The Henson Journals

[567]

Saturday, January 1st, 1916.

516th day

I went to Church at 8 a.m. and received the Holy Communion. Would that one could live the rest of the year according to this beginning! The New Year follows the evil precedent set out by the Old, for it too begins with a naval disaster. H.M.S. Natal has been blown up by internal explosion, as the official statement asserts.

I spent the morning in writing a long letter to the Times on the subject of the failure of the attempt to hustle the nation into total abstinence. The violent wind driving intermittent rain showers continued all day: the weather continuing very warm. I attended Evensong. The Choirboys came to their annual party, but we did not want to keep them long; as their Sunday duties were so near.

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