The Henson Journals

[66]

Friday, July 30th, 1926.

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The editor of the Hereford Times had the ms. of my sermon last night, but how much of it he extracted I don't know. Anyway I allow myself to hope that whatever he elects to print will at least be what I said, and not what he thinks I must have said.

The Commemoration Service in the Cathedral was very imposing. In the long procession were included the Archbishops of Canterbury & Wales, the Bishops of Durham, Worcester, Lichfield, Gloucester, Hereford, Llandaff, Monmouth, & Swansea, & a large number of the parochial clergy. The Cathedral was filled to its utmost extent. My sermon took 37 minutes to deliver, and was listened to very attentively. The Archbishop who was near the Altar assured me that he heard nearly all that I said, and I was told that most of the congregation in the nave heard easily. After the service we attend[ed] the Lord Lieutenant's lunch in the Townhall. The speeches were very tiresome, and seemed endless! After lunch I returned to the Deanery, and rested for an hour. Then I went to the Garden Party in the Palace, and was warmly greeted by many persons, of whose names & faces I was mostly ignorant! I went back to the Deanery, and was there visited by Jack Clayton.

We dined at the Palace, where the Archbishop and Mrs Davidson were staying. I had a good deal of talk with his Grace, who was most affectionate, expressed his great regret at my absence from the P. B. Revision sessions at Lambeth, and pledged me to stay there when the bishops re–assemble in October. On the whole I enjoyed the evening more than I expected.

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