The Henson Journals

[170]

Thursday, August 2nd, 1928.

[symbol]

I began the day by sending a cheque for £476: 10: 6 to Dashwood in payment of my half–year's income tax due on July 1st. Then I wrote to Gilbert Harding saying that I would sanction his going to Mirfield for his theological training.

The Newcastle paper (which was my sole journalistic provender) announces that the Bishop of Chelmsford goes to Manchester. I wrote to "congratulate" him. Thus the 3 translations all advance Bishops who have been conspicuous as champions of the Revised Book. So far, so good. Probably, in the popular view, I was myself the protagonist in that conflict, and I am rejected as too old and too "cussed". Well, well.

We motored to Berwick–on–Tweed, about 15 miles, and there we walked across the old bridge (which is horribly dwarfed & obscured by the brand–new bridge recently opened) and round the old walls. The Vicar, disguised in layman's attire, accosted me. He said that he had met me at dinner at Wynyard when I was Dean of Durham, & urged me to visit the parish church, which, he told me, had been builded about 1652 by the Puritans. We tried to see the said church, but found it fast–locked!

[171] [symbol]

The knowledge that I can have no other sphere of work than the diocese of Durham must have considerable effect on my performance of duty, and the effect ought to be wholesome. "Eyes in the boat" is a necessary order if the oarsmen are to do their best. It was not without cause that the ancient church looked with disapproval on 'translation'. There is such a thing as fidelity to one's own Diocese, & that is not easily consistent with the desire to leave it, or the expectation of doing so. Single–mindedness is not easily consistent with a double objective, and a man's energies are not assisted by division. Probably also the effect of definite & apparent assignation to a specific pastorate is considerable on the diocese itself. The people can no longer suspect their Bishop of the squalid fault known as "seeking preferment". His health may arouse hopes or fears as the case may be: but his motives are no longer suspected. He may, and probably does, lose interest: but he may possibly gain influence and respect. So, on the balance, as Time passes, there may be more advantage than loss in being definitely placed on the shelf. The experience can never be other than humiliating, but it may none the less be wholesome.