

There has been some delay in answering your letter on account of my absence from home. I have come to London in order that I may be able to attend the sessions of the Conference of Bishops at Lambeth. Before I can sanction any departure from the general rule, I must receive from the Vicar of the parish, in whose interest the departure is desired, a request accompanied of the reasons for making it. So far, I have not heard from Mr Smith. If he writes to me on the subject I will consider his request carefully. Meanwhile I wd suggest that you might seek for yourself the Diocesan Reader's Licence, wh. wd enlarge the range of your service. I appreciate highly the zeal for God's service wh. leads you to desire to be of increased usefulness in your parish.

Herbert Dunelm:

Mr Ernest Barwick.

Bromley View, The Crescent, Hetton–Le–Hole [end]

[149]

The most interesting incident at the session today was the visit of Dr White & Lord Sands. They were not, as they were careful to emphasize, commissioned to represent the Church of Scotland but none the less, they were admirable examples of the Presbyterian polity. We had agreed upon a number of questions which should be addressed to them, and thus we succeeded in avoiding the fiasco which happened when the non–episcopalian ^[Nonconformist]^ deputation appeared. We had, indeed, to endure another characteristick effusion of Neville Talbot, which under colour of asking a question, he inflicted on the Committee, but, mainly, we stuck to business. Both the Presbyterians made an excellent impression especially Dr White. He was straightforward, informing, and humourous. More than one bishop observed what an excellent type of bishop he would have exhibited, had his lot been cast in an episcopal church. Headlam reported that the Eastern ecclesiasticks were most complaisant, so that at least on that side, something may possibly be achieved.

[150]

The Bishop of California ^(Parsons)^ acts as Secretary to our sub–committee. He told me that he had been bred as a presbyterian, and that he still communicated in the presbyterian church when visiting his mother. He is a slim man, with a rather melancholy appearance and a sallow complexion: but intelligent and comparatively free from the ^rhetorical mannerisms^ [mingled shallowness and insolence] which are commonly distinctive of his fellow countrymen.

I had asked Dr White whether he thought that some arrangement whereby parish ministers in Scotland commended communicants coming to sojourn in England to the incumbents was feasible, and like to be advantageous. He replied, yes, if we could be sure that such commendatory letters would be honoured. I said that, if they were formally authorised by the authorities of both churches, they probably would be. Afterwards, he said to me that he thought that the most hopeful approach towards unity was in the direction which I had indicated. But plainly he is not very hopeful about union with Anglicans.

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