The Henson Journals

[588]

Saturday, June 3rd, 1916.

670th day

The weather has been almost all that can be wished today. I spent the morning in writing to the Press! Inspired by Lillingston's visit, I wrote a long letter & headed it "Festina Lente" [make haste slowly]. This dealt with the proposal to substitute the Holy Communion for Mattins as "the principal service" on the Lord's Day. I sent this letter to the "Record" and the "Challenge". Also I wrote a short letter to the "Times" heading it "Bigotry in excelsis", a title which I borrowed from the S. Columba's Ch. of Scotland Church Magazine. There it introduced an extract from the Scotsman stating that a vicar had been willing to lend his church on a Sunday for the Church Parade of a Scottish regiment stationed in the North of England, but that the Bishop had intervened to disallow the arrangement. This I quoted and called for some explanation.

I presided at a meeting of Chapter. We appointed Mr Maclean, a curate of St Mark's, South Shields, to the benefices of Heighington and Bolam. After the Chapter, we held the half–yearly audit. I attended Evensong: as I came out of the Cathedral, I met Ernest arriving from the station. After tea, we walked round Houghall, enjoying the beautiful evening.

A great naval action in the North Sea is reported in which the British losses are so severe that the Germans appear to have scored a substantial success. It is feared that the loss of life has been very great, as Admiral Jellicoe's despatches, while stating the number of ships lost, make no mention of survivors. The Zeppelins would appear to be of more value as scouts than as raiders.

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