The Henson Journals

[76]

Friday, February 20th, 1931.

I received a pleasant letter from Christine which gave me genuine pleasure.

Greatly to my disappointment Ella kept her room, pleading "a slight chill".

Two representatives of "Toc H." lunched here, and discussed with me a rather vapourous project which they had framed under the inspiration of a grant (£5000) from the "Pilgrim Trust". It includes the establishment in the diocese of Durham of 3 centres, and of these one was to be in Bishop Auckland. They wondered whether they could have the Lightfoot Institute as their "local habitation". I wrote a note of introduction to the Vicar, and despatched them with the vaguest of non–committal benedictions. Their project seems to me to lack every known element of permanent success.

The Education Bill was supported in the Lords by the Abp. of York & the Bps of Liverpool, St Alban's, and Southwark. It was opposed by the Bishops of Norwich & St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. This hardly discloses a very impressive amount of episcopal zeal. The normal Conservatism of most of the Bishops was enough to cause their absenteeism: & nobody thinks the Bill worth much.

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