The Henson Journals

[61]

Saturday, September 27th, 1930.

An unpleasant day with rain at intervals. I received the proof of the article on "Ought the Establishment to be maintained", and returned it to the Editor of the Political Quarterly. Then I completed my Charge for the Ordinands.

Charles and I attended the funeral of Marsh, the late Vicar of S. Adrian, Tudhoe Grange. The church was filled. I asked Bell, the Vicar of Tudhoe, and Cook, the former Vicar of Spennymoor, the former Vicar of Spennymoor, the two parishes out of which S Andrew's had been carved, the take the service, I myself read the prayers at the grave–side. After the Benediction, I read a stilted formula, used at the burying of a Freemason, for Marsh was a Freemason. Then the Brethren sang their accustomed hymns, & filed past the grave, casting sprigs of acacia on to the coffin. I walked through the Park to the Castle while Charles sent into Durham to fetch the Bishop of Jarrow. At 4.30 p.m. the six candidates arrived, and were soon followed by Canon Boot. At 7 p.m. there was Evensong in the Chapel, and the first address, – very simple and rather old–fashioned.

[62]

The candidates for Ordination to the Diaconate are the following: –

1. Edward James. 20 June, 1900.

2. Roland Charles Langdon–Davies. B.A. Christ Church, Oxford. 5 Dec. 1903.

3. William Edmund Latimer. Salisbury Theol. Coll. 24 Aug. 1897.

4. Ralph Rumney. Literate. 4 Feb. 1889.

5. John Deliné Smith. B.A. Hatfield Coll. Durham. 31 July 1904.

6. Harold Tuff. B.A. S. John's, Durham. 31 Oct. 1902.

Only one of the six is what the world calls a gentleman, and only three have degrees. The youngest is 27, and the oldest 41.

Their Ordination will just make up in number the wastage by death & resignation of the last two months. I doubt not that on the balance the diocese will have lost heavily in the course of the year. Indeed, the possibility of filling up the vacant livings is becoming highly uncertain: & the less said about the fitness of the appointees the better!

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