The Henson Journals

[98]

Christmas Eve, December 24th, 1923.

I wrote to the Vicar of Horden definitely disallowing his proposal that the "regional representative" of the League of Nations should give an address on the League in the parish church. It seemed to me but too probably that the door would be opened to very undesirable happenings if a subject which unhappily has been dragged into party controversy, should be discussed in the churches.

I wrote to Michell Pierce, who is now working in Toronto, suggesting that he should take up again his purpose of being ordained, which was thrust aside by the Great War.

I wrote cheques for the insurances, & gave Christmas Boxes.

Smith… £1

Ashton… £1

Laws… £1 and a book

George… 10/ and a book

John…. 10/ and a book

Alexander… £1 and a book

William… £1 and a book

Also I gave Kate £1. So the money runs away. But they are a good set, & deserve well of us. J. G. Wilson sent me two volumes of Seccombe's caricatures with a very pleasant letter.

After dinner I read aloud to my family Milton's "Ode on the Nativity". It impresses me more every time I read it.

Mrs Dillon sent me Winston Churchill's two astonishing volumes, "The World Crisis". They may, or may not, be true history: they are assuredly good literature.

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