The Henson Journals

[13]

Good Friday, April 6th, 1917.

977th day

The sun shining on the snow made a dazzling spectacle to look upon. If this continues we shall have to accept Arctic conditions, & protect our eyes with coloured glasses. It is curiously unfortunate that such untimely severity of the weather should damp the gardening ardour of the allotment holders. Everything seems to work against the miserable world at present.

I went to the cathedral at 8 a.m. for the Litany and Ante–Communion Service, and then, after breakfast, made my dispositions for my journey to Leeds. The post came in before my departure. It included a letter from Hodder & Stoughton declining civilly my offer of the City Temple sermons for publication. "The fact is publishing has now become exceedingly difficult, & as our list of forthcoming works is already more than heavy for these difficult times, we are afraid it wd not be wise for us to undertake the publication of your work." This may be the case, nevertheless I am a little surprised at this refusal.

I travelled to Leeds quite comfortably, having my journey relieved by two young officers, both of whom had been sent home wounded from Ypres, the one suffering from shell–shock, the other from many wounds. With the first, (Elliott Lindsay Blee, 28th Manchester) I had much conversation, which as we were alone from Durham to York, became intimate & confidential. He was but 22 years old, yet his experiences in the war had made him quite distressingly cynical. His picture of the habits of officers was depressing. The last (Edmund Douglas Hoy, 2nd Lieut: 5th Duke of Wellington's W.R.) was still younger, only 20, & he was very melancholy. His father had been killed in the retreat from Mons: & his only brother on the Somme. His mother had just died; & he was left alone. This youngster was looking to go to Australia, & grow fruit after the war. He was engaged to a girl in Scotland, & didn't want to die yet. We travelled together as far as Leeds. I put up at the Railway Hotel; & spent most of the afternoon at the club. There was a considerable muster of men in the Town–Hall for the service at 8 p.m. I read S. Luke's account of the Crucifixion & spoke for about 45 minutes. The men were very attentive, & sang the hymns with much ardour.

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