The Henson Journals

[34]

Friday, November 11th, 1921. Armistice Day.

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Three years have passed since the War practically ended, and we are from Peace. The economic dislocation, disguised for a few months by a fallacious "boom", has now disclosed itself in its grim extent. "The land fit for heroes to live in" is filled with idle & seditious paupers. In the shipbuilding districts a third of the population is living on doles. Great reductions of wages have been made, but still "coal is not cheap enough": & until it is, industry cannot begin again. Our markets have, for the present if not permanently, been lost. There are no buyers for the goods we produce. It is a most dismal outlook.

Rashdall writes to say that he has accepted an invitation to – speak in an unsectarian meeting in Sunderland, and is disposed to preach in the evening when the unsectarian character is exchanged for that of the Primitive Methodist. With great folly (though probably meaning well–enough) he has written to the Vicar – Brown of Monkwearmouth – in whose parish the meeting house happens to be, and of course he receives a reply which indicates clearly enough the said Vicar's dislike of his proposed preaching. I spent much of the morning in writing to him. Also, I received a letter from B. which did not seem wholly to close the door to my proposal about B.A. So I wrote to him undertaking to keep that proposal open: Of both these letters copies were inserted in this journal.

All the afternoon I bothered myself in preparing an address for us at Darlington tonight. At 5.45 p.m. Ella, Clayton, & I motored to Darlington, and had dinner pleasantly enough with the three Misses Foster. Then we went to the service in Holy Trinity in which I dedicated War–memorials. Captn Bradford unveiled a memorial to his 3 brothers, of whom two were V.C.s. I noticed Colonel Blackitt in Church. Before returning to the Castle, I visited the school–room, where the C.L.B. lads were being regaled with tea. We arrived back about 10 p.m. Lucy Söderblom came over from Durham to spend her mid–term exeat. She seems to be somewhat reconciled to her life in the ladies' college.

[35] [symbol]

November 11th 1921

My dear Rashdall,

I have always held that it is unfair to ask a parish clergyman whether he objects to a course of action (not in itself illegal or improper) which he can only hinder at the cost of personal unpopularity and possibly also of misconception of his motives. Ordinarily, to ask is to pledge yourself to follow the course of action which the answer indicates to be desired, but in this case to do so draws a measure of unpopularity upon the Vicar of Monkwearmouth, which it is really unfair that he should be called upon to undergo.

On the question of law my position has been set on record in the letter to the Bishop of London (Feb: 1st 1917) published as an appendix to the volume "Christian Liberty" (Macmillan & Co 1918.) One sentence may be quoted here:–

"Since neither Bishop nor Incumbent possesses any rights of ministry within Nonconformist Churches, it is obvious that by accepting an invitation to preach no English clergyman can properly be said to invade the jurisdiction of either."

I think, therefore, that if you decline to accept their invitation to preach, you must by no means state that you do so because of the Vicar's feelings on the general subject: & that if you decide to accept, you must be very careful to avoid saying anything which, on a reasonable estimate of probabilities, might cause friction. Presumably, the single object for which the conventional attitude towards Nonconformists is departed from can only be the promotion of harmony & Christian fellowship. If, therefore, this particular departure draw in its train local controversy & soreness, that object (which alone moved or could justify what you did) has been defeated.

The Vicar of Monkwearmouth is a much respected, and, I think, deservedly, respected man. He is a High Churchman of a reasonable type, & he is moving slowly but steadily in the right direction. If, without giving any reasons (which are obviously quite unnecessary) you could decline the evening engagement, I think that, in all the circumstances, you would probably be acting [36] [symbol] most wisely. At this juncture "Festina lente" is the watch–word for all who value liberty in the Church of England.

You must also remember that in some quarters there is likely to be a special objection taken to your action on the ground that it is unfair use of the comparative freedom from prescribed local obligations which Deans possess. I do not think it judicious at this juncture lightly to provoke against yourself that kind of criticism.

I have myself recently preached in Nonconformist Churches at their regular Sunday worship both in Sunderland and in Darlington: and on the whole the clergy of my diocese have taken up an attitude which is very creditable to them. It would be a pity if your action were to have the effect in some measure of destroying the effect of my official & calculated procedure.

I mark this letter as "private" because its freedom could only thus be justified.

Always, my dear Rashdall,

Yours affley

Herbert Dunelm:

Davison gave me to read a paper on the "Psychology of the Miner" which he had written for the Rotary Club at Newcastle–upon–Tyne. He dwells rather to my surprize on the intellectual strength of the miner, & on his considerable knowledge of books.

"The miner is a brainy being. A sound, healthy body, not completely exhausted, with much leisure time, enables him, with the facilities of libraries &c to read and think. I have heard many flattering testimonies from school inspectors as to the excellency of results in the elementary schools. I was one of my practices to encourage, especially the younger men, to spend their evenings with us at the vicarage. Some of my Oxford & Cambridge friends have been staggered at the width of knowledge, depth of thought, & shrewdness of outlook, that many of these young men displayed."

[37]

November 11th 1921.

My dear Mr Barry

I understand and appreciate your view, but reflection confirms me in the belief that you might, by accepting the position I roughly indicated, be rendering a very great service to the Church in the North. Nothing less, perhaps, if God's Blessing were on you, as it surely would be, than reviving the work which Bishop Lightfoot did when he made the Castle a school of clergy.

I will make these two observations. First, I shall (unless you object) renew my proposal as soon as the National Assembly has arrived at a decision about Knutsford at its next meeting: and, next, I do not see that there would be any insurmountable objection to your postponing your start in Bishop Auckland until July.

With all good wishes,

I am, sincerely yours,

Herbert Dunelm:

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