The Henson Journals

[285]

Saturday, May 8th, 1926.

The lamp of sacrifice burns dimly in the English clergy. They take more account of income and "amenities" than of duty, or self–sacrifice, or the help of mankind. As to "enduring hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," they can place no intelligible meaning on the great phrase of St Paul. Hughes, whose failure at Pittington might be thought enough to destroy, or at least moderate, parochial aspirations, writes to ask me to support his application for the Magdalen College living of Beaconsfield. He describes it with gusto. "The income of the living is from £800 to £850 net. Population c.4000, mostly cultured people, very friendly, most generous in contributions of personal service, financial assistance to Church funds. A charming old Rectory & garden, inside & outside the Church. No sense of isolation for myself or family from congenial society or pursuits." His letter reads like the advertisement of a benefice–monger! The paradox implicit in the union of spiritual office and secular interest could hardly be more crudely confessed. It nauseates and angers me, but I were lacking in candour if I did not acknowledge that it is always present in ecclesiastical appointments, & that the decent covering cant of pietistic phrasing does not alter its character.

[286] [symbol]

I wrote a letter to the Northern Echo, and sent it to Darlington by Lionel, writing privately to the Editor to give him the responsibility of deciding whether its publication at this juncture would be advisable. I asked the question, Who would gain by the continuance of the general Strike?, and answered that nobody would gain, not the miners, not the Trade Unions, not the Nation. Why then should the Strike go on? I said that no government could tolerate a general Strike, and that therefore the indispensable preliminary to negociations was the "calling off" of the Strike. Meanwhile, all good citizens, & especially all Christian Citizens must support the government. If the Editor, as may well be the case, decides not to publish this letter, no harm will have been done, & I shall have the satisfaction of having "delivered my soul". If, however, he should resolve to publish it, my chance of the martyr's crown will be considerably improved!

The British Gazette contains admirable pronouncements by Lord Oxford & Simon: &, on the whole, it gives a favourable report on the general situation, but it states that the strike is entering on a more intense phase, & mentions particularly attempts to "hold up" food supplies.

[287] [symbol]

[Could we unfold the book of history, and lay its facts before our eyes in their connected reality; were the fleeting events of time to display their most concealed mechanism before us, as do the eternal forms of nature, how often should we not be comforted by perceiving in the first as in the last, that the fresh germ is hidden beneath the decay we deplore, & that new life is proceeding from death.

L. von Ranke: Hist: of the Popes i: 48]

I went into the Park after lunch, & picked up two young strikers – John Edward Denning and Arthur Wade. We had a brisk discussion of the strike, which they defended with more energy than conviction. I took them to Butler's Walk, and then showed them the Castle. I gave them each a copy of the lecture on "Tyndale", & wrote their names in the copies. These were railway clerks in their early twenties, &, I should judge, very fair specimens on their class.

[I went to Mr Spedding, & spent half–an–hour with him. He says that the miners at Cockerton are talking of returning to work, & are extremely angry with the Trade Unions for "butting in" to their business!]

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