The Henson Journals

Fri 18 March 1927

Volume 42, Page 21

[21]

Friday, March 18th, 1927.

The Revd B. F. R. Willcox, assistant curate of Greenside, came to lunch. He is 40 years old, & has been 17 years in Orders. I suggested that he should transfer himself to Houghton–le–Spring, where the need of clergy is more urgent: and when he consented, I wrote forthwith to the Rector of that parish.

Lionel and I motored to Sunderland, and there, in the parish church of Bishopwearmouth, I "commissioned" Canon Woods to act as Missioner during the Ten Days Mission, which has been arranged in that parish. Before actually giving the Commission I made a short speech to the congregation. Woods has just been appointed Vicar of Croydon. He has a fine presence, an admirable voice, & an aspect at once dignified and sincere. He is, I suppose, a "Liberal Evangelical", and separates himself sharply from both the prosecuting Protestants represented by Bishop Knox, and the unctuous gospellers who have no longer any leaders known to the public. He is now exerting himself to organize support for the Composite Book, & expresses the utmost disgust at the agitation against it. After the service we returned to Auckland. The weather today has been almost like summer, but it worsened at night fall.