The Henson Journals

[53]

25th Sunday after Trinity, November 25th, 1917.

1210th day

A comparatively calm morning followed the hurricane of yesterday, and with the wind has fallen also the temperature. I dressed in full view of a ruddy sun–rising, which mingled with its beauty an element of menace. Then I went to the exquisite little Norman church in order to receive the Holy Communion. Nothing could be more solemn & devotional than this little old sanctuary. It is horrible to reflect that the day may be at hand when the age–long witness of its worship shall cease, and it shall be vacant to the tourist, or even suffered to crumble & fall.

My "post" included a letter from Ernest in which he expresses nervousness about my appearance on the platform next week! "The question of your promotion is at its most critical point & it is quite vital that you should confine yourself to broad principles & not attack persons". How is it possible for any self–respecting man not to plunge into "blazing indiscretions", when that kind of consideration is suggested to him?

[54]

At Mattins I preached & read the Lessons. My sermon was that which I wrote originally, as a supplement to the "City Temple" discourses, on "The failure of Lutheranism, no disproof of the Reformation". The little church seemed to be quite full, and the congregation was very attentive: but whether they could have been anywise edified appears to me something more than doubtful. Mine host expressed himself as pleased with the sermon, &, indeed, I can imagine that it might interest a man versed in history. Nor can it be denied that the 400th anniversary of the Reformation (for it is agreed to take the nailing up of Luther's 95 Theses, Nov: 1st 1517, as the Birthday of that movement) ought to be sufficiently interesting to English Churchmen to justify making it the subject of a sermon in Nov: 1917. Still, I fear, "there was not gospel enough the sermon to save a tom–tit"!!

After lunch I wrote my weekly letter to Carissima. We walked out in the afternoon, & had tea with Mr Wicksteed, the brother of the Unitarian minister, where we met old Mr Mozley, the father of the Pembroke fellow, & his daughter Miss Mozley, who has been a nurse in Serbia. We went into Leeds. Draper preached in the parish church, & I "sate under" him. He has a good voice, but an ungraceful action, & his discourse was rather involved. We had supper with the new Vicar of Leeds, Heywood. His brother, a member of the R.C.C., declared his agreement with my action respecting the Church & State Report. The weather had become bitterly cold. We noticed ice in the roads as we walked home.

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