The Henson Journals

[316]

Wednesday, October 11th, 1916.

800th day

[symbol]

Old Mr Taylor took his departure after breakfast. Almost his last words to me were: "Take my advice: give a wide berth to Watkins". It is evident enough that 'the iron has entered into his soul' deeply with respect to our Archdeacon. There is something impressive in a sinister way about the ineradicable hatreds of the North. I attended Mattins, and said my prayers with much appearance of amnity alongside the aforesaid Watkins! Letters from the Front arrived from Reggie Still and Bob Bineham. Both are having experiences of War in its sternest form. Reggie's letter has a simplicity which conveys a very vivid impression:–

"I pray God that I come out of this business alive, & if we go into battle I shall go full of confidence in Him and myself.

Goodbye for now."

I attended Evensong. Harold Hamar was in the organ–loft: he has already obtained an organistship, though he only left our choir–school last term. I took Logic for a short walk, &, on my return, found old Lady Londonderry in the drawing room. She had her arm in a sling, the result of a riding accident. Lang, now wigless and bald as an egg, has been staying with her at Wynyard. She declaims against the 'Bishop's Messenger', who had been sent to her parish. This, of course, is one of the practical objections against a "National Mission", viz: that the supply of suitable missioners is inadequate. On paper it looks well enough to say that the parochial clergy shall be their own missioners, but in practice how many of these are adapted for the work? The "success" of local missions in the past has depended most on the quality of the missioners. There have been many failures wherever the missioners were inadequate to this most difficult task.

---