The Henson Journals

[58]

Monday, October 27th, 1924.

I celebrated the Holy Communion at 10.15 a.m. in the parish church. About a score of the clergy from the Rural Deanery communicated. Then we went to a room in the Municipal Buildings, where the Ruri–decanal Chapter held its meeting. About 50 clergy were present. After the business of the Chapter had been despatched, I addressed the meeting for 45 minutes on "Preaching under modern conditions". The clergy listened well, and applauded heartily. I lunched with them in an adjoining café, and then joined the car. We left Blackburn at 1.45 p.m., and motored to Auckland by way of Skipton, Ripon, & Piercebridge. We had tea at Ripon, and arrived at the Castle about 6 p.m.

On the whole I was well impressed by what I saw and heard at Blackburn. The clergy are a more vigourous [sic] looking set of men than those of my diocese. I did not observe one physically defective man among the company which I addressed. Most of them were tall, well–grown men. In Durham the proportion of undersized and lame men would arrest attention at once. I think the blind men have been got rid of; but there are several clergy who must be called 'wall–eyed' or purblind!

---