The Henson Journals

[152]

9th Sunday after Trinity, August 17th, 1924.

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do anything that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel: there were 10 communicants including my three guests.

I motored to Lumley, dropping Ella, Baddeley, & Peel Dennistoun at the Cathedral on the way. The old ailing parson, Stewart, received me with a kind of superannuated effusion which was almost pathetic. I had particularly suggested that no notice of my coming should be given in the parish so I was not surprised to find a very small congregation. The parish contains 3406 souls, & of these about 60 were in church. No doubt both the industries in which the people are engaged, namely agriculture and mining, are prolific of Sunday–work. Still, on any showing, the attendance at Divine Service was certainly wretched.

Rain started to fall about noon, & continued for the rest of the day. I read through the proof of Headlam's Primary Charge. It will attract much notice, & is a considerable pronouncement, though open to serious criticism both as covering too much ground, and making many bold, but insufficiently based assumptions.

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