The Henson Journals
Sat 9 August 1930
Volume 50, Pages 205 to 206
[205]
Saturday, August 9th, 1930.
Bilson sends me the French Version of his elaborate monograph on Durham Cathedral and the chronology of its vaulting which has been published by the Société Francaise d'Archéologie. It is well illustrated with photographs and plans.
I begin to see, but very dimly, the outlines of an address to these medical students. The Ideal of the Physician, sketched nobly in the "Hippocratic Oath", obscured by superstition, barbarism, & popular sentiment, and now confessedly accepted, well serve as the subject.
Lazenby and his daughter came to lunch. He is opposed to my closing the Church at Eighton Banks during the vacancy. He thought it doubtful as to the law, and imprudent as to the policy. So, with some reluctance, I abandoned the project.
Charles & I walked in the Park, & picked up old Dr McCulloch. Then Capron, looking like a mammoth Boy's Scout, (he had just come from a Scouts' camp) appeared with his sister: & while we were at tea the two churchwardens from Eighton Banks arrived. After they had retired, I had interviews with two Ordination Candidates – Stanley Smith, and Alexander Darius Robinson.
[206]
Mr Waldron Smithers M.P. (Shelleys Knockholt, Kent) whom I met at dinner when visiting Lady Limerick on July 19th sends me a newspaper report of a speech in which he quoted my saying about the 3 obligations into which we are born – to God, to Country, and to Home – & which form the bases of Duty. They are trite enough, but they seem to have 'bitten' on to something in his mind, for he refers to them often. I sent him by way of acknowledgement a copy of my pamphlet on 'Church & State in England', and my Spital Sermon. He is, I should suppose, an excellent specimen of the political churchman, to whom churchmanship has mainly been identified with "Church Defence", and who find the notion of disestablishing the church in its own interest extraordinarily hard to understand. The process of education will be a slow one, but it has certainly made a beginning, and will go on at an ever quickening pace. At any moment something may happen which will make the Establishment apparently intolerable.