The Henson Journals

[41]

4th Sunday in Lent, March 25th, 1906.

There were 28 communicants at 8 a.m. At Mattins I preached on the opening words of the 2nd Lesson, "And Mary said". Serving myself of Burkitt's article, "Who wrote the Magnificat?”, I preached on the difficult subject of Christian duty with respect to the criticism of the New Testament. The sermon took 35 minutes in delivery.

Mr & Mrs Copeland lunched here

The weather was wet & tempestuous as the day declined, and the congregation at Evensong was diminished by the fact. I preached an old sermon which was very well listened to. A large part of the people remained to the devotional service, when I gave a little address on "Almsgiving".

Murray and Albert Saxton came to supper.

[42]

On Wednesday, March 28th, 1906, I drove with Ella to the Golder's Hill Crematorium, and read the burial Service, omitting the Prayer of the Committal at the funeral of Mrs Gordon Cumming. She had left a bequest of £300 to my brother in law. The function seemed cheerless and chill.

Dennis Webster, a midshipman, and son of the minister at Row called here, & was put up for the night: he is an ingenuous lad.

Rashdall took me for a walk on Thursday afternoon, & we talked much heresy.

In the morning I had baptized the infant daughter of Major Kenneth Balfour.

[43]

Confirmation candidates prepared by me:

1. [symbol] Frances Rosa Simmonds, aged 26 in March.
2. Kate Midlane aged 16 in Dec.
3. [symbol]Maud White aged 14 in May.
4. Evelyn Hilda Merry aged 13 in April.
5. Dorothy Vernon Hunt aged 21 in Dec.
6. [symbol]Julia Sandford Chapman aged 18 in Sept.
7. Florence Lee. aged 20 in Dec.
8. Bertha Agnes Lenton. aged 14 in March.
9. Henrietta Muriel Bingemann, aged 18 in Feb.
10. Geraldine Catherine Briggs aged 17 in May.
11. [symbol] Hersey Cecilia Hester Butler aged 17 in March.

The Bishop of Kensington administered confirmation to 39 candidates, 23 females & 16 males from my parish, and one candidate sent by the Precentor. The service was over in an hour, & was reverent & edifying.

[44]

On Friday, March 30 th , we lunched with Miss Leslie, and met there besides Miss Trench, her brother–in–law, Butcher, whose brilliant speech on Irish education is in all men's mouths.

The same evening, we dined with the Coombe Tennants, & met there Mr Waller, the private secretary to Herbert Gladstone, and a tall, young, stupid new member, whose name I have let slip.

From this dinner–party we went on to the Speaker's reception, where we met several acquaintances.

On Saturday I married in S. Margaret's Emma Matilda Mumby, who had been in my service a housemaid since my marriage, to Clement Augustus Dennis, a police constable. I bestowed £5 on the bride, & returned his marriage fees to the bride–groom. My wife gave them the marriage feast in this house; to make room for the party we lunched with the Webbes.

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Issues and controversies: biblical criticism