The Henson Journals

[103]

Wednesday, August 6th, 1919.

The clergyman here, who is I think, a connexion of mine host, hails from Durham, where he held office in the city at St Giles', and in the county at Tyneside. He gave a high character to the Tynesiders, as both mentally and morally robuster than the southern English. The quarrels of the Durham Chapter seem to have been well–known in his time. It is a matter of never–failing wonder & humiliation that cathedral chapters should have so well–established a reputation for "envy, hatred, malice, & all uncharitableness". Seen from without, what life could seem better adapted for the development of the sweetest type of Christian character? Beautiful surroundings, buildings venerable with age & rich in sacred memories, regular devotions with every helping circumstance of art, sufficient maintenance, a habitual respect – everything that eases & hallows life: and within it all, as a foul rat in a fair cage, a very viper's nest of petty quarrels! It is the same paradox as that which is expressed in the phrase "odium theologicum", though there its painfulness is mitigated by the plea of exceptional ardour of conviction. "Family quarrels" is another phenomenon, kindred and hardly less repulsive. The exceptional inability of the clergyman to sustain bereavement with fortitude is another painful and puzzling fact, which the War has made very conspicuous.

[104] [symbol]

August 6th, 1919

Dear Mr Clodd

Some weeks ago you were good enough to send me an interesting note a propos of my opposition to a foolish & regrettable decision of the Upper House of Convocation. I should have acknowledged you letter before if I had not been indisposed for a fortnight past, & unable to deal with anything that was not urgent. It is a matter of great distress to me, and of some wonder, that in this difficult time, when a spiritual version of human nature is so heavily challenged, the responsible authorities of the National Church should go out of their way to re–connect Religion with crudities of belief & practice which, as you have so convincingly shown, really draw their origin from the dark caverns of primitive savagery. War gives a disastrous strength to the cruder emotions of mankind, & releases into renewed activity many hardly–supressed instincts and tendencies, on the suppression of which human progress really depends. It is the temptation [105] of religious men to accept, utilize, & formulate theses resuscitated superstitions. But surely, in the interest of religion, non tali auxilio.

Believe me,

Yours v. faithfully,

H. H. Hereford.

I wrote to Bowen expressing regret at his approaching departure from Hereford: to Arnold White, thanking him for his friendly letter about Prohibition: and to Gamble for the same purpose. Then I walked with mine host, & visited his mother, who lives hard by in a pleasant house – a fine up–standing old lady.

After lunch we motored to Astbury, where we saw a most noble & interesting church, incomparably rich in woodwork. The roofs, screens, font cover, communion rail, pews – all unusually fine. I was interested also to note dilapidated copies of Foxe's Book of Martyrs & Jewel's Apology, which once were chained in the Church according to the requirement of the canon. Externally the double line of battlements gave a majestic appearance to the Church, but the spire was in my opinion anaemic & ill–proportioned. Then we had tea with Sir Edward & Lady Broadhurst. The latter is sister to Lady Bryce. After tea we [106] visited a most beautiful timbered manor house, known as Morton Old Hall. The guide–book states "the whole is a perfect specimen of a half–timbered manor–house, and is said to possess more 16th century character & features than any other existing example of equal antiquity": It is surrounded by a moat which still contains its water. This stands along with Stokesay Manor House, & Pitchford Hall as a remarkable specimen of domestic architecture.

A telegram from Wynne–Willson informed me that "Mrs Frank Henson" had died, & that the funeral was at Wallingford on Friday. I was embarrassed by being ignorant of Frank's present address; so I could but write to him via Marion, asking her if she thought well to send him a telegram, explaining my inability to attend the funeral. These melancholy events have a trick of occurring at the most inconvenient moments. It would, I think, be really unreasonable to make an attempt to go to the funeral, & in the actual circumstances it is barely possible for me to do so. But I would not appear unkind at such a time.

---