The Henson Journals

[703]

1st Sunday in Lent, March 12th, 1916.

587th day

A chill unpleasant morning, with a sleety rain falling steadily. Knowling preached to the troops: Cruickshank preached at Mattins. He was aggressively, tactlessly topical, & Socialistic. I cannot doubt that almost everybody was thrown into a state of great irritation by his words. His delivery is unconciliating, superciliously didactic, the pedagogue at his worst. As he almost always takes as his theme questions on which the sharpest differences of opinion exist, & which lie within the normal handling of politicians rather than of clergymen, he wakes the liveliest resentment in the minds of all his hearers who differ from him. Their consciences are not stirred, but their too facile suspicions are aroused when they hear the familiar battle–cries of the platform issuing from the pulpit. The majesty of the Prophet evaporates, & leaves the prosaic and unlovely figure of the Partisan! I preached myself in the afternoon the first of a course of sermons on "Christian Liberty". It was a chastening experience, for the congregation apart from the School could hardly have exceeded fifty persons! The Dean's style of preaching will not do in Durham! After tea Ella, Ernest, and I motored to Newcastle. There I gave a Lecture on "Robertson of Brighton" in the Tyne Theatre. In spite of the wretched wet night there was a considerable attendance. Sir Thomas Oliver presided. Sir James Crichton–Browne was there, and went with us to supper with the Olivers. Sir Thomas has just returned from visiting the armies in France. He says the French are very confident that they can out–do the Germans in applying chemistry to war. Sir James exacted a promise from me that I would lecture at the Royal Society in London, but I hope devoutly that I shall not be asked to do so.

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