The Henson Journals

[62]

Wednesday, May 23rd, 1923.

The Latest Decalogue

Thou shalt have one God only; who

Would be at the expense of two?

No graven images may be

Worshipped, except the currency:

Swear not at all; for, for thy curse

Thine enemy is none the worse:

At Church on Sunday to attend

Will serve to keep the world thy friend:

Honour thy parents: that is, all

From whom advancement may befall;

Thou shalt not kill: but need'st not strive

Officiously to keep alive:

Do not adultery commit:

Advantage rarely comes of it:

Thou shalt not steal: an empty feat,

When it's so lucrative to cheat:

Bear not false witness: let the lie

Have time on its own wings to fly:

Thou shalt not covet, but tradition

Approves all forms of competition.

A. H. Clough.

[63]

Four out of the five men who are to be ordained on Trinity Sunday are "Knutsford Men". The normal supply is represented by one man! There is no sign anywhere of any improvement. What can be the end of such a state of things? The Church is just withering away.

I worked at my 'charge' to the Ordination Candidates. In the afternoon I motored to Durham, and, after interviewing a candidate in the Chapter Office, went on to Pittington, where I confirmed 120 persons in the beautiful parish church. The service pleased me. After tea at the Vicarage, I went to Shadforth, and had a short interview with the Vicar, Perkins, who was in bed with a failure of nerves. Then, through falling rain, I returned to Auckland.

The King has offered the Premiership to M r Stanley Baldwin, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the offer has been accepted. The appointment appears to be generally approved, &, indeed, to have been almost inevitable, for Ld Curzon, whose services & seniority might seem irresistible titles to the principal place, is held to be disqualified by his peerage! It is hard on him, but his peerage did him much service in the earlier stages of his career. M r Baldwin is mainly a dark horse, but that is probably an advantage. Lloyd George has made no delay in announcing his opposition to the new Government. Bonar Law's retirement releases him, in his opinion, from any obligation to maintain a "benevolent neutrality" towards his successor.

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