The Henson Journals

[141]

Monday, August 25th, 1919.

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It is humiliating, when one sets one's self to recall the conversations which one has held with others, to find that the mind retains scarcely anything that is coherent and worthy of remembrance. Boswell was well–advised to make notes when he was talking with Johnson. No memory can be trusted without such assistance. In the course of the month I have talked with many intelligent, informed, and interesting people, and at the time I have been keenly interested in their conversation, but now, when I review the time, & seek to remember what has been said, there is scarcely anything that remains to me. It is alarming to reflect that what we call the 'the witness of history' is in great part composed of recollections, often the distant recollections, of what some men said to others, or said that they said! There are certainly disadvantages about an historical religion, though the advantages are most often insisted upon.

The weather was unkindly from the first, & continually worsened as the day advanced. Starting at 9.40 a.m. we motored through the most wonderful country in mist and rain until 7.30 p.m. from Sauchieburn to Newcastle. The car was closed all the way, & we saw literally nothing of the views. We stopped at Selkirk, & lunched with Mrs [142] Ballard, an old friend of Ella's. We had tea at the Redesdale Arms, an unimpressive inn at the end of the long & desolate road over the moors. Nothing could have been more unpleasing than a long motor drive over sodden country in a sweeping rain. I dubbed the scene 'Pussy–foot's Paradise', so running over with water was everything one saw or touched.

At Benwell Tower we found the Vice–Chancellor, Blakiston, whom we had seen at Singleton Hall. After dinner I had a long talk with the Bishop over the projected declaration on our relations with non–episcopalians. He is clearly not attracted, and would prefer to do nothing: but he declared himself not wholly unimpressed by the arguments which I had urged, and promised to consider benevolently whatever proposals should be placed before him. In the course of our conversation I emphasized the value of such a declaration as likely to direct the discussions which will take place in the Lambeth Conference next year. This point, which had not occurred to me before, seems on reflection to be of considerable importance. In any case the subject will be debated: & it would be useful to have the practical issue defined in advance.

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