The Henson Journals
Sun 21 July 1912 to Fri 26 July 1912
Volume 17, Pages 454 to 455
[454]
7th Sunday after Trinity, July 21st, 1912.
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The day was dull & wet, a circumstance which hindered our appreciation of the many beauties of Shrewsbury.
At 8 a.m. we received the Holy Communion in the Chapel, and at 11 a.m. I preached not very effectively. But boys are beyond me, & I am never easy in strange pulpits. Mrs Alington drove us round the town after lunch, & we looked inside two fine churches – the Abbey & St Mary's. In the former was the tomb of a 16th century 'Speaker Onslow'.
I had brought the Putumayo Blue–Book with me, and lent it to Alington with such effect that he not only spoke to the boys at the evening service about the Rubber Abominations, but wrote a letter to the Times. The chapel services pleased me. They were reverent, hearty, & simple – just what school services ought to be.
On Monday, the 22nd July, we came away from Shrewsbury arriving in Westminster about 2 p.m. Mother & Marion arrived from Birchington.
[455]
On Tuesday, the 23rd July, I officiated in S. Margaret's at the marriage of the Hon: Guy Charteris and Miss Tennant. There was a great gathering of politicians. Asquith, Balfour, & Wyndham signed the register.
On Thursday, the 25th July, (St James's Day) I celebrated at 8 a.m. in St Margaret's. There were 6 communicants. At noon I conducted the annual service at the Almshouse, & gave an Address. After lunch I went to Anerley, & distributed the prizes at a small private school conducted by a parson named Wood, whose acquaintance I made at the meetings of the Freemasons. It was rather a grotesque function. I wrote to Mary. The Speaker sent me a note consenting to my request that he wd allow my volume of sermons to be dedicated to him.
On Friday, the 26th July, the Psycho–therapeutic Committee met at the Deanery in order to take the evidence of Dr McCoomb from Boston. As he is one of the leaders of the Immanuel Movement in that city, we were eager to hear what he could tell. But it came to very little, for he disclaimed everything except such cases as involved a moral problem, mainly alcoholics: & repudiated Hickson & Co. with some energy.
Issues and controversies: psycho-therapeutic committee