The Henson Journals

[346]

Thursday, September 28th, 1916.

787th day

A most beautiful autumnal day, unfavourable by reason of its beauty to occupation indoors. I revised a sermon for tonight. Bayley brought me my quarter's cheque, which I forthwith paid into the Bank. Mr Thomas, the little shrivelled Welshman, who rules over St. Giles', came to ask me to preach a Harvest Sermon, & I weakly consented. I attended Evensong, & later motored to Beamish, and preached at the Harvest Thanksgiving in the Parish Church. The Vicar, W. Philp [Philps], says that his parish now contains 25,000 people: that the church, accommodating about 400 persons, and two Mission Rooms, which together may do as much, provide all the church accommodation there is. 800 sittings for 25,000 folk – a poor provision. I was interested to observe as part of the "decorations", three miner's picks with lighted lamps "piled" above a large lump of coal. The congregation sang with much heartiness, & listened very attentively. I repeated the sermon which I preached at Haughton–le–Skerne. Youd had to drive with extraordinary care & caution, as there was a heavy mist. I gave a lift home to a young assistant – mine manager. Rutherford. On arriving in the deanery, I found that Ella had returned from Scotland.

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