The Henson Journals

[49]

Saturday, November 27th, 1920.

I am pledged to preach at Stockton tomorrow on "Fellowship and Cooperation", and the Vicar warns me that a strike of "shipyard carpenters" is about to break out, & that it will greatly affect his population. He adds: "Many working men will be with us on Sunday night. May the service be a real help to us all." I spent most of the day in writing a sermon, and in a series of interviews. Old Canon Archdale and his wife came to lunch. The good man gave me a sufficiently racy description of the clergy of his Rural Deanery, who, he alleges, have been grossly neglected in the matter of preferment. But his account of them makes it difficult to see how to improve matters.

The Rev. R. P. Moorsom, Vicar of Cleadon, came to give an account of his parish in answer to the allegations of a troublesome parishioner. He stayed to lunch. Then came to see me a deacon named Fryar , who has failed repeatedly in his efforts to pass the examination for the priesthood, & seems reconciled to a perpetual diaconate! Then came Haslewood to beseech for his designated curate, that he might be admitted to Ordination in spite of his failure to pass his examinations. This of course was rejected. Then came Boutflower, the master of Sherburn Hospital, with a long story of friction between himself & the Governors. He is hyper–sensitive, & they are rather brutal! After dinner I succeeded in finishing a very dull sermon for tomorrow.

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