The Henson Journals

[330]

Thursday, October 5th, 1916.

794th day

I went to the Cathedral at 8 a.m., and received the Holy Communion in S. Gregory's Chapel, making my particular petition that I should not be suffered to take any false step in the ordering of what remains to me of my life. Then I revised last night's discourse in view of its use again tonight. The post brought me a long letter from Ernest. After lunch my wife and I attended the Prize–distribution of the High School. I gave away the prizes which consisted of partly–filled war–savings vouchers. Also I made a speech, and sate out a rather dreary concert. Later in the afternoon I motored to Whitworth (Spennymoor), and preached in a tiny church, competent to contain at the most about 100 people. It was full, but not crowded, though it serves a population of about 2000 souls. The parson, Mr Wilkinson, is a young–looking man, of a tiresomely slow manner of speaking, and, I suspect, afflicted with deafness. After the service, a one–legged soldier was brought to me as doubting by what means he could return home. So I took him there in the car, and with him a shaggy–looking local parson, whose way lay in the same direction. I was back in the Deanery about 9.30 o'clock.

Gee called to see Craster, and to discuss with him the business of the Surtees Society. There is a considerable body of antiquaries here, who find their Nestor in Greenwell, and their organ in the Surtees Society. Bayley and perhaps Cruickshank are neophytes. Canon Fowler is one of the leaders; and Gradon, the present Mayor, is a working member. I should incline to think that Durham Cathedral is more closely studied & watched than any other. Its capitular archives have been more frequently searched and sacked. Possibly the presence of the University may go some way to explain this.

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