The Henson Journals

[5]

Saturday, July 29th, 1922.

"Perhaps the most picturesque & affecting aspect of (American) Indian life is the death song with which every Indian seeks to face his end, sometimes composed upon the spot, sometimes prepared in advance: if possible, every Indian dies singing: & the breath of life goes forth to the spirit world as a breath of song".

v. Encyclopoedia of Religion and Ethics vol. 9.p.11.

The weather was deplorable until about 4 p.m. when the rain ceased. Charles Taylor, the artisan whom I confirmed & commissioned as a lay reader, & who now aspires to Ordination, lunched here. He has the solemn pomposity of the self–educated artisan, & "addressed me as if I were a public meeting". When I had overcome a natural repugnance to his grandiloquence, I found him intelligent & interested. Finally, I dismissed him with the decision stated on p.7.

Mr Travers with his wife & child arrived for a short visit. He was the Chaplain in spiritual charge of the cadets in West Point, U.S.A., and we spent a week–end in his house when we visited America in 1909. He is strongly opposed to Prohibition, & maintains with much assurance that it is practically a failure. I despair of ever getting hold of the true facts about the working of Prohibition. Everybody finds what he wants to find, & equips his "facts" with the requisite statistical "proofs". I took Travers for a walk in the Park before dinner as the evening was fine.

[6]

July 29th, 1922.

My dear Bishop,

I have not seen my way to take any official share in the Appeals for Russia, which have been so strongly pressed recently. The distress in our own country must make us very cautious in sanctioning any appeals for external objects: and the inevitable and unremoved suspicion that the money sent from Great Britain rather helps the Soviet Government than its victims must make us more than usually slow to respond to these Appeals. There is yet a third consideration which cannot be ignored. Hard at our doors in the Irish Protestants, who are being murdered, persecuted, impoverished, & driven into exile by the Irish Republicans simply because they have been loyal to Great Britain, we have claimants on our benevolence, whose title to our help is nearer & clearer than that of the Russians. And I have always held it to be a basal principal of Christian Duty that claims must be recognised and satisfied in their true order, first the nearer, then the remoter. The particular project which Mr Komlosy advocates is, I doubt not, excellent: & I can see no objection to its being assisted by an Offertory in the Cathedral, but I do not myself intend to advocate it in the diocese.

Herbert Dunelm:

The Bishop of Jarrow.

[7]

July 29th, 1922.

My dear Knight,

I want you to get into touch with Mr Charles Taylor, 8 Ashfield Terrace, Pelaw–on–Tyne, Gateshead: whom I have accepted as an Ordination Candidate for Advent 1923, on condition that he spends the intervening time in reading under your direction. Then, if his own purpose holds, and you are prepared to recommend him, he shall be ordained. This is an altogether exceptional case, & I am treating it as such. His parson, Gwilliam, the Vicar of Heworth, will give him a title. The enclosed letter is, perhaps, worth your reading. I send also a letter which Taylor addressed to me. This afternoon I had an interview with him, and announced the decision to accept him as stated above. I shall be glad to know that you have got him in hand.

Yours affly

Herbert Dunelm:

Romans, the curate of Staindrop, writes to tell me that he has decided to decline the offer of the vicarage of Witton Gilbert, which the Dean & Chapter had made him. The income is but £276: and there is no residence–house. I suspect that there will be considerable difficulty about finding a clergyman willing to accept so unattractive a "preferment".

I ordered 70 tons of coal from. Colonel Bell's firm in Middlesboro.

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