The Henson Journals

[22]

Saturday, May 11th, 1918.

1377th day

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I finished the sermon on "Reunion". My large bookcase arrived from Durham, & was mutilated into conformity with the wall space allotted to it. After lunch Ella and I drove out to pay calls. We called on the Rev. Claude Lighton with whom we found his brother Sir Robert: & then we went on to Brinsop Court & called on Mr Astley. This eccentric being, once a clergyman, has collected many rare birds among which a squad of flamingoes made a brave show. His wife Lady Sutton, and his daughter Ruth gave us tea, & showed us over the house. This is an extremely interesting structure, largely medieval. The 14th century dining hall is a noble apartment. Great taste and a large expenditure have converted what was a rather dilapidated farm house into a noble mansion, admirably furnished, and set in gardens which glow with flowers. Two letters from soldiers on the difficult subject of their Ordination set me thinking. Of course they know "little Latin and no Greek", have no experience whatsoever of pastoral ministry, hold discipline & dogma in great disdain, and look upon Ordination as a rather foolish piece of red tape!! I doubt whether the candidates who come from the Army, having found their vocation during the campaign are likely to make good clergymen. They are apt to imagine that the work of the ministry consists mainly of "preaching the Gospel" in an unconventional manner, as they have been wont to preach it in Y.M.C.A. tents. Pastorate in the Anglican sense is unintelligible to them & wd certainly be unpalatable.

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