The Henson Journals

[172]

6th Sunday after Trinity, July 27th, 1930.

[struck through] My dear Kenneth,

I have sent a cheque to the College in payment of last term's account. This brings to an end my expenditure for your career at Oxford. Henceforth, you must depend on your own exertions, and earn your own living. Whether in the future you will be able to give reason for thinking that your life in Oxford has not been wholly misused remains to be seen, and find out for yourself how stern are the conditions under which men must live and work. In all human experience, even the most humiliating, there is an educative power, which may even transform it. But this can only be when there is humility enough to learn.

With all good wishes,

I am,

Yours affly

Herbert Dunelm: [end]

[173]

[struck through] Dear Mrs Langford–James,

I was rather startled last week when the Abp. of Guiana told me that you had asked him to accept M.G. for service in his diocese. This appears to me entirely inadmissible, and, of course, it is clearly inconsistent with the arrangement which was sketched in a previous letter of mine to you.

The offence which G. has committed is normally incapacitating: and, though I have so far hesitated to treat it as such, you must understand that my mind is by no means finally determined against that course. If after three years of good conduct in lay employment, he seeks to go forward to the Priesthood, I will consider his case afresh, and if then an over–seas Bishop was willing to ordain him, I might well acquiesce in his discretion.

Believe me

Yours v. faithfully

Herbert Dunelm:

The Rev. R. Langford–James

S. James's Vicarage, Edgbaston, Birmingham [end]

[174]

[struck through] July 27th, 1930

Dear Sir,

Your letter was forwarded to me. I think you shd not allow the confusion within its membership wh. makes the life of the Anglican Communion, & injures its influence, to affect your own allegiance to the Version of Christ's Religion which, in the Providence of God, the Anglican Communion has been led to formulate and defend. The Ch. of Rome does certainly speak with authority, but when the tithe–deeds of that authority are examined, they are found to be inadequate. We are not responsible for the quality of the age, nor for the difficulties which History has bequeathed to it. At this time and in these circumstances, we have to face our duty: and if we do face it humbly & manfully, we shall not miss the way.

I am obliged to you for your offer of help, but I do not see any direction in which I can avail myself of it.

Believe me, yours v. faithfully,

Herbert Dunelm:

The Rev. P. H. Gabb. [end]

[175]

[struck through] I stayed indoors during the morning, and wrote letters to the following:–

1.	Kenneth Hodgson.
2.	Rev. R. Langford–James
3.	" P. H. Gabb
4.	" Lionel C. Trotman
5.	" John Simpson
6.	Arthur Watts
7.	William Badham [end]

We all went to Westminster Abbey for the afternoon service. The Dean of Christ Church preached the sermon, but I could only hear detached sentences. Everything was over within the hour. I remember, when I was Canon, that we often did not get out of the Abbey before 4.45 p.m. But everything now only survives on condition that it is truncated! [struck through] After service, I left the ladies to go their own way, and myself walked to the Athenaeum. It was closed for the annual cleaning, & members were transferred to the United Services Club. I went there, and read the Sunday papers. Also I had tea, & glanced through a [176] substantial book on the Jesuits by the author of "Mind & Face of Bolshevism", Fülop– Miller. It is written with a strong bias in favour of the Jesuits, although with the usual parade of impartiality. I noted that the references to Pascal were unfriendly. As I walked across the Park on my way to the underground station, I fell in with Duff, the Prime Minister's Secretary, & stopped to chat. He said that he thought that the Government would probably remain in office for some time, since it would obviously be undesirable that a General Election should take place during the sittings of the Indian Commission. On the other hand, Baldwin is reported to have predicted an early election in a speech that he made yesterday. Nobody wants another Election, but the domestic dissidence of the Labour Party may make it impossible for the Government to continue in office. Then Beaverbrook has his chance! [end]

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