The Henson Journals

[68]

Saturday, May 26th, 1923.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8.15 a.m. The candidates & chaplains communicated. After breakfast I finished my "charge". In the afternoon I had a long talk with Knight. He is certainly making an impression on Houghton–le–Spring, which has been much neglected under the last 4 Rectors, all of whom were old men, past work when they were appointed.

I received the news that Smith, the Vicar of Muggleswick, had died of pneumonia. This is sudden. He presented candidates for confirmation on

I went into Durham, and presided over the legal business in the Chapter House, prefacing the action of the Ordinandi by a few words about the gravity & significance of the pledges they were taking. Then I walked in the Banks with Cruickshank, and dined with the Dean.

At 8.30 p.m. the candidates and chaplains gathered in the Deanery Chapel, and I delivered the "charge". It sounded very severe and melancholy; but try as I may to be anything else, I cannot escape these notes of sternness and foreboding. After this, Wynne–Willson and I motored back to Auckland, and Cruickshank remained in Durham.

We were back in the Castle by 10 p.m., and there played cards with the ladies before going to bed.

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