The Henson Journals

[155]

Friday, June 9th, 1922.

There are but 4 persons to be ordained. 2 to the diaconate, 2 to the priesthood. Viz:

Philip Hawker Hill	} Deacons
George Mackman Wykes	}
George Reginald Herbert	} Priests
Gomer Oscar Williams	}

Twenty years ago there would have been 4 or 5 times this number, and then there were half a million less souls to be provided for in the Diocese of Durham. Quo tendimus?

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8.15 a.m. At breakfast the reading was taken from Principal Whyte's "Appreciation' of Bishop Andrews. I spent the morning in writing a sermon for the students of S. Hilda's Training College, who keep their annual gathering tomorrow in the Cathedral.

There was a gentle fall of rain during the morning which freshened everything, though it was too light to be of much practical service.

After tea I had interviews with the 4 candidates. They are all well–meaning & apparently sincere, but with one exception they do not give the impression of much intellectual power or much force of character. Socially, they are not distinguished. One is the son of a clergyman: one is the son of a station–master: two are sons of small tradesmen. It is certainly not the case that the Anglican clergy of today belong by extraction to "the upper classes".

---