The Henson Journals

[264]

Advent Sunday, November 28th, 1926.

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I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were in all 9 communicants. Thirty eight years have passed since I was instituted to the Vicarage of Barking on Sunday, November 29th, 1888. How different the world looked then! And how differently I looked at it!

The Dean of Salisbury, Dr Burn, who had been preaching in S. Anne's, came to lunch. He was a student here under Bishop Lightfoot, and one of the curates of the parish. He spoke with much appreciation of Jack Clayton, who, he said, was universally loved in Salisbury. We had some conversation on ecclesiastical matters. He said that he had been converted to the view that the Athanasian creed might be the composition of St Ambrose, but that no M.S. attributed it to him. However, he was in hopes that an attribution might yet be discovered.

I wrote to William.

I motored to Pittington, and preached at Evensong. The congregation hardly filled the church, a circumstance which surprised me after the very glowing reports which had come to me: but there were a good many young men, which was pleasing. Old Boddy seemed ailing: & his wife was down with a chill. He is for so important a parish too old a man: & yet where is a younger man to be found, who could do as well? He told me that the miners in Pittington would have gone back to work weeks ago, but they dare not: & this was confirmed by the churchwardens. It is a woeful situation, infinitely degrading to the national character.

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