The Henson Journals

[188]

Monday, September 29th, 1919.

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Brilliant sun, and a white frost. The change of time gave us an unprecedented measure of sunshine at breakfast.

Supertax &c: Rebate. Registered No. 8486.

I went to the Bank, and paid in the quarter's income. Then I wrote letters till lunch–time. After lunch I walked to the Post Office, and offered to carry the mail for the district when I go to preach at Dilwyn tomorrow. The Postmaster seemed rather glad of the opportunity, & agreed to send the bag round to the Palace tomorrow. The "Times" arrived in the afternoon, & was, of course, full of Strike news. On the whole the country seems to be accepting the crisis in a spirit of determination. There is much resentment everywhere at the callousness of the strikers. They even refused to feed & water the horses on the railways. The full report of the Conference between the Union Officials and the Government gives a strong impression of bad faith in the former. Thomas is apparently a sly man, not to be depended upon, & mainly concerned for his own personal prestige. If the Government will stand firm, & fight the Strike to the end, the final effect of the crisis may be advantageous to the country. Moreover, the firmer they are, the more likely will they be to secure the loyal support of the Army. It is, in the last resort, on the attitude of the soldiers that everything turns. The accounts of the demobilized men is not wholly satisfactory.

[189] [symbol]

My dear Prebendary,

I do not doubt that, if you have reached the decision to resign the parish where you have been working with such advantage to the Church in the diocese, you will have been actuated by clear motives of duty, and I cd not rightly refuse the permission for which you ask: but I give my consent with real regret. I hope that, in any case, you will not go out of the diocese. If you shd do so, I shd feel bound to ask for the resignation of your Prebend, but that also wd distress me.

With kind regards, I am, Sincerely yours

H. H. Hereford

The Rev. Prebendary Machen.

Clun is a very important living, vast in area, 14000 acres, and relatively large in population, 1455. The endowment is set down at £640: at the present value of Tithe rent charge, it must be considerably more. Lord Powis is patron, and was probably counselled by his cousin, Bishop Gore, to appoint so definite a High Churchman as Machen. How infinitely distressing it is at such a time as this that these old foolish factors – "High" Church, "Low" Church & the like – shd yet fill the ecclesiastical stage! Wynne–Willson tells me that the "Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament" has just been started at All Saints with a mighty parade of mystery & importance! This is what the clergy care about even now.

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