The Henson Journals

[186]

Wednesday, September 29th, S. Michael & All Angels, 1926.

The Ordination was favoured with brilliant weather, and was itself a very moving and solemn service. If only one could live at the spiritual level of these holy times, how different would our ministry become! My chaplains mustered in force – Chute, Shaddick, Moulsdale, Dawson Walker, and Trotman were present. In the improvised choir I noted Jimmie Dobbie. The sermon was preached by Romans, and was rather too long & disconnected. Moulsdale sang the Litany, and about 8 clergy served as a choir. The Communicants numbered 28. We had about 30 at luncheon, after which we dispersed.

Then I went for a short walk with Tony Chute, after which I prepared notes for the address to the Freemasons of the Wear Valley Lodge which is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. The service was held in the chapel at 5.45 p.m., and was attended by about 100 Freemasons. I took occasion in my address to make an allusion, which none of them could miss, to the suspicion prevalent in the district that the influence of Freemasonry has been improperly used to the deflecting of the course of justice. It is ever a perilous thing to rebuke offences of this kind, but I felt it my clear duty to do so.

Old Sir Hugh Bell returned my Edinburgh Article with a criticism of the opening paragraph which he thinks "may alienate some persons who would otherwise read my Essay with interest, perhaps even with approval". This is an interesting, and may be a just, criticism. I didn't give much thought to the paragraph, which was only designed as an introduction: but I ought to have remembered that the opening paragraph must create an impression, & that if this be unfavourable, the article may be even fatally prejudiced.

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