The Henson Journals

[33]

Tuesday, October 7th, 1924.

It often seems to me as if History was like a child's box of letters, with which we can spell any word we please. We have only to pick out such letters as we want, arrange them as we like, and say nothing about those which do not suit our purpose.

J. A. Froude. Short Studies. vol. i. p. 1.

To some small extent we get away from the limitations which are implicit in our own ignorance, prejudice, and temperament when we frankly "put ourselves to school" with some fairly typical author, and read his age through his eyes, that is, realizing the implications of his words, & the light which, unconsciously, he casts upon the society to which he belongs. His opinions & judgments must of course be discounted by all the circumstances which make us suspicious of our own. He, as is our case also, is ignorant, prejudiced, & deflected by interest. But he, no less than we, belongs to his own age, and reflects it: and we may learn much about it from our knowledge of him. Take the familiar case of the Middle Ages. How shall we form a trustworthy judgment on medieval society? We know how various is the verdict of modern students: where one writer perceives an idyllic society in which Christian principles controlled, and Christian ideals directed, all social activities: another sees nothing better than an orgy of violence, lust, and imposture.

[34]

I motored into Durham, and had some talk with Knight about diocesan matters: then, having picked up Wilson & Clayton, I went on to Jarrow, where I instituted the new Rector, Booth. The incumbents, under whom he had worked, all came to witness his institution, and there was a fair muster of neighbouring clergy. Hudson–Barker, just back from his honeymoon, inducted him as Rural Dean. There was a considerable congregation, and, I thought, an atmosphere of goodwill. We returned to Auckland immediately the service was ended, arriving about 9.30 p.m.

Rainbow, the vicar–designate of Shotton, came to see me, and stayed to lunch. He brings many & heavy charges against his predecessor, and supports them with an array of disconcerting facts. It appears that old Fenton was accustomed to alienate the grave–spaces in the Churchyard, taking fees in advance for kerbing & headstone, and thus swelling his income from fees while impoverishing his successor! His retiring pension was determined on the basis of his income, thus nefariously swollen. It does not, however, appear that any legal provision has been made for re–considering the report of the Bishop's Commission. I promised to consult Wilson on the point, & did so, but to small effect.

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