The Henson Journals

[77]

Monday, June 16th, 1924.

I spent the whole morning in writing letters, clearing off an accumulation of correspondence. After lunch, Clayton & I motored to Holmside, where I confirmed 93 persons, nearly all females. When I called attention to this, I was assured that the hostile circumstances, in which the church had to work, admitted of nothing else. Chapman, the Vicar, a soured man of 57, has been 22 years in the parish & has fallen into a listless, cynical attitude of mind. It does not surprise me that boys & young men find nothing to attract them in his presentation of the Gospel. Would he recover his hold on spiritual things if he were given another sphere? After tea with the Vicar, I went on to Hamsteels, and confirmed 102 persons. Here the males seemed equal in number to the females, & they were a fine, well–grown, determined–looking set of young fellows. The little church was crowded, & the whole feeling of the service was sincere, earnest, religious. I was consoled for the depression which Holmside had cast on me. We returned to Auckland after the service.

I discover with alarm that my time for preparing a mass of work is practically limited to this week. And I must write with care 1) the sermon at Glasgow on June 22nd, 2) the address to the Diocesan Conference on June 28th, 3) the sermon to the American Pressmen on July 13th. Shall I ever be freed from this "hand–to–mouth" procedure?

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