The Henson Journals

[161]

Monday, June 12th, 1922.

I went through the letters with Clayton before breakfast, & afterwards motored to Durham where I presided over a meeting of the Lightfoot Trust, from which I obtained a grant of £50. for C.L.B. I returned to Auckland for lunch.

Bishop and Mrs Wild arrived to dine and sleep. Mary Radford and John also arrived on a visit. Mrs Martin brought a host of "temperance" women to see the Castle, and hold a service in the Chapel. They were yet infesting the house when Clayton and I left in the motor for Consett. There I confirmed 212 persons in an asphyxiating atmosphere. We returned to the Castle by way of Tow Law, and Stanley. The views of the hills were magnificent in the evening light, but the badness of the roads was dreadful. We got home at 9.45 p.m. I took Wild to my study, and had some talk with him before going to bed. He thinks that my wisest course with respect to the National Assembly is to attend, & maintain a steady criticism of its proceedings. He believes that by that procedure we shall succeed in building up an Opposition strong enough to affect the mind and action of the Assembly, and even to change the present tendency of opinion within the Church. He may be right, but for myself I incline to think that continuous criticism from the same individual is apt to become tiresome. Mordecai escaped his fate as an independent critick by a close shave & an odd trick!

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