The Henson Journals

[46]

Monday, April 3rd, 1922.

A heavy snow–storm was in progress when I left the Castle shortly after 10 a.m. On arriving at Paddington, I drove to the Club, and deposited my bags. Then I went to the hair–dresser, and had my hair cut. I then went to King's Cross, & caught the 1.20 p.m. express, which brought me to Darlington at 6.10 p.m. There I was met by the car, & carried to Auckland through hail–storms.*

The papers report that Welldon preached yesterday in a congregational church at Clapham, in spite of the expressed objection of the Bishop of Southwark; and that he excused himself by pleading my action at Birmingham. The plea is not relevant, for at Birmingham I preached in the Digbeth Institute, not in the Carr's Lane Congregational Church, to which it is attached. There is no impressiveness about anything that Welldon says or does. He seems to act without reflection, & to speak without responsibility. And he adds a touch of burlesqueness to everything with which he is associated. I cannot but think that he weakens my hands, for men do not always distinguish: and the fantastic vagaries of the Dean of Durham are sometimes, I must needs suspect, attributed to the Bishop, all the more easily since the former is a Bishop, & the latter was once a Dean.

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