The Henson Journals

[162]

Saturday, February 25th, 1922.

A bright morning followed a tempestuous night. I had the sense of "all to pieceness" which is born of a sleepless night & a troubled mind. "Mea culpa mea maxima culpa". The bitterest drop in the chalice of our perplexities is that which our own folly contributes. We do the right things in wrong ways, &, sometimes the things we do are not right.

After breakfast Clayton and I motored into Durham, & attended Mattins in the Cathedral. The service ended, I went into the Chapter House, and presided over the 'business meeting' of the Diocesan Conference. There was a good attendance of members. Before beginning my address, I said a few sympathetic words about Lord Durham's bereavment. My address occupied half an hour in delivery, and was received with more attention than applause. I think, however, that it made an impression. We got through the business with such rapidity that by lunch–time nothing except the Budget was left for the afternoon. Clayton and I lunched at the Castle. The discussion on the Budget went on until 3.30 p.m. Canon Cosgrave moved an amendment which was rejected by a large majority; & then the Budget, as recommended by the Committee, was approved. I pronounced the Benediction, & the meeting dispersed. The general impression seemed to be that the Conference had been unusually successful. At least there was no quarrelling, and the programme was completed. After tea with the Bishop of Jarrow we returned to Auckland. I was much struck by the poor quality of the lay members who took part in the discussion. They are apt to rant, are almost always irrelevant, and rarely say anything worth hearing.

I began to read "The Life and Philosophy of Edward Caird" the late Master of Balliol, which has an interest for me since Temple professes himself in a direct sense Caird's disciple. He was one of those strong, dour, self–satisfied & self–suffering Scots, who come up as men to Oxford and reign there among our callow & ignorant youths.

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