The Henson Journals

[51]

Monday, May 26th, 1924.

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I prepared my sermons for Ireland, & wrote letters until lunch. Then, after lunch, I motored with Clayton to Ryton, and confirmed 100 candidates in the Parish Church. The parson, Hunter, took occasion of my presence to urge me to approve the demolition of the stables, and the sale of the kitchen garden. The Rectory is a large & interesting house, builded in the 14th and 15th centuries, though, of course, much modernized. He said that the income was now £1300 per annum, & quite inadequate! This is, like Stanhope, a disconcerting situation. After service, I had tea in the Rectory, & then proceeded to Jesmond where we dined with Canon Oakley, & then went to church for the inaugural service of the "Jesmond Convention". I preached about Prayer Book Revision, a dull sermon & perhaps unsuited to the occasion. Then we returned to Auckland.

Ella and Fearne arrived by the late train, i.e. about 11.25 p.m. They have been having a dip in the conventional life of "Society"! Evidently they liked it. All the vain chatter about dresses, etc., fills them with delight. Here surely a radical difference between the sexes discloses itself. What normal and educated man could enjoy these tiresome functions? I grudge the time and money which they cost. Perhaps the strain of Puritanism in me may account for the disgust with which I regard my immersion in fooleries, which insult my profession, and burden my conscience.

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