The Henson Journals

[326]

Sunday after Ascension, May 31st, 1908.

I celebrated at 8 a.m. and asked for prayers on behalf of Blackmore who is reported gravely ill.

At Matins there was a large congregation but no Speaker. I preached on the Gospel for the day, & made some allusion to the unhappy incident in India where the Bishop of Lahore refused the consecrated garrison church to the Presbyterian soldiers for Holy Communion. Dr Wallace Williamson was in church; he came in to the vestry afterwards.

In the afternoon I went to the Stockwell Training College for women teachers, & addressed the students, who are leaving. They asked the Principal (Miss Manly) to ask me. The college is undenominational, but seemed very Christian.

The congregation at Evensong was not over large. I noticed Steel–Maitland & his wife.

The collections at all services were given to the Pan–Anglican Thankoffering. They reached the modest sum of rather more than £36.!

[327] [symbol]

On Monday, the 1st of June, 1908, Lord Montgomerie was married to Lady Susan Dalrymple. I gave an address. Dr Wallace Williamson came to lunch. Beeching came also. I dined with the Brotherhood at Gamble's House. About 10.30 p.m. there was a thunderstorm.

On Wednesday, the 3rd of June, 1908, Mr Reginald McKenna the 1st Lord of the Admiralty, was married to Pamella Jekyll. He was 44: she was 19.

On Thursday, the 4th of June, 1908 the annual Vestry was held. Everybody was re–elected: all things going with the fatuous tranquillity of utter & self–conscious unreality! Later in the day, Blackmore died at Hindhead. He sank under the effects of a severe operation.

Ella went to Birchington.

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