The Henson Journals

[307]

8th Sunday after Trinity, July 25th, 1915.

356th day

Ella & I went to the Holy Communion, & together received the Sacrament. The service was held in a chapel in the North Aisle. Alexander was the celebrant. We went to the Abbey for Mattins. It was 'election Sunday', & Pearce preached an appropriate sermon, which was marred by his 'pulpit manner'. We walked round to Royal Court in order to see Elsie & the baby, & found them sitting in the garden. Then we returned to the Abbey, & walked in the garden after the custom of Election Sunday. The Dean of Christ Church was there, wearing coloured glasses! We lunched with Pearce & his sister. Ella then went back to St Paul's Deanery, & I prepared myself for my preaching in the Abbey. The weather, which had been suspiciously bright, now changed for the worse. A violent deluge of rain together with some thunder went far to spoil the congregation. However a considerable number of people came together, and among them His Grace of Canterbury. I preached from the words "And they shall see his Face", & 'took up my parable' against episcopal prayer–wheels. After the service I met some old friends in the cloisters. Reggie Woodyear was there, & that queer little 'Billy' who used to be so delicate. Sir Henry & Lady Craik assured me that they approved the discourse, which was more than I expected. After having tea with the Pearces, I went back to S. Paul's. The approaches to the Cathedral were blocked by folk with umbrellas, assembled in spite of the rain for the service in front of the Church, which the Bishop of London had announced. With some difficulty I managed to get into the Deanery, where I found a company in the Hall at tea, including Jim Dennistoun.

[309]

I attended the evening service in S. Paul's. There was an immense congregation, many persons having stayed on from the Bishop's service on the steps. The preacher was the notorious "Father" Bull, who held forth for nearly an hour extemporaneously. There was little arrangement & no consistency in his harangue, but he avoided vulgarities. He told many anecdotes about soldiers, most of which failed to carry conviction. Afterwards he came in to supper. He has an unpleasing face, & rather a wheedling manner. Mrs Romanes talked with some freedom about the Archdeacon. He is evidently rather a terror to his women–folk. I notice one change since I came to the Abbey fifteen years ago. Then there were always reporters in attendance on the afternoon preachers, & generally in the morning & evening also. Some report of the sermons appeared in the Monday's newspapers. Now I never observe reporters, & hardly ever see any notice of the sermons in the Press. This change can hardly be interpreted otherwise than as another evidence of that decline of ecclesiastical importance which is one of the salient features of the time.

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