The Henson Journals

[144]

Innocents' Day, Sunday after Christmas, December 28th, 1902.

I celebrated at 8 a.m., when, including 3 clergy, there were but 13 cts. Having seen Carlyle safely into his place in the procession, & introduced him to the Dean, I finished my sermon, and then went to S. Margaret's and delivered it. There was but a moderate congregation, & much coughing. Also, in the middle of my preaching, I was a little disconcerted by a down-fall of 'blacks', which sprinkled my page, my surplice, & myself in an uncomfortable way. There was an immense congregation in the Abbey at Evensong, many people in the transepts having to stand throughout the service. I preached for 40 minutes, & was listened to with really notable attention, from beginning to end.

In the course of my sermon I made an earnest appeal to the Nonconformists to work the Education Act honestly, and I concluded with a brief reference to the late Archbishop.

Then, on my return to the house, I summoned a District Messenger, & send [sic] my sermon to Buckle, with a note.

[145]

The "Times" on Monday, Dec: 29th, reported the concluding part of my sermon: and on the following day, the "Free Church leaders", Dr Clifford & Mr Silvester Horne, made characteristic answer in the "Daily News", in vehement letters.

[146]

The last day of a year more than commonly full of incidents, & for me personally of critical importance, was uneventful enough. I attended my services as Canon in Residence: wrote a sermon; & preached it in S. Margaret's at 8 p.m. Then after supper, I retired to my room, & wrote letters to Raleigh & Carissima.

[147]

January 13th 1903

Dear Mr Hunt,

I think it is desirable that I should no longer delay to state definitely how I propose to allocate the money received from the contractor for the use of the churchyard on the occasion of the Coronation. The total sum was £3000. Of this sum I desire to place one half i.e. £1500 in the hands of the Churchwardens to form the nucleus of a Fund for completing the restoration of S. Margaret's. Of the remainder I have already approved expenditure of the following sums viz:-

Entertainment &c on the occasion of the Coronation	33.17.9
Charges connected with vaccinating the children of the National Schools	26.0.0
Books for S. Margaret's	47.2.10
Balance of account for drainage of the Church	110.4.9
Electric lighting of the Church, say	130.0.0
Safe for the Vestry	50.0.0
Overdraft on the Parochial account	400.0.0

[148]

Dilapidations of the Rectory

£300.0.0

These sums amount to £1097.5.4, say, £1100, leaving a balance of £400.

This sum I propose to retain in my own hands & apply to two purposes. (1) (as to £300) the assistance of a poor scholar at Oxford during his academic course. (2) the formation of an emergency Fund to meet special cases of need, which cannot be fairly met from ordinary sources.

I desire that this letter be filed for reference, that on a future occasion, if need arise for precedents, it may be accessible.

Believe me,

sincerely yours,

H. Hensley Henson

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Issues and controversies: education bill