The Henson Journals
Mon 27 June 1927
Volume 42, Page 160
[160]
Monday, June 27th, 1927.
I wrote an address for the Auckland Brotherhood, which in spite of myself took a very gloomy form, so gloomy that I felt myself compelled to add a short epilogue of optimistic platitude after the manner of the orthodox editor of Ecclesiastes.
After lunch, I went to Durham, and preached to a great congregation of the Mothers' Union, which filled the nave and transepts of the Cathedral. There are to be two more such assemblies, the diocese being divided into 3 parts for the purpose of the annual service of the Union. I took for my text the familiar words of Christ, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, etc.", and took occasion to speak about the horrible attack which the Bolshevists are making on childhood.
The Dean of Norwich wrote to ask me to contribute to a fund for making a presentation to old Canon Hay Aitken, who is celebrating the "diamond jubilee" of his marriage. I sent a guinea, but smiled at myself for doing so: for why, in the name of all things reasonable, should we make gifts to a man for protracting his dotage beyond the usual duration? If mere longevity were the measure of merit our calendars would contain some odd saints!