The Henson Journals

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2nd Sunday after the Epiphany, January 18th, 1914.

O Cleanse Thy Servant from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion over me. So shall I be undefiled, & innocent from the great offence, O Lord, my Strength & my Redeemer.

I celebrated at 8 a.m. The Masters & boys of the School communicated – a moving sight. Why cannot I realize the greatness of my métier here, & leave all the outside affairs to the Fanaticks? I should be happier, more intelligible, & probably more useful.

Poole preached at Mattins – an extemporaneous sermon, wholly hortatory.

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I determined to preach in Oxford on 'Kikuyu': and in the course of Tuesday & Wednesday actually succeeded in composing a sermon.

On Wednesday afternoon, I opened the new County Girls' School. Jevons presided, & there was a considerable muster of officials, parents, teachers, & girls. The burden of my speech was an onslaught on the Examinations system. I urged that girls under 16 should be exempt from external examination. On Friday, 23rd January, I presided at a lecture on the Canadian Rockies given by the Victoria League. The lady who delivered hailed from Durham. She said that she remembered meeting us in the Hotel at Banff four years ago. Ella professed to remember the fact, so that I had perforce to assume the correctness of the lady's claim to be 'an old friend'.

I decided to publish the Kikuyu discourse, & wrote to Macmillans, inquiring whether they would undertake the publication. On Sunday morning I received a civil letter from Mr George Macmillan, consenting to do so.

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The Commemoration of Founders & Benefactors was duly observed according to the Statutes on Tuesday, the 27th of January, 1914, after long disuse. Indeed, I cannot find reason for thinking that it had been observed since the accession of Queen Elizabeth. The weather was most favourable, and the services were by universal consent dignified, impressive, & well attended.

At 11 a.m. the corporate Function was attended by the Bishop of Durham, 14 Hon: canons, the Schoolmasters and the King's Scholars, as well as the members of the Corporation (except Bp. Tucker). I celebrated, and before the Prayer for the Church Militant read the Form of Commemoration.

The great public service was at 8 p.m. In the procession were representatives of the Senate of the University, the Council of the Durham Colleges, and the Miners' Association. All the parish clergy of the city, as well as the Masters & Scholars of the School, came also. The Mayor & Corporation had their own procession. The Bishop preached an admirable sermon, prefacing it by the Form of Commemoration. There was a great congregation.

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Issues and controversies: Kikuyu