The Henson Journals

[334]

5th Sunday after Easter, April 27th, 1913.

There is certainly a vast difference between laughing at Religion, and laughing at those that profane it, by their extravagant opinions. It were impiety to want a respect for the truths which the Spirit of God hath revealed; but it were no less impiety to want a contempt for the falsities which the spirit of man opposes thereto.

Pascal

A damp chilly morning. I celebrated at 8 a.m. when there were 34 communicants. Before the Prayer for the Church Militant I invited intercession for the Chinese Nation & Government. The morning post brought an affectionate letter from Harold.

At Mattins there was a fair (not a large) contingent of the students. The Sermon with the Bidding Prayer was taken at the 3rd Collect, & followed by a hymn, & the Benediction, which I gave from my stall. Then the Celebration followed. There were 3 incidents which annoyed me. 1) Hughes forgot to give out the hymn after the sermon, & I gave it out myself. 2) A large proportion of the congregation left before the sermon: 3) Bishop Tucker read by mistake the Proper Preface for Ascension.

[335]

The sermon was a wandering rhodomontade, without thought, connection, or relevance. An Apostate in Uganda does not assist the sacred art of the pulpit.

After Evensong Wilson brought me a draft of the letter to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners about the rumoured re–opening of the Elvet colliery. This I accompanied by a personal letter to Sir Lewis Dibdin invoking his good offices in the matter.

Bailey & his wife came to an early & informal dinner after which we all attended the musical performance in the cathedral. Mendelsohn's [sic] 'Lobgesang' was well rendered by a numerous company conducted with much vigour by Culley. The cathedral was well filled by the townsfolk in spite of the damp unpleasant weather.

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