Gravedigger

Just finished Akenfield, which was published in 1967, chronicling a rural way of life that was passing, and is now long gone. It has been fascinating (and blows a hole in the rural idyll of yesteryear, big-time) , but especially the last chapter about the village gravedigger. Here's one section:

The clergy don't stick to religion as we knew it. They do things that are forbidden. They are pulling the Bible to pieces. Altering, altering...I said to the Bishop, 'What do you think of Parsons, my Lord?' He said 'What do you?' I said, 'Well, they don't preach hellfire. They used to, why don't they now?'

He said, 'What, are you blaming the Parsons?' 'Certainly,' I said. 'All these Parsons preach is the love of God. But they leave out the wrath. What is the use of love without wrath? Tell me that,' I said, 'You are told what will happen if you obey His will, so it is only fair that you should know what will happen to you if you don't.'

People aren't frightened any more, that is the trouble. If they had to do my work they would know that life is a frightening business.

Wiliam Russ, gravedigger, Akenfield by Rinald Blythe, p327