The Henson Journals

[101]

Tuesday, September 27th, 1927.

Of course the difficulty on both sides is the strength of their tails, it is the difficulty of all parties, from Corcyra to the Jacobins and the Parnellites. And the strength of the tails arises from the fear and distrust of each party towards the other, which makes them unwilling to lose the support of the tails, even when the main body dislikes the violence of the tails. And so the fatal circle goes on.

Dean Church to Dr Paget. Feb. 3rd 1889

This was written with reference to a conference of members of the High Church and Low Church Party convened by Dr Perowne, Dean of Peterborough, to consider the situation created by the prosecution of the Bishop of Lincoln. The Dean was far too clear–headed to be deceived by the plentiful cant in which such meetings are advertized and belauded. He says justly that "the thing that everybody ought to try for is the restoration of law", but then, like the Tractarian which in spite of his sanity & wisdom he always remained, he adds a distinction which re–opens the door of Anarchy, "law to be used for legitimate purposes, to put down real mischiefs, not to worry & disturb things which, in a Church like ours, ought to be left free". What judge could ever be allowed to accept the responsibility of what illegal actions shall be restrained, and what ignored?

[102] [symbol]

I finished a short discourse for the broad–casting on Sunday, taking as my subject the question which is pressed on one ad nauseam, Ought there to be a Harvest Thanksgiving Service this year?

Then I drew cheques for the quarter's stipends, & wrote to Frank.

Old Canon Croudace came to lunch. He gave an ill account of Stanhope. The Rector has let half his Rectory, alienating thus from his own use, the very rooms once occupied by Bishop Butler! and he pretends to be a philosopher. The garden has been let in allotments, & all things have an aspect of squalid dilapidation. Yet the income of the benefice is not less than £1600 per annum, and he keeps but one assistant curate. The Church is almost empty, & the people are said to be mainly Socialists. The Rector seems to recognize no spiritual obligation towards them, save that he is reported to visit them once in the year! But he writes much, lectures at Oxford, & gave a course at Cambridge on Pastoral Ministry! Who can question the humour of the Anglican clergy?

I walked round the Park, and had a good deal of talk with some unemployed miners whom I there encountered. They are melancholy, listless, and polite!

[103]

As I came from prayers in the Chapel this morning I stopped to admire the view from the North Window. A curious spectacle arrested my attention. Four magpies were either besetting, or playing with a rabbit. The creature did not seem to mind their attentions, but kept running about, & finally disappeared under some bushes. The birds were absorbed in the business.

Three candidates – Wilkinson, Baxter, & Talbot – arrived for the Ordination. Maish gave an address on Pastoral Work at Evensong, and then we dined together.

I had some talk with Maish about J.D. who really present rather a difficult problem. In the interest of his own spiritual life, he ought to get away from Durham, & get into a hard–working parish under a good incumbent. In the pursuit of a degree, it is indispensable that he should be in Durham. At present he is falling between two stools. The problem of clerical education is so hopelessly entangled with the problem of earning enough for maintenance that the whole matter is horribly complicated. Add in J.D.'s case the practical difficulty of finding comfortable lodgings. Then there is a curious unwillingness to "bear hardship" among these young men, which still further confuses the issue. It is a strange but common paradox, that gentle heeding and practical Stoicism go together.