The Henson Journals

[134]

Christmas Day, December 25th, 1916.

875th day

This is the 30th Christmas on which I have had to preach. The task does not grow lighter as the years multiply. One change in my preaching is, perhaps, plain to myself. The dogmatic significance of the Festival has faded before its moral suggestiveness. Controversy never marked my sermons on this day, save that in Westminster the controversial circumstances in which for some years I perforce preached gave a special significance to what I said. Generally I preached at the Celebration of Holy Communion, and this circumstance induced a devotional reference in preaching. Many of my Christmas sermons have been published. Politics have left their mark on all the Durham discourses, for in 1913 I spoke of the danger of civil war in Ireland, and in the 3 following years I have preached in full view of the War. Never truly did the difficulty of preaching oppress me more than on this occasion when Peace is "in the air", and my judgement disapproves, though my heart cries out for, it. The simpler conscience of the multitude revolts against an apology for war on the lips of the Christian Preacher: yet the robust intelligence of the patriot refuses as a subtly disguised temptation to treason any proposal to assist an agitation for peace at this moment. It is indeed a cruel situation.

I celebrated at 8 a.m. There was a fair muster of communicants in spite of the slippery roads: and the company was very various – the choirboys, a wounded soldier, several officers in khaki, old men & women, & young – a representative collection of human creatures, carrying their several secrets of shame, sorrow & need to the same merciful Court. Three canons – Knowling, Quirk & Lillingston, & two minor canons – Culley & Dennett were present.

[132]

The luncheon party included the following:–

The Vice Chancellor

The Master of Sherburn

The Archdeacon of Auckland

Canon Roberson

" Patterson

" Haworth

" Martin

" Gouldsmith

" Fowler

" Sykes

" Cooper

The Vicar of S. Margaret's

" S. Oswald's

" S. Cuthbert's

" S. Giles'

Mr J. G. Wilson

" Lazenby

The 2nd Master of the School

Major Dennistoun

The Assistant Organist

5 Canons

4 Minor Canons

The Dean

Total 30 persons

[130]

I preached at the Choral Celebration taking two passages – Isaiah xxxii.17 and S. James III 17–18 – to form the text for a sermon on Peace. There was a wretchedly small congregation largely on account of the dangerous state of the roads. Hughes celebrated. The singing seemed to me more than commonly devotional. At Evensong we 'processed' all round the Cathedral, and sang Gounod's carol 'Bethlehem' before the Benediction.

The post brought me letters or cards or both from several of the boys. Colin Kennedy is invalided home with 'dysentery and debility'. Alfred Spelling has 4 days leave, & writes cheerily from his home. Aleck Beechey sends me a pleasant letter from Egypt, with a good account of the Chaplain. The cook to his force is normally 'a proper organist & choirmaster', and, as they have a harmonium, their services are popular.

I wrote to Colin, Alfred, and Olive: & sent copies of the Paper on Warburton to Dicey, Lady Londonderry (dowager), and Lord Durham. After dinner, according to my custom, I read Milton's Ode on the Nativity to my family; and then extracts from "Paradise Lost". Thus ended a Festival which was curiously commonplace, save for the emotions of the preaching this morning. I am half disposed to draw from my experience as a preacher the conclusion that the more deeply the preacher himself is moved by his discourse, the less it is likely to affect his congregation. Certainly I have been disappointed sharply by the discovery that my own feelings were no kind of indication as to the feelings of my hearers. Of course one must not forget the obstinate English habit of concealing emotion behind a masque of pachydermatous reserve.

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