Monday 23rd August 2004
by A. G. Whye
The Bishop often came home at night to confide to his Journal his impressions of the clergy he had encountered during the day. (I am purposely not mentioning names of those of whom he made derogatory remarks.) He had a wonderful supply of adjectives: for instance he describes one incumbent as 'a grumbling illconditioned indolent undogmatical and I fear sceptical priest' . Of another he remarks on the ‘wonderful nasality of his reading the service’ at a Confirmation. He often uses the word 'snarly' to describe the attitude of some of the clergy to his reproofs. When he urges one incumbent to provide more frequent communion services, the reply shows ‘a nasty dry tone rather about the man’ . Another ‘showed his reasons against a second sermon – unconvincing’ ; but the Bishop does not press him, having been told by a prominent parishioner that he is ‘no preacher, but shines in the sick room’ .
Opinions of the Bishop about his clergy include the following:
more eccentric than ever;
a strange uncomfortable man;
very stupid and mulish;
seems to be actively inclined;
reading of the service fearfully slow and pompous;
a rightminded man, not very efficient;
bearded and rather conceited but active;
wholly I fear irreligious - seen working in his garden and tending his farm on Sunday after service - his voice etc. in church all as bad as possible and the people wholly lost;
kindly but looking to me insane;
I fear a total failure - all gone to ruin, the people unvisited;
one of the bitterest counsellors of strife personally rude - less interest in the parish than almost anywhere;
inefficient and I fear a mere worldly man under wife's influence hostile to all Church movement;
cold and unclerical;
of his uselessness I hear on all sides;
good man but crotchety;
sharp petulant manner which offends — inefficient too in pulpit;
manifestly all asleep;
a kindly inefficient man — the children cry out 'Here comes old Charley'.
There were, however, many parishes and incumbents of which the Bishop could write more ‘hopefully’ (and here I can mention names). For instance, after a Confirmation at Great Marlow in 1856 –‘a very pleasing Confirmation’ - he writes of the Vicar, the Rev. F. Bussell, ‘I trust that B. has indeed been enabled to do much here. He often looks overburthened - endeavoured to comfort and encourage him.’ Bussell dies in 1868, ‘after an attack of influenza and fever. We collect for his widow a considerable sum.’
The Bishop seems to have been greatly moved by the singing of ‘Longfellow's beautiful song “Never and for Ever”’ by the Vicar of Brimpton, the Rev. E. Golding, at a meeting in November 1857. Six days later he died of rheumatic fever, and the Bishop writes, ‘leaving alas 9 young children and a widow very slenderly provided for. I write to her.’
The Curate of Waddesdon, the Rev. W. Walton, took charge of the parish in 1847 when the Vicar left — ‘Active and zealous and devoted to his work & I believe is much loved — oh I wish he was not so vehemently a party man’ . He dies suddenly of typhus later, just as he was about to be presented to the living. The Bishop enjoys a visit to Binfield, Archdeacon Randall's parish, to preach for SPG, and records ‘The Sunday congregation large & very attentive: evident marks of God's blessing on dear Randall's long & faithful ministry here’ .
A happy Confirmation in 1855 at Chipping Norton, where the Rev. A. Whishaw was Vicar — ‘W's whole heart in his work & has been labouring with manifest fruit for this Confirmation - an entire individual care and knowledge evident. He chanted the Litany beautifully’ The Bishop supported the Vicar of Hurst, the Rev. A. A. Cameron, in 1855, after the restoration of the church, when he was accused of ‘Romanising tendencies’ , the appearance of the church, it was said, being that of a RC Chapel, ‘rather than that of a chaste and quiet Protestant country church’ . The Bishop told the people of Hurst ‘to bless God for giving them so excellent a pastor’ . Even so there was great trouble, for when the Vicar refused to commemorate November 5 after it ceased to be obligatory in 1859, effigies of the Vicar, the Curate, the Bishop and the Pope were burned by the parishioners!
The Bishop was happy too after a visit in 1857 to Shellingford, where the Rev. R. Du Pré was Rector. ‘All going on apparently well. Here the chancel had been a step below the rest of the church — a seat for common people behind the Communion Table — windows blocked by monuments, & square pews, etc. Now all is as it should be. Mr Du Pr Pré supported by farmers — Wednesday morning & Friday evening service attended by them all. D.G.’
The last entry in the Journal, apart from some ‘overflow’ pages, concerns Yattendon, where the Rev. J. F. Howard was Rector. ‘14th March (year omitted)’ ‘Confirm here. All the marks of a good man and a remarkably inefficient ministry. The Parish is overrun by Ranters, who all come also to church. Very few at the Confirmation. The church utterly uncared for — damp green walls — the carpet at the Communion rotted through under the hassock, etc, etc.'
‘Confirm here 17th March 1863. The church has been nicely restored by him, though a poor man with many trials - 2 idiot sons - a very high-minded man.’
The Bishop, Archdeacons & Rural Deans
of the Diocese of Oxford
Cuddeson Palace
Photographed and Published by Hills and Saunders, Oxford, April 11, 1861
In 1908 an attempt to identify the members of the group was received but the names are a little hard to read. Can you decipher them?
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