The Henson Journals

[192]

21st Sunday after Trinity, October 24th, 1920.

I accompanied my host and hostess to an U.F. church where an officer of the Salvation Army pleaded its cause, and trumpetted its achievements: I rather wearied of his eloquence, but the congregation seemed to be pleased. I amused myself before the service began by counting the people who entered at the door beside where I sate – 23 men came in and 32 women – not at all a bad proportion.

My sermon was delivered at 3 p.m. The Bute Hall was not crowded, but the floor was filled, & there was an appreciable overflow into the galleries. I was assured afterwards that the audience was far more numerous than usual. The attention was very close throughout.

After tea, I called on old Mrs Story, & wrote my name in her book. Then I attended the first of the new course of Gifford Lectures. The lecturer, Sir Henry Jones, is stricken with cancer in the face, & only delivered his lecture by a notable effort, which was fully understood by his hearers. The room was crowded: I judged that there were about 400 persons present. The lecture was extremely eloquent, and bristled with obiter dicta worth remembering.

We had much pleasant talk before going to bed. Both the Principal and his wife are evidently inclined towards prohibition, and the policies that point in that direction. But they were not so obdurate in their opinions as to refuse me the solace of some excellent brown sherry, which came from S. John's Cambridge, of which society Sir Donald Macalister is still a fellow.

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