The Henson Journals

[11]

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Monday, October 6th, 1913.

I spent the day, not without divers interruptions, in preparing notes for an address to the C.E.M.S at Newcastle. Later in the day I went to Newcastle, and put up with the Bishop. Straton is now getting old, and with age has come some of its infirmities. He is deaf, & his natural slowness of apprehension is increased by the new difficulty of mastering the facts. He is still carrying on an unhappy conflict with the Ritualistic clergy, who have certainly behaved with exasperating pettiness & bad faith. Unfortunately he does not command sufficient public respect to make his own somewhat drastic procedure morally impressive. Watts Ditchfield, who was also to address the meeting, was staying with the Bishop. He impresses me worse than ever. In leaving the Dissenting Ministry, for the Establishment, he carried over to his new career the worst features of Dissent, its brazen self–assertion, its rhodomontade, its enormous conceit. The meeting in the Townhall was a large one. I spoke on the responsibilities, opportunities, & difficulties of membership in a National Church. Watts Ditchfield tub–thumped & ranted amazingly: & was mightily applauded!

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