The Henson Journals

[306]

Saturday, September 7th, 1929.

Charlie Lillingston writes to me from Castle Forbes, C. Longford, where he has been tutoring a son of Lord Granard:–

"I have been struck by the great poverty of the people – no one will risk capital here, and it does not seem to me that the present régime, as it stands now, will last a long time. The local Protestant Church has been restored & endowed by Lady Granard, & is fairly well attended & conducted considering the sparseness of the population, but the minister has such a brogue that I can hardly understand a word he says. The Church of Rome, of course, embraces the vast majority of the people, and all the priests I have met have been very pleasant men, & seem to have a tremendous hold on the people. But it is extraordinary how they all hunt and fish and shoot, a thing which few Church of England clergy do".

In fact the Protestant has the crude severity of the English Sectary, & the Popish priest the amiable secularity of the old–time English parson.

[307]

The vith volume of Lecky's History of England has an account of the Test & Corporation Acts. It states clearly that Dissenters could sit in Parliament and exercise the franchise (p. 3).

"It is indeed a singular & characteristic fact that the laws of Elizabeth making it a criminal offence not to attend public worship in England were not repealed until 1844 and 1846." (p.11)

After lunch Ella, Mrs. K, and I motored to Spennymoor to see the scene of the great Fire of yesterday, in which a large furniture manufactory was destroyed, & a number of families burnt out of house & home. The Vicar gave us such information as he could, &, on his advice, I sent my contribution to the Northern Star Relief Fund. I gave £10, which is more than I can afford.

Adamson of Grangetown came to see me, & I discussed with him the complaint which I had received from a parishioner. Then I walked to 3 Waddington Road, & inquired after Kenneth. I saw his father & then called on Dr. McCullagh.

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