The Henson Journals

[210]

Wednesday, July 27th, 1927.

Another wet day. The hay–harvest which, a fortnight ago promised so well, is beginning to grow doubtful. It seems to be agreed that the fruit crops have mainly failed. A really bad harvest would place the coping stone on the Government's ill luck, & yet another factor to the calamities of Durham.

I spent the morning dustily and dolorously in trying to clear up my study before going away.

In the afternoon I went into Durham by train in order to attend the reception of the organizers of the recent effort by which a net sum of £1300 was raised for the Castle repairs. On my way to the station I fell in with Kenneth Hodgson, who showed me with much pride his report from school. It was flatterously phrased. One of the lessons which Oxford has to teach the lad is the smallness of his personal knowledge!

The gathering in the Castle Hall listened to speeches by the Master, the Bishop, and the Mayor: and then were escorted round the building by Jones, the Architect. Ella picked me up at the Castle with the car: we were back in Auckland by 6.15 p.m. A considerable thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain occurred during the afternoon, but we were under cover, and (save for the exceeding languor of the atmosphere) suffered no inconvenience. There is certainly an intimate connexion between atmosphere and morality. For today I feel capable of any wickedness!

[211]

The eighth year of my translation starts today. During the seven years of my episcopate in Durham there have been two prolonged strikes. Every test which can be applied to the diocese indicates religious decline, and we are now within sight of an actual inability to maintain the parochial system. I am personally too far removed from the prevailing currents of clerical opinion to be either popular or intelligible. In truth, I am neither: and there are signs of recalcitrancy. So many streams of resentment are running together that the total result may well become formidable. The ''Temperance'' zealots, the ''Life and Liberty'' zealots, The disciples of ''Copec'', the opponents of the Prayer Book Revision, the enthusiasts for Foreign Missions, the supporters of Church Schools – every one has his own cause for disliking a Bishop who 'cares for none of these things'. Then they miss the easy-going temper, and oleaginous compliments of my saintly predecessor, by comparison with whom I am hard, wordly and destitute of ''unction''!! And the numerous illiterates, whose expectations of being ordained have been dashed by my harsh regulations, are always at hand to make the worst of whatever discontent is stirring.

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