The Henson Journals

[88]

2nd Sunday after Trinity, St Peter’s Day, June 29th, 1924.

O Almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock: make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people diligently to follow the same, that they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

'Preaching' is here plainly assumed to be the principal function of the Bishop. 'Bishops and Pastors' probably are intended to refer only to the Bishop.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were 11 communicants including William. It will be the last time that I shall give the Blessed Sacrament to him before he goes to South Africa next month, for I shall not be here on another Sunday until he has disappeared. May God's Blessing rest on him all the way he goes! His departure will leave a great void in my life, for during these five years of close & continuous comradeship, he has become very dear to me, more like a son than a servant. But parting is the law of the world, and I am drawing to the end of my career while he is but starting his. It is folly & worse to give one's heart to anything or anybody in this passing show of life.

[89]

A blustering day, with splutterings of rain and intervals of sunshine. I motored to Monkwearmouth, diverging on the way out in order to pick up Clayton at Sherburn Hill. We ran into the Mayor's procession on its way to the parish church. There was, of course, a crowded congregation. The service had been carefully thought out, and was carried through without a hitch. The Mayor read the lessons, and I preached the sermon. The Bishop of Wakefield (Eden) walked in the procession. In the vestry afterwards I spake shortly to the Choir, and announced that I had nominated the Vicar to be an hon: canon. Then we returned to Auckland in time for lunch.

At 3 p.m. there was the annual confirmation for adults in the chapel; 62 were presented, of whom a third were males. Parry–Evans presented the candidates: the choir of St Peter's, Bishop Auckland, assisted, & their organist played. After the service I had a few words with Noel Gwilliam, who had motored some candidates from his father's parish, and I gave him a copy of the Byron lecture. Frank Berry was present: he had never before seen a confirmation.

I wrote a number of letters, which ought long ago to have been written; but in these days of hustlement there is no help for it, & if one only leaves letters unanswered long enough, they answer themselves! Also, I acknowledged another little volume of verse from Mrs Dolphin of Edmundbyers. She has facility, but is not a great poet!

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