The Henson Journals

[623]

Wednesday, January 26th, 1916.

541st day

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Caröe went off by the 8.20 express before breakfast. I wrote a little sermon for the soldiers about Robertson of Brighton. Also I wrote to Smith, Elder & Co. suggesting that they, as the publishers of Robertston's Life & Sermons, might care to publish my Brighton Lecture! Considering my estimate of its soporific qualities this is cool enough! Sir Alfred Palmer, the High Sheriff, came to lunch with his wife. He wanted to talk to me about the vacancy at Heighington. The parish is singularly uninviting from every point of view, but nothing can stay the clerical stomach! There are already many aspirants!

I attended Evensong. Chancellor Smith arrived before dinner: the Bishop of Jarrow & Mrs Quirk came in to dine. The Chancellor told me some particulars of the "Record" which were new to me. As he had himself at one time been connected with the paper, he may be supposed to know the facts. When he was a boy, he remembered his father being a regular reader of the "Record" which then appeared three times in the week at a charge of either 1 1/2d or 2 1/2d per copy. It contained general news, as well as ecclesiastical, & often formed the sole newspaper of the houses into which it was admitted. It was long dominated by Lord Shaftesbury, whom the editor interviewed every week. When he (Smith) was connected with it, the circulation was no more than 8000 copies. He agreed that it had now become a contemptible paper. He thought the "Church Family Newspaper" was now the best ecclesiastical organ, though the "Church Times" continued to be the most successful: but the circulation of the latter was to a great extent unremunerative, as considerable numbers of copies were circulated gratis to the clergy in the Colonies & elsewhere for purposes of propaganda.

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