The Henson Journals

[243]

2nd Sunday after Trinity, June 13th, 1915.

314th day

The weather is changing. This morning it is colder & blustering. We motored to Lambton Park, where I preached to about 1000 men of the Welsh Brigade. The hollow square is at all times an ill formation for the preacher, but when arranged against the wind, it is fatal. This was the situation, & I doubt whether my words were audible. However, the men, perhaps more considerate than veracious, assured me that they could hear quite well. Then I went to the parish church of Burnmoor and preached to a small congregation. The parson, Reynolds, assured me that it was 50 percent larger than usual! After this we all lunched at Lambton Park. We returned to Durham in time to attend Evensong in the cathedral. I read the lesson in a voice whose raucousness would not have discredited the Deanery rooks. We motored to Brancepeth, & there attended Evensong in the interesting parish church. I read the lessons, & preached. The wooden pulpit, dating from Cosin's time, & no doubt in use when he was Rector of the parish, is pleasant to preach from. The service was hearty & reverent, giving an impression of simple devotion. Afterwards we went into the Rectory, and had supper with the Glyns. The loquacity of Mrs G. & the provocative paradoxes which form the staple of her conversation, were rather oppressive at the close of a fatiguing day, & we were not sorry to get back to the Deanery. I received letters from Manning, Cremer, & Pulvertaft – members of the Churchmen's Union – indicating no small domestic commotion in that Society, as the result of my little speech at Thursday's annual meeting. An amendment to the 'Report' was carried by a large majority, striking out some grateful allusions to the Archbishop's 'Statement' on Kikuyu.

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Issues and controversies: Kikuyu