The Henson Journals

[61]

Easter Day, March 27th, 1910.

The morning was very raw & cold. Later there developed tendencies to a smoky fog, but these came to nothing, and the latter part of the day was pleasantly fine.

The Communicants were less than last year, but more than most years. At 7 a.m. 37: at 8 a.m. 107: at 11 a.m. 229 making a total of 373. I preached at the Choral Eucharist from S. John. XX.9, my subject being 'The Argument from Prophecy'. At Evensong, Compston preached an excellent sermon from the famous words of Job, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth &c'. The congregations were large, & the offertories reached nearly £30.

Beeching was much fluttered in the Abbey by the Dean's order to the choir to turn to the East for the 'Gloria in excelsis'.

Miss Markham came to breakfast, & to supper. She says that her maid came away from the 'Three Hour Service' in the Abbey impressed with the extreme antiquity of the Dean. 'The Dean is really too old a man to be allowed to attempt that service', she said. He is 5 years older than I. Miss Markham herself assumed that he verged on 90!! This sham antiquity is as matters go in England an asset of considerable value.

[62]

On Easter Monday (March 28th 1910) I went to Aldeburgh on a visit to Dr Sinclair, who has established himself there in a commodious house hard by the churchyard. In the house were staying Archdeacon Sinclair, Mr G. Rentoul & his mother, & Mr Wade. On Tuesday we motored to Blythborough & Southwold – two remarkably fine churches. On Wednesday we visited Framlingham Castle & Church. In the latter are the tombs of the Norfolk, who commanded at Flodden, of his son, the unfortunate Surrey, & of Henry Fitzroy, Henry VIIIth's natural son. On Thursday we went to Dunwich, where the last of many churches is visibly slipping into the sea. On Friday I returned to Westminster: my travelling companion was young Rentoul, whom I found sufficiently interesting.

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