The Henson Journals

[97]

2nd Sunday after Christmas, January 2nd, 1921.

A woefully wet day, which no doubt hindered many from attending the services. However, I carried through my programme. At 8 a.m. I celebrated the Holy Commn in the parish church: and, after breakfast, motored to Cleadon, the daughter parish of Whitburn, and there preached to a considerable congregation. After I had suppressed two coughing boys, there was good attention. We lunched with the Vicar, Rev. R. P. Moorson, a bachelor, who has held the living since 1912. Then we returned to Whitburn, and at 3 p.m. dedicated a War–memorial tablet in the church, & gave an address to the people. Sir Hedworth Williamson, who was to have unveiled the tablet, failed to appear, but arrived after everything was over at tea in the Rectory, where I was introduced to some of the parishioners. At 6.30 p.m. I preached again to a considerable congregation, among whom conspicuous was William, sitting just behind old Victor Williamson under the pulpit. I was pleased with the close attention.

The two curates came in to supper. In conversation one of them (Revd R. J Davies) spoke strongly of the "Bolshevist" temper of the miners, who in his opinion were alienated from the Church because they held the church to be unjustly possessed of property. But he did not succeed in showing that this resentment against the Church included any respectable element peculiar to itself. It was but part of the general revolutionary hatred of "industrialism".

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