The Henson Journals

[24]

Tuesday, October 30th, 1917.

1184th day

I attended Mattins & Evensong: prepared my sermons for next Sunday in Manchester: visited Rushworth, & inspected the ebony bureau & curios which have been offered to the Chapter Library: was visited by Gee, (fidgetting [sic] about for patronage gossip) and Colonel Burdon, to whom I recommended Gwatkin's "Church & State". Hadow arrived about 6 p.m., and gave a most interesting account of his visit to the Front, where he was shown all the recent battle–fields. He describes scenes of almost unimaginable desolation. He says that the gloomy tone of the "Times" and the "Daily Mail" are really disturbing & discouraging the men at the Front, who are thereby led to suppose that the country is weakening behind them. He says that the general belief among the troops is that we shall be into Ostend before Christmas: & that it is not considered improbable that the Germans may have to evacuate Belgium, & even collapse altogether. Miss Christopher came to dinner, & we had much pleasant conversation with Hadow as choragus!

---