The Henson Journals

[385]

Christmas Day, December 25th, 1904.

There were distinct traces of fog still in the air, when I went out to Celebrate at 8am. Rashdall came & assisted. At the Three Celebrations the communicants numbered respectively 28, 75, 160, making a total of 263: at the Abbey, where there were two celebrations, the numbers were 80 and 175, total 255. The two churches together had 518, a small enough number when compared with the larger parishes.

I preached at 11 and, in the Abbey, at 3 p.m.

[386] [symbol]

To Mr W. D. Hobson, in the matter of his marriage with Mrs Costin

December 29th 1904

Dear Sir,

You will readily understand that I cannot undertake the responsibility of investigating personal histories, and that, even when my own sympathies might incline me to another course, I cannot rightly depart from the rule which, for very cogent reasons, determines my procedure in S. Margaret's with respect to those who, for whatever reason, have had the calamitous experience of being in the Divorce Court. The law of England entitles such persons to have the use of a parish Church for marriage under certain conditions, and confers on the incumbent the right to decline to officiate. The law is exactly followed in S. Margaret's. Provided that the legal conditions as to residence, Banns or Licence &c are fulfilled, & that a clergyman of the Church of England, whose name has been first submitted to me & approved, can be found to officiate, I will grant the use of S. Margaret's for your marriage: but I will not officiate myself, or permit my assistants to do so.

You will understand that I pass no opinion whatever on the actual circumstances you narrate, which, indeed, appear to be in the highest degree melancholy & pathetic, but on public grounds, I can make no [387] exception to the rule of our procedure.

Believe me.

Faithfully Yours,

H. Hensley Henson

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