The Henson Journals

[106]

Monday, July 29th, 1918.

1456th day

I started the day by wasting the time required for reading through an absurd little book – "The New Revelation" by Arthur Conan Doyle. The author professes himself a convert to spiritualism, of which he speaks in the most extravagant terms, as if it were a Revelation of Truth not inferior to Christianity itself. His concept of religion is totally divorced form morality: and he imagines the "spiritual" world as a crude replica of this "material" life. The book is one more depressing indication of the intellectual decline induced by the War.

I offered Norcock the living of Almeley, which Mr Matthews had declined. He said that he would like to consult his fiancée. If, as seems to me probable, they decide to accept preferment and get married, I must set about the rather difficult task of finding a new Chaplain. Clarence Stock came to see me, & sate for an hour talking about the various crotchets which interest him.

I wrote to the Archbishop, accepting nomination to the Conference on Prayer Book Revision : to Arnold Culley: & to the Dean of Westr . Ella spent the day with Mrs Burgess in an expedition on the Wye. They went by train to Ross, and from thence boated as far as Monmouth. The fineness of the weather displayed the beauty of the river to great advantage. They got home shortly after 8 p.m. well–pleased with themselves. I made a rather unsuccessful attempt to compose something on the War to be read in the Cathedral next Sunday in lieu of the Sermon which I had undertaken to preach there, and to repeat at Ledbury.

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