The Henson Journals
Thu 23 October 1930
Volume 51, Pages 118 to 119
[118]
Thursday, October 23rd, 1930.
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I spent the morning at Lambeth. We did not make much progress. I opposed the motion that the Convocations should take action under the 42nd Resolution of the Lambeth Conference, pointing out that, as an Established Church, the C. of E. was otherwise placed than the other Anglican Churches. Incidentally, I told the Bishops that I had myself communicated with the Scottish Presbyterians, & that no decisions of Convocation would make me change my habit. It was not without importance that this statement appeared to shock nobody. On the question of "Shortage of Clergy – appointments in commendam & emergency arrangements", which had been set down on the agenda under my name, nothing was done, but I made a speech which, perhaps, impressed the Bishops with a sense of the real urgency of the matter. The Bishop of Southwark read out figures which seemed to show that the situation was not quite so bad as the Report of the L. C. had stated: & Hague assured me that more than 500 men had been ordained last year.
[119]
I left Lambeth at the close of the morning session, lunched at the Athenaeum, visited the bookseller, and went to King's Cross, for the 5.30 p.m. express. Sir William Gray was in my carriage, and had some talk with me both about his experiences as a prisoner in Germany, and his opinions on the present situation in the ship–building industry. He was nowise helpful.
Runciman came into the carriage, & talked with me. He was very gloomy indeed, both as to the economic position of the country, and the state of politics. He thought the Liberal party could not possibly recover so long as Lloyd George hung round its neck. I inquired whether there was any prospect of a "deal" with Sir Oswald Mosley. He said that Mosley's character was too dubious, though his ability was remarkable. He had himself heard the speech in the H. of C. in which he defended his resignation, and he had never heard anything more brilliant and effective. Runciman was particularly gloomy about the economic future of the County of Durham. Charles met me with the car at Darlington.