The Henson Journals

[94]

Wednesday, March 17th, 1920.

I tried to put together notes for a fresh confirmation address from the text: "Little children, guard yourselves from idols": but my mind is reluctant. Repetition is becoming too shameless! I left the Palace about 11 a.m., and motored to Ludlow where I lunched at the Angel. Then I went on to Much Wenlock and arrived about 2.30 p.m. At 3 p.m. I confirmed 48 candidates. After the service Bartleet showed the glorious parish church to me and William. Then I had tea with Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell. I motored to Coalbrookdale and there confirmed 63 candidates. The church was built in 1851, and looks it! But it has fair acoustics, and a peel of 8 bells. I mounted to the belfry & spoke to the ringers. I stayed the night under Bartleet's roof. We had a great talk together, & did not get to bed until 1 a.m.! He impresses me well, & is certainly very keen about his work. His wife is a German though born & brought up in England. In spite of the fact that 3 of her brothers fought in the British Army, & that one of them was killed, the panic–born suspicions of the parishioners have made continued residence in Much Wenlock odious to her, & she resides in Weston. Bartleet has resumed the liberty of the bachelor, & finds a certain advantage in being able to get readier access to his people. He is very full of his own war experiences, & in the mood to make all manner of adventurous experiments. I think, however, that he begins to see that the problem of recasting the Anglican system in the light of the Chaplains' new convictions is not so easy a matter as it seemed in France!

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