The Henson Journals

[166]

Monday, September 1st, 1924.

I worked at the Charge all the morning. Macdonald & Freddie came to lunch. He has induced his Parochial Church Council to guarantee an increase of £120 per annum to the new Vicar, thus bringing up the Vicar's "salary" to £500. How can this leave the Vicar's position unaltered? Always, there is a quid pro quo to be reckoned with, & when the people pay, they expect the parson to obey. It is the saddest thing in the world to see how blind the clergy are to the servitude into which they are surely passing. I think Macdonald is really anxious to get to his new living.

We discussed the question of his successor, & I suggest the possibility of Barry being offered the benefice. He seemed to jump at the idea. Barry's deafness is a formidable handicap, but it might be worth having even with that disadvantage.

I played bowls with Ernest, and got beaten twice over. Jimmie Dobbie wrote to me a sad letter. He has troubles at home, & he is evidently passing through a difficult phase. I wrote to him at once. He is an affectionate lad, & has evidently formed a romantic attachment for me. The phase will pass: the main thing to make sure that he is ultimately helped & not hindered.

The charge is now about three fourths written; but it reads very raggedly. I have the most difficult part yet to produce – the positive part in which, having done with criticism of "Copec", I advance to say what is my own position.

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