A parson's wife is a happy one

BROADCAST NEWS by Deborah Thomas
AN HOUR of The Diary of a Modern Country Parson (Channel 4, Sunday) seemed like it might be about 50 minutes too long. Received notions of the antertainment value of the every6ay life of the English country parson would place it somewhere between the ninth reel of next door's home movie and watching paint dry. What could possibly happen to the Revd Nichols:: Martin in Norfolk that would j..istify the presence of a film Cit.5%/?
The answer is, not much: a meeting of the parochial parish council, an afternoon in an old people's home, a drive down a country road in a 2CV. But it worked, nevertheless. Partly becausc of Rev Martin's attractive personality, and partly because his wife, Zillah, blessed with a formidable canonterrifying intellect, was liable at any moment to burst into New Testament Greek.
But also it was interesting in itself. Rev Martin might not be in what we tend to think of as the front line, rescuing the inner city drug addict from the gutter, for example, or fighting for justice in Central America. But he faces challenges that would daunt most people.
Taking care of five parishes means that he has to come up with three sermons a Sunday, for example. And I shouldn't much care to be in his shoes trying to reach out to the young people of those parishes. One pimply youth was canvassed on the possibility of starting a monthly service geared to young people's needs, with the added attraction of a drama group. "Yeah. I think that's a good idea. Yeah", he said miserably, in the tones of one who would rather his whole head turned into a spot than that he should be asked to appear in a play.
It seems that the country parson's lot was more straightforward in times gone by. The Diary of a Modern Country Parson put Rev Martin into his historical perspective by intercutting his day-to-day life with readings from George Herbert (1593-1633, played by Philip Sully) and Parson Woodforde (1740-1803, played
by David King). Herbert, better known now as poet than as parson, explained his mission with the dazzling clarity and intensity that characterise his art.
Woodforde too was inflamed by passion, although in his case this was a passion for his own stomach. His diaries consist chiefly of accounts of the excellent dinners he has eaten, with footnotes listing the beer, wine, champagne arid cognac that accompanied them. His standards were high: a meal comprising a rump of beef, three fowls, veal, a ham and various pastries is dismissed as "very shabby". The only thing that could cheer him after such a poor show was the delivery to his door of smuggled gin, four gallons being a typical quantity.
For his part, Rev Martin was shown entertaining friends to dinner in the rectory; although the meal did him and Zillah credit, Parson Woodforde would hardly have counted it as an hors d'oeuvre. The Diary of a Country Parson, however, nobody could deny made a most appetising taster, and might even be the start of something big if country vets and GPs can have their own series, why not parsons?
THE WEEK AHEAD 18.15 Faith in the Future, ITV Growing numbers of people dissatisfied with conventional religion are turning to the New Age Movement how and why? 20.30 Intimate Letters Channel 4 This documentary explores the relationship and religious understanding that have evolved between Helen Joseph, and English-born South African political activist, and Sr Angela, an Australian-born contemplative nun of the order of St Clare. Their common ground is their mutual familiarity with the state of enclosure Sr Angela chose it and Helen Joseph had it thrust upon her in the forms of imprisonment and house arrest.