The Henson Journals

[324]

16th Sunday after Trinity, October 8th, 1916.

797th day

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A bright morning. I went to the Cathedral, and received the Holy Communion at 8 a.m. The Vicar was considerate enough to send a lad to fetch my bag. I walked to St. Giles', and preached, using again the sermon (which has done duty on several occasions) on Galatians VI. 7.9. A lad named James Craig carried my bag back to the Deanery. I attended Evensong, and heard a rather lengthy oration on Temperance from Bishop Mercer. There was barely time to snatch tea before George Nimmins and I had to start for South Moor. Here a Dedication Festival was being celebrated. I preached the sermon on 2. Samuel xxiii. 14–17, which I used in S. Margaret's last Sunday, making, however, some changes & additions. We got back to the Deanery about 8.30 p.m. Our journey was facilitated by the moonlight.

Bishop Mercer describes Fulham as having fallen into a lamentable state of dilapidation. The Bishop of London may be designing to terminate the scandal of episcopal palaces by rendering them untenable! I was amused & impressed by Bp. M.'s account of a function in a London Church at which he 'pontificated'. He was invested with a cope, and led in procession round the Church. But his progress was impeded by persons who knelt in the aisle to receive his blessing. At first he demurred to this, but on being assured by the Vicar that the Bp. of London always gave individual benedictions, he waived his objection, and went through with the foolish business. "But", he added, "I had the greatest difficulty in restraining my laughter, & felt a most abject fool!" Could one have a better example of the farcical "Catholicism" which now proceeds in some Anglican churches? It is nothing less than profane mummery.

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