The Henson Journals

[151]

11th Sunday after Trinity, August 19th, 1917.

1112th day

Rain fell in the night, but the morning was bright. I celebrated in the cathedral at 8 a.m. There were but fifteen communicants including three clergy. We are in the deadest of the dead season. In spite of the War it is remarkable with what pertinacity the stay–at–homes follow out the time–honoured course of an August holiday prescribed by a tradition which may be fairly called immemorial.

The post brought me a letter from George, who is at Liverpool waiting to sail on S.S. Titan for China and Japan next Wednesday. He writes very happily. I sent him a letter straight–away in order that it might be certain to reach him. Also, a letter from Ernest, who has just come back from a visit to the Front, where he has had many interesting experiences. He makes a disturbing reference to the approaching retirement of Bp. P.

"The Hereford vacancy is under discussion, the date of resignation having been much foreshortened. You are well to the fore: so don't complicate matters by any irruption marked by your usual cogency. Cantuar: wants a quiet time, but it isn't good for Religion in England that he should have it."

Well, well! "Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter" says the Gospel. The mere possibility of such a catastrophe adds fresh cogency to the reasons why that luckless Memoir must be got off the stocks!

The 2nd lesson for Mattins being Romans XVI, I had designed setting it aside as unedifying, being indeed mainly a list of names & salutations: but, when I disclosed my purpose to Knowling, he said that he had taken his text from that very chapter: thereupon I changed my intention, supposing it to be unfair on the preacher to destroy the connexion between his discourse & the appointed lesson. I was rewarded for my complaisance by an admirable, informing, and scholarly sermon on the words: "Salute Rufus the chosen in the Lord, & his mother & mine".

After service Ella and I walked for an hour, returning by way of the Observatory. The atmosphere is so clear after the rain that the views are uncommonly fine.

[152]

After Evensong two officers, who had come over from Newcastle to see Durham, called at the Deanery. We gave them tea, and then I showed them over the Cathedral. They were not unintelligent or uninterested, but so woefully ignorant alike of history and of architecture that it was no easy task to interpret the building to them. They told me that they had been visiting the Elswick Works, & that, among many other devices, there were now being manufactured bogus merchant ships designed to lure German submarines. Their real character of armed warships would be suddenly disclosed when the latter had come comfortably near for the attack. But they were not very encouraging about the fighting on the Western Front, from which they had recently returned.

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