The Henson Journals

[103]

Sunday after Christmas, December 27th, 1914.

146th day

Rather warmer: deluges of rain. I went to the Holy Communion at 8 a.m. Lillington was the celebrant. After the service in the Chapter House I said that I had noticed some uncertainty in our coming & going: & that I wished the college order to be followed; the Sub–dean always coming next to the Dean. There was but a scanty gathering of soldiers at 10 a.m. I preached briefly on 1. John II. 17, "The world passeth away & the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever". They listened fairly well. At Mattins we had rather a flamboyant sermon from Lillingston on the inevitable subject of the War. Lieut: Lyon arrived from Gateshead to spend the day: I took him for a walk through the wood, in spite of the mud, for the rain had ceased, the wind had fallen, & the day had become bright and serene. But these pleasant conditions were of brief duration: & by the time of Evensong rain was again falling heavily. We all went to the Cathedral for Evensong. Lyon returned to Gateshead after dinner. I read Macaulay's Essay on "Frederick the Great" aloud to my family. The parallel with William II is arresting and sinister.

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