The Henson Journals

[236]

14th Sunday after Trinity, September 13th, 1925.

A brilliant fine morning, with the bite of incipient winter in the air. I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. Ernest assisted. We numbered 8 communicants. I preached at Mattins in South Church to a congregation which may have numbered 150 persons, of whom certainly not more than 40 were grown males even when clergy & choirmen are reckoned in the number! And yet this parish is said to contain 16,000 people! There is, indeed, another (small) church, & 3 mission rooms, but all of them are said to be very badly attended. It is a disconcerting spectacle.

Ernest and I walked round the Park with the dogs. Then I wrote to Malcolm Dillon telling him that I had appointed Duncan to the parish of Dawndon. This seemed to me a judicious proceeding, as Dillon is said to have pressed another man very strongly!

I wrote to Ralph approving his article in the C.E.N., and telling him the disconcerting account of Barnes which I received from Bainbridge. It occurred to me that possibly he might give Barnes a friendly hint on the subject. But I suspect that Barnes is a man who does not take good advice easily. There is a strain of obstinacy in him which may on occasion develops quickly into what the Americans call "pure cussedness"!

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