The Henson Journals

[144]

Tuesday, February 26th, 1929.

It snowed all night, and was snowing hard until about 9.30 a.m. There is a heavy white pall over all the land. I received from Downing a copy of the letter which he has sent to Caröe about the dilapidations here:=

Dear Sir,

The Eccles: Commttee have had before them your report of the 6th Dec. last with respect to the works of repair &c. required at the above episcopal residence, & I am directed to inform you that the Commissioners will be prepared to defray, under section 7 of the Eccl: Commttee Measure 1926, the cost of the extra–ordinary repairs set out in that report and estimated to cost £2,290.7.10., but that the question of re–arranging the outbuildings (and) providing a buttress to the east wall has been postponed for further consideration.

I have, therefore, to request that you will arrange for these repairs &c. to be put in hand forthwith as I understand that the Bishop of Durham desires that this work as well as the dilapidations for the cost of which his Lordship is himself responsible shall be carried out as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully

S.E. Downing

[145]

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We motored to Norton, where I confirmed about 80 candidates in the parish church. After service I had tea with Mr Walford, lay perdu until it was time to go to S. John's, Stockton, where I confirmed about 50 persons. Before the service I was taken to a house, & there confirmed a sick choir–boy, far–gone in consumption. The little wasted figure was a most pathetic spectacle. Bott, the Vicar of S. John's, is an Anglo–Catholic. He has 6,500 people in his parish, & only produced 30 candidates. Kirkham, the Vicar of S, Peter's, only presented 20 out of his 12,000 parishioners. Both these clergymen have curates: so that 4 clergy were working away among more than 18,000 people, & only presented 50 candidates. Both are definite Anglo–Catholics. The truth is that Anglo–Catholicism does not match the English temperament. That fact may, or may not, be an evidence of its soundness: but the fact itself is not to be disputed.

The Bishop of Newcastle, who had been the Speaker at Ella's meeting in Darlington, stayed the night. I had much talk with him before sending him to bed.

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