The Henson Journals

[340]

Tuesday, January 25th, 1927.

In a dull rainy weather, Lionel and I motored to York by way of Stockton and Thirsk, 67 miles, and arrived at the Minster in good time for the service at 11 a.m. There was a considerable muster of the Bishops for the consecration of Canon Parsons as Bishop Suffragan of Middleton in the diocese of Manchester. The Archbishop consecrated, and I read the Gospel. The preacher was the Dean of Manchester, whose sermon was ill–heard by me in spite of the loud voice in which it was delivered. The Bishop of Pretoria (Neville Talbot) was present, and joined the Bishop of Manchester in "presenting" the Bishop, though his only title to do so arose from the circumstance that he also had been a contributor to "Foundations". There was abundant evidence that under the new dean the Minster approximates rapidly to the Anglo–Catholick notion of what a cathedral ought to be! After the service we lunched at the Station Hotel, and then returned to Auckland (62 miles) via Northallerton & Darlington in exactly two hours.

I found awaiting me the copies of the February issue of "The Bishoprick", and proofs of the sermons & Ordination Addresses which I so foolishly have arranged to publish. These I set myself to correct, and was more than ever disgusted by them! Who am I to speak to any man, be he Ordination candidate or not about the Christian ministry? What has that ministry become in my hand, after forty years exercise of it but the exposition of a varied & futile Jeremiad?

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