The Henson Journals

[136]

Tuesday, August 30th, 1921.

The view from our bed–room window is superb. This morning the spectacle of the sun rising over an expanse of sea was magnificent. This good bishop has chosen his final resting–place on earth with a seeing eye & a wise mind. That prospect is better than a priest's absolution for a human spirit. It sweetens & softens the mind at the close. When most of all the forces which embitter & harden have power upon it, and it ever seems to call the spirit forward to another world when the great beauty of earth finds interpretation and fulfilment.

I read before getting up another of Cole’s poisonous books: – "Chaos & order in Industry".

The bishop walked with me to the top of the hill, from which a magnificent view of the island is attainable. The finesse of the day, the freshness of the air, & the surprising verdure of the landscape made walking most enjoyable. We conversed much on the many questions which now perplex and dismay a bishop.

After lunch we motored through Godshill to Carisbrooke Castle. We visited the churches at Godshill and Newport. The latter is a modern building with nothing more interesting than a fine carved pulpit (A. D. 1637) and reading–desk (A. D. 1690), a monument of Charles I's daughter, & a 16th century tomb in the S. Aisle; the former is a perpendicular Church with monuments, & a Sacring Bell loft on the Southern gable of the Transept. We went on to the Castle & were much interested by all we saw there.

[137] [symbol]

The evening papers report the death of old Sub–dean Sheppard, the father of the famous "Dick Sheppard", who has now come to be one of the dominant factors in the Church of England. He was the typical product of an Established Church such as the Church of England was, and no longer is. His whole ministry was fulfilled under the abnormal conditions of a courtier’s life. Men smiled at his curious zeal to marry, baptize, and bury the titled. His manners were exquisite, deferential and urbane, fit for nobles & monarchs. But he was not altogether the "court–caterpillar" he seemed; for he had a genuine pastoral sense, & would as readily minister to a railway porter as to a princess. To me personally he was ever friendly and considerate. His death removes an influence which was friendly.

There is a statement in the "Times" about the projected scheme for dividing up the ancient diocese of Winchester. The people are to be "educated" on the subject, for it appears that at present they are strangely apathetic with respect to it. They do not seem to rate as highly as they ought the presence of a bishop in a community! When they are told that a great sum of money is to be raised in order to make 3 dioceses out of one, they speak oddly about waste of money tc! It may be the case that there lingers in the popular mind some respect for tradition, some indestructible suspicion that a breach with history may be as unwise as it certainly is unhandsome!

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