The Henson Journals

[312]

Tuesday, September 10th, 1929.

I received a pleasant letter from William, with photographs which he had taken on his recent visit to Victoria Falls on the Zambesi.

Kenneth came at 10.30 a.m., and started work on making a catalogue of my books. It may serve to 'kill' the interval before the Oxford term begins.

I walked round the Park with another Oxford undergraduate – Kenneth Simpson – whom I picked up in the 'Wishing Temple'. I gather that he was a reluctant Methodist, only held back from becoming an Anglican, by the desire not to hurt his parent's feelings. He is a non–collegiate student, who desires to take a degree in Music.

I wrote to Bartlett, the assistant curate of St Margaret's, Durham, offering him the Vicarage of Stella, in succession to Simpkinson.

I wrote to Thompson, Vicar of St Paul's, Darlington, offering him the Vicarage of St Paul's, West Hartlepool.

[313]

"In spite of the languor of the English Church during the eighteenth century, and the powerful anti–ecclesiastical influences that were abroad, Burke had probably not exaggerated when he described the English attachment to a religious national establishment as 'above all things and beyond all other nations', & although the destruction of a popish establishment in a foreign land might seem a matter of little consequence to Englishmen, it was industriously held up as an example to be regarded with indifference. The clergy was soon thoroughly alarmed, & the pulpits began to ring with denunciations of the Revolution. More than one sermon against it was delivered in the presence of Burke; but though they echoed his views, he heard them with undisguised impatience. 'Lord', he said, 'the Church is a place where one day's truce may be allowed to the dissensions and animosities of mankind'."

v Lecky. History of England. vol. VI. (472.)

---