The Henson Journals

[361]

2nd Sunday in Advent, December 10th, 1911.

Another 'depression' came up during the night & brought both a rising temperature & a steady rain. There were but 13 communicants in S. Margaret's when I celebrated at 8 a.m. Ella kept indoors on account of a bad cold.

The congregation in St Margaret's was about half its normal size owing to the rain & wind which [were] very violent. The Speaker & Mrs Lowther were in their places: & Miss Markham brought her strange old mother.

Gilbert & Reggie accompanied me in a taxi to the Congregational Chapel at Harringay, where, in spite of the heavy rain, a considerable company had come together to hear a lecture on 'Christianity & Faith–Healing'. I delivered the lecture, and returned immediately to Dean's Yard.

At Evensong the congregation was hardly more than half its ordinary size. The rain fell in torrents. I preached with a view to the Confirmation.

Frank Capon brought Lily Apps, his fiancée, to see me.

[362]

On Wednesday, the 13th Dec: 1911, Ella & I joined the Abp. at Victoria, & travelled down to Canterbury, where we stayed as his guests at 'the Old Palace', a pleasant new house ingeniously dovetailed on to divers monastic ruins by Mr Caröe. The Abp. & I had a prolonged conversation on matters ecclesiastical.

The next morning we returned together to London. Reichel arrived after dinner, & stayed till Saturday morning. He is very cheerful, & carries his bereavement with manliness. I set him down to read "Fourteen Years a Jesuit", which interested him vastly.

My confirmation candidates will apparently number about 15 viz. 10 females & 5 males. The latter are a mixed lot.

1.	Norman Ethelbert Box.	aged 15
2.	Leslie Arthur Chandler.	" 15
3.	Leslie Barclay Henry.	" 15
4.	George Glen Henderson.	" 23
5.	William Bernard Clay.	" 30

Of these the first only is a parishioner, the second & third are choir–boys, the other two members of the congregation.

On Friday (Dec: 15th) I presided in the Speaker's House at a meeting in aid of Dr Barnado's Homes. The Lord Chancellor spoke, & the Archdeacon.

The Organ Recital on Saturday afternoon was broken off by reason of Goss–Custard's indisposition.

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