The Henson Journals

[343]

Whitsunday, May 15th, 1921.

"A right judgement in all things"–that is the boon for which the Festival collect prays, and it interprets thus the gift of Pentecost. The "faithful people" upon whom the Spirit came down were granted a sane understanding and a steady confidence. They "knew what things they ought to do", and they had the strength to do them. This was the real virtue and the permanent significance of the "sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind" and "the cloven tongues like as of fire". To be "filled with the Holy Ghost" is to have the level–headed, justly discriminating wisdom of the Apostle, and their persistent courage. In their handling of the disordered enthusiasms of their converts as in their decisions on the many perplexing "cases of conscience" which emerged when "conversion" had to express itself in a new ordering of life in the midst of the old pagan society and without repudiating any of its rightful claims, the Apostles did exhibit precisely these qualities as the New Testament abundantly proves. And at this moment it is "a right judgment in all things" that most an English Bishop needs. Never was such a strange & puzzling mélange of problems thrust upon him, & never were his secular resources so inadequate. Only by Power from Above can he adventure a handling of them. Therefore today be this my prayer 'Veni Creator Spiritus'.

[344] [symbol]

I left the Castle at 9.20 a.m., and motored to Darlington. There I preached in Holy Trinity Church, and celebrated the Holy Communion. Among the communicants was William. After lunching with Canon Cosgrave, I motored to Headlam Hall in the hope of finding Lord Gainford: but the house was deserted. However I had better luck at Middleton Lodge, where I found Sir Arthur Pease and his wife playing lawn–tennis! I had an interesting talk with him about the coal strike. He thinks that some attempt shd be made to make it possible for the men to return to work without humiliation. I catechised him closely on several points, and was not altogether satisfied with his answers. It seems that the Welsh pits are largely unremunerative. He denied that the closing of the Horden mine (of which he is himself a director) was due to a failure of the seam: but admitted that it was not directly caused by the Labour troubles. On the whole he was more optimistic than I expected, or that he seemed to have reason for being. I preached at St Cuthbert's at Evensong, and then had supper with the Vicar, Drury, who turns out to be a son of Lrd Hill Drury, the old Secretary of the Freemasons. I motored back to the Castle, arriving at 10.30 p.m. The weather throughout the day was delightful, & the country everywhere looked wonderfully beautiful.

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