The Henson Journals

[391]

23rd Sunday after Trinity, November 21st, 1908.

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The weather changed last night: & this morning we find ourselves back again in the high temperature. By consequence I am languid & listless – the negation of devoutness. Why should one's spirit respond with such fatal alacrity to the impressions of one's physical conditions? But this was the least of the circumstances which spoiled my worship at the Eucharist. My thoughts play round the appointment to York, & always arrive at a more depressing conclusion with respect to it. The right side in that Province will be presented to the public view in the hopeless & tactless Straton of Newcastle: the wrong side in the charming young Daniel come–to–judgement unmarried Primate! In the southern Province we can hardly be said to have any representation left of the right side. Episcopalianism (i.e. the spirit of sacerdotalist sectarianism) reigns: for the Archbishop of Canterbury has no courage: & the Bishop of Winchester no health. Yesterday's papers announced that the Bp. of Southwell has accepted the Abpk. of Cape town. The new bishop will probably be another Christian Socialist. Filled with such regrets & apprehensions, I went to church & Celebrated at 8 a.m., but with little comfort to myself. There were but 16 communicants, & of these 3 were officials.

[392] [symbol]

I preached at the Foundling Hospital in the forenoon. Ella came with me in the car. There was a considerable congregation in addition to the foundlings, who rose to the ceiling on either side of the organ in the gallery behind the preacher. The aspect of the church was curiously old–fashioned; with square pews, galleries & exalted reading desk & pulpit. The coughing of the children was rather trying during the sermon. After service we went into the dining room & heard the children sing grace.

In the afternoon Harold & I went to Stratford, where I addressed a meeting of about 1000 men in the Memorial Hall. The meeting is an "undenominational" venture of a local draper, named Boardman; who seems to be very keen about it. I spoke on the 'Originality of Christ's Religion', trying to make myself intelligible to the audience, which was mostly if not exclusively working–class.

The Bishop of Hereford, who had been preaching in the Abbey, called with his wife. He is evidently very sore at the appointment to York.

I preached in S. Margaret's at 7 p.m. There was a fairly large congregation, & on the whole very attentive. In the course of the sermon I invited candidates for confirmation to send in their names.

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Issues and controversies: York appointment