The Henson Journals

[25]

Saturday, December 21st, 1918.

A glorious sun–rise, the whole eastern sky aflame – an awful rose of dawn. I celebrated in the little squalid chapel of the Palace. Bannister, Knight, Ernest, the two candidates Norcock and myself. One of my two candidates, Custance, displayed an astonishing ignorance. Too rashly I accepted him on the strength of his having passed the Cambridge Preliminary Examn, but really he expresses himself no better than an average Sunday School teacher. I had interviews with both the young men, and was not wholly satisfied with either. The one is deeply infected with the Romanizing poison, which is so widely distributed among Anglican youth just now, and the other is quite below the level of knowledge & intelligence which Ordination ought to imply. However, such as they are, I have undertaken to ordain them, & now I must leave them to God. Whether the change of weather affected me, or the medicines prescribed by the leech, or the exertion of getting up, I cannot say, but a giddiness overtook me, and, though I made a start at dinner, I could not continue, but betook myself to bed. K. took my place in chapel, and gave the "charge" to the candidates. This indisposition is very unfortunate and very disconcerting. Compston arrived alone; his wife having a chill. He looks well, and seems cheerful. Bredwardine is fortunate in its Vicar.

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