The Henson Journals

[95]

Thursday, March 18th, 1920.

The morning was bright, but the wind was keen. We had more talk together until 11 a.m., when I set out for Hanwood. We lost time getting in & out of Shrewsbury, but eventually arrived at the vicarage about 12 noon. Chitty showed me the church which is a mean little modern structure embellished with infamous windows, a new brass eagle lectern, & a stone pulpit. The font is old. I went over the house & garden which are excessive, & should be sold. Everything had a most dilapidated aspect & Chitty will certainly have to dip his hand deeply into his pocket for dilapidations. After lunching at Hanwood, we motored to Bridgenorth where I confirmed 104 candidates in S. Leonard's. Two boys arrived too late to answer the Question; I repeated it to them before laying on Hands. After tea I returned to the Palace (43 miles) & arrived about 7 p.m. The fineness of the weather made this expedition very pleasant.

Meanwhile, the Swedish Lectures are wholly suspended, and the doubt waxes in my mind whether they will ever be finished at all. I have been too readily induced to make promises of work, and then have discovered that my freedom of action is quite intolerably limited by the necessity of 'honouring the bill'. This year, more particularly in view of the Lambeth Conference I need my whole time & energy to be at my own disposition, and neither is unshackled. The Lectures will, if finished at all, be a crude and hasty composition: & the working on them will spoil my efficiency for other things.

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