The Henson Journals

[440]

Passion Sunday, March 28th, 1909.

A wet morning. I celebrated at 8 a.m. when there were but 12 commts. Ella, suspecting influenza & feeling unwell, kept to her room: and Harold recovering from influenza remained within doors.

The congregation at Mattins was wretchedly small: and the offertory did not reach the miserable amount of £7. Walters being down with influenza: Dams volunteered to sing the service, & did so very excellently. I preached an old sermon on "Self–judgement & the judgement of others".

At Evensong there was an improved congregation, though the weather remained bad.

[441]

^v. 450^

On Wednesday, March 31st, 1909, I travelled to Birmingham and fulfilled my promise to Mr Jowett, the Minister of the Carr's Lane Church, by preaching in his Institute at Digbeth. I thus set at nought the formal inhibition from the Bishop of Birmingham, which had reached me on Saturday. On the next day (Thursday, April 1st), the Bishop had a letter in the Birmingham Post: and I hurried the printers with such effect that I was able to send copies of the correspondence between Gore & me to the 'Times' and the 'Birmingham Post'. Accordingly, on Friday morning that correspondence including 14 letters appeared in both papers: and for the rest of the day I was overwhelmed by reporters seeking interviews.

---