The Henson Journals

[51]

Monday, November 2nd, 1914.

91st day

A comfortless wet day, good for the cisterns but bad for the temper! The Bishop of Newcastle & Mrs Straton lunched here – both deaf & doddering! I motored to South Shields by way of Sunderland, and there read a paper to about 24 clergy in S. Hilda's Vicarage. The subject was the inevitable one – "Christianity & War". Such discussion as followed flickered speedily out, & never rose above detached reminiscences of newspaper–articles! Then I went on to St James's Church where about a dozen men, including the two churchwardens, had assembled. I made sundry inquiries as to the parish, & promised to do what could be done to send them a good parson. McCullagh, the out–going parson, now Vicar of Christ Church, Sunderland, accompanied me, but I shut him into the church during my interview with the parishioners! He returned with me as far as Sunderland, & told me something about the diocese. He says that the falling in the quality of Ordination candidates is lamentable.

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