The Henson Journals

[167]

1st Sunday after Epiphany January 11th, 1925.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. Ernest assisted, and the communicants included our guests. Then everyone went to South Church except myself. I stayed in my study, and wrote letters to Harold, Colin Kennedy, and Cecil Fortescue, prepared my sermon for the evening, and read. After lunch I remained unoccupied save for reading until Jimmie arrived to have tea, & go with me to St Hilda's, Darlington, where I preached from the text, "The boy Jesus" to a congregation which hardly filled the Church. The service (save for the omission of the State Prayers) was quite legal, but the walls of the Vestry were adorned with photographs of popishly–attired ecclesiastics; and I think the Sacrament is reserved in a side chapel. The congregation seemed to me to be composed of humble folk for the most part. There were a good many young men included in it, and but few seniors, a fact which suggested to me that, as is the common case with "Anglo–Catholic" churches, the older folk have been alienated. The parson, Bell, is a manly–looking fellow, with a frank address. He has but one colleague of dubious capacity, though there are two churches. His predecessor, now a colonial bishop, had as many as six curates. It is the same story everywhere. The clergy are shrinking in number, while the populations are ever increasing.

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