The Henson Journals

[103]

13th Sunday after Trinity, September 10th, 1922.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. Jack Boden assisted, and, apart from the clergy, there were 11 communicants. William communicated, & 4 of the household. After breakfast Boden brought me the MS of his sermon preached in the Abbey on August 20h. I read it through and was favourably impressed alike with its form and its matter. I wrote letters to Marion, Briliorth, Sir Robert Lighton, and George Nimmins. We all, save Ella and Mrs Campbell Dodgson, motored to Durham and attended Evensong in the Cathedral. Jack Boden acted as my Chaplain, and carried the staff. Afterwards we had tea with the Cruickshanks. Miss Christopher was there & Turner from Oxford.

I reflected much on the appointment of a new Archdeacon, and I reached the decision to try to create a vacancy in the Divinity Professorship. This idea originated in my own mind, but it was suggested also by Headlam to whom I had written an inquiry about Matthews of King's College. His verdict was highly favourable, but he said that he would make a much better Divinity Professor than Archdeacon. Of course the sitting tenant may refuse to leave the Chair. In that case I shall be but where I was before. Certainly the clergy would be less likely to resent the appointment from outside the diocese of a Divinity Professor than of an Archdeacon. And we must get "new blood" into the diocese.

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