The Henson Journals

[257]

Saturday, July 3rd, 1915.

334th day

I presided at a Chapter Meeting for nearly two hours. We appointed Caröe architect with a retaining fee of fifty guineas, and approved the scheme for connecting the choristers with the Grammar School. Watkins raised a discussion on the allocation of duties, disclosing something like a revolt against the Dean! However, I returned a 'soft answer'. I attended Evensong. The Bishop of Durham admitted a number of men to be 'lay–readers' in the diocese. Then Bishop Neligan preached for 40 minutes extemporaneously. He rambled from one point to another, collecting from the 'general store' of his memory fragments of many sermons, & a whole succession of favourite perorations, working himself into that state of homiletic perspiration which too often & too easily is mistaken for inspiration! The service was protracted so long that, when we got to the University cricket ground to see the military sports, everything had ended. I finished the sermon for tomorrow, & wrote a Birthday letter to Carissima.

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