The Henson Journals

[150]

Wednesday, February 28th, 1923.

The weather improved during the night: and the day was mild and spring–like.

Clayton and I motored to Sedgefield where I confirmed 63 persons, mostly female. Sykes finds that during the long failure to get a curate, the boys have been much neglected. I don't think that this circumstance is confined to Sedgefield. The shortage of clergy is beginning to tell badly on the parochial machine. After having tea in the Rectory, we motored to S, James's, Stockton, where I confirmed 82 persons. This is a poor church, and the parson, Loney, is a rough type of cleric, & drops his h s deplorably, but he loves the people, and works hard. On the whole, I was pleased with this confirmation. The candidates were of a suitable age, & they gave me an impression of great earnestness. I think that, of all the oblations which poor humanity offers to its Creator, the hopes and fears of confirmation candidates are perhaps the most acceptable. Girl Guides and Boy Scouts were prominent in the congregation. After service we returned to Auckland, arriving at 9.15p.m.

I began the sermon for Penrith on March 18th, and wrote the first section. It is a double commemoration, millenary and bicentenary, for the date of the old preaching cross, locally known as the 'Giant's Thumb' is assigned by the experts to the beginning of the 10th century, and the existing parish church was consecrated on March 17th 1723.

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