The Henson Journals

[159]

3rd Sunday in Lent, March 7th, 1926.

After a night grievously disturbed by toothache, I got up feeling uncommonly jaded & uncertain. The weather continues mild, & even warm. I hope it will be possible for me to "do out the duty" today, but I feel extraordinarily feeble. What a worthless instrument is this "mortal coil"! Yet we have no other.

There was a considerable congregation in the Abbey Church at 10.15 a.m., but not so considerable as I had expected. I noticed that the altar was vested in white, & I was assured that this was the old "use" of Westminster. The principle is that nothing specifically Roman shall be admitted. Not ecclesiastical but archaeological reasons are pleaded for this rather astonishing departure from "use & wont". I preached with difficulty & discomfort, but was assured that neither was apparent to my hearers. The new Dean celebrated the Holy Communion, at which I both communicated & ministered the Chalice. His voice is admirably suited to the building.

After lunch I lay down on my bed until it was time to go to Charles for tea. Macan & his wife were staying there, & I had some talk with him [160] [symbol] about the appointment of that firebrand Cole to a chair at Oxford. He agreed that it was a most regrettable event, but said that the field was so poor that it was hardly possible to avoid appointing Cole.

I walked to the Westminster Congregational Church, & preached at the service. But I didn't finish my sermon, for I had a fainting fit just as I was getting to the end, & couldn't finish! The doctors, of whom there appeared to be a plenary supply in the congregation made a great fuss, but they don't know & won't believe what an absolute impostor I am in matters of health. I bowl over suddenly for no imaginable reason, & then recover as quickly. Lord Haldane was in church, & I sent a message to say that I couldn't sup with him, as I had promised. Possibly the episode may have the salutary result of directing attention to my appeal on the subject of the schools; & so far there would be some slight compensation for an extremely annoying episode. But two broken nights with perpetual toothache make one extraordinarily feeble, &, no doubt, the exertion of preaching in the Abbey had frittered away what small reserves of strength I possessed. And the atmosphere was stifling.

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