The Henson Journals

[80]

3rd Sunday after Easter, May 8th, 1927.

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Seven years ago on this day my predecessor, Bishop Moule died. He bequeathed to me a very difficult situation, for which he was himself in some measure responsible. It is to his personal idiosyncrasy and defect that are to be attributed the low level of parochial effort, the poor quality of the clergy, and their bad distribution. His influence probably explains the relatively large place which the support of foreign missions holds in the scheme of parochial work. The prestige of the bishoprick was certainly lowered by his incapacity to understand the prelatic tradition, more secular than spiritual, which belongs to this See, but here, of course, his personal failure was assisted by the general tendency of the time. He did not interest any section of the people except the 'unco guid', and, therefore, he did not arrest their attention or affect their conduct. His heart was in matters which they neither cared for nor understood, &, therefore, though his goodness & gentleness commanded respect and even affection among those who came within close contact with him, he 'counted for nothing' with the mass of the people, and carried no great weight even with the clergy. He may be fairly called a saint, but only a misuse of language could describe him as a good bishop.

[81]

A most glorious morning, more like July than May, with the warmth and brilliance of the one, and the freshness & charm of the other. I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8a.m.: we numbered 9 communicants including Lionel and James. We prayed for Cruickshank, who is desperately ill.

I motored to Heighington, where I confirmed 19 persons. The Vicar (Rev. W.H.J. McLean) has held the benefice for 11 years. He is a Keble man, and has been 29 years in Orders. Heighington has 1305 inhabitants, distributed in two communities, Heighington and Bolam. The Vicarage is in the gift of the Dean and Chapter, and is worth something more than £400 per annum net. The official report says £302: the Diocesan Calendar, £439: and Crockford £451. Why is it that statements of clergymen's income are never accurate? Mr McLean is an unmarried man, who can neither order his house nor manage his voice. But I believe him to be a sincere and hard–working man; and, though he is not well–regarded by the "gentry", I incline to think that he is liked by the working–people. He worked for a while as a member of a prairie brotherhood in Canada, and that experience may have roughened him. His old mother died recently, and her death has created a financial difficulty, so that the position is not easy or pleasant. There was but a small congregation, but there were 20 men and boys in the Choir, & the 19 candidates pleased me.

[82]

I motored to Kimblesworth, and preached in the mean little church, which was by no means crowded, but the fineness of the evening was not friendly to churchgoing. The view from the parson's house next the church is superb. The Rev. W. F. McCready has been 17 years in Orders, and has had charge of Kimblesworth since 1924: he has 3115 parishioners, and an income of no more than £300. He is married and has an infant girl. The service was reverent, and almost excessively slow. McCready said that there were 208 communicants on Easter Day. He finds the peole hostile to the Revised Prayer book, of which, however, they know nothing save what they read in the daily papers, & hear from the agitators. He himself approves it. On my way home I turned into Durham in order to inquire what might be the case with Cruickshank. I saw his wife, and ascertained that he was thought to be" holding his own", though still in a very perilous state. I had some talk with Ernest about his future, and gave him the Bishop of Oxford's letter. He is so obsessed with himself, that it is difficult to inject into him either an element of modesty, or a sense of spiritual obligation. Yet he has good qualities, & a measure of ability.

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