The Henson Journals

[639]

5th Sunday after Epiphany, February 6th, 1916. Westminster.

552nd day

I went to the Abbey at 8 a.m., and received the Holy Communion. Then at Mattins I preached at S. Margaret's. There was a great crowd. Outside the church were Reggie Woodyear and Aleck Pleasaunce in khaki. The latter has been through many experiences culminating in Suvla Bay, but he retains the childish, almost babyish, face. Harold came into the vestry, looking very smart & soldierlike [sic]. He said that he had got some weeks sick leave. I preached for exactly half an hour on "Robertson of Brighton". There was some coughing which annoyed me: but mainly the congregation was attentive. Clarence Stock & Harold went with us some way on our walk to Sir Aleck Lawrence, where we made a call to see him & his wife. Then we lunched pleasantly with the Chelmsfords. They are evidently pleased (and how could they be otherwise?) with his appointment to the Viceroyalty of India. I had a long talk with Chelmsford. He told me that the income & allowances of the Viceroy amount to about £60,000 a year: & that there is abundance of money. This is as it should be. He evidently thinks that the situation in Mesopotamia is precarious. Townshend had provisions for a month on Janry 9th. With economy, he might hold out to the end of February. He said that the appointment of a Hindoo [sic] as legal member of the Viceroy's council led to the curious anomaly that appeals on ecclesiastical causes from Christian Churches in India wd come before a pagan!! He proposed to mitigate this by taking such appeals, of which there are not many, into his own hands. From the Chelmsfords we went to Sir John & Lady Barron [Barran] & then to Miss Mundella (where we met Goad, the author of "the Kingdom"), and the Lawleys. Finally we had tea with Lord & Lady Glenconner.

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