The Henson Journals

[172]

Saturday, May 8th, 1920.

Kennedy and Mrs Streeter left in the course of the morning. At noon James brought me a number of papers to sign. I went to Kimbolton, accompanied by Ella and Wynne Willson, and there dedicated the Memorial Cross in the Churchyard. Tallents the present Vicar, Edwards the late Vicar, & Wynne Willson the previous Vicar took part in the service. There seemed a goodly collection of the parishioners, & I hope there will be a restoration of harmony in the parish.

Bateman, when he brought in the bed–room candle, announced that there was a telegram at the Post Office stating that the Bishop of Durham had died. Events come with such rapidity, & situations develope so surprisingly, that one can hardly escape a tremor of anxiety. Bishop Moule was a genuinely good man, whose intellectual powers had been early paralyzed by his Evangelical creed. Those powers were considerable. He was an excellent scholar, and a preacher of unusual force & eloquence. But his mind was tied down to such futile interests as the interpretation of prophecy, Adventism, & the like, so that intelligent men, who could not but respect his goodness, put him aside as for all practical purposes useless. He was a bad diocesan, partly because his interest lay in foreign missions, & partly because he had no aptitude for administration. His personal timidity made him unable to speak openly & directly when such manner of speaking was required. Thus he acquired a reputation for shyness, which was not wholly deserved. He was unworthily uxorious, and in manner & aspect mean.

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