The Henson Journals

[85]

14th Sunday after Trinity, September 18th, 1927.

A brilliant morning. A pair of thrushes and a pair of blackbirds breakfasted busily on the grass before my dressing room window as I dressed, and there was a mingled undertone of cawing rooks and cooing pigeons in the air, with intermittent cock–crowings to suggest domesticity. A robin sang boldly at intervals. Who would live in Babylon who could escape it? I celebrated the Holy Communion at 8 a.m. in the Chapel. We numbered 10 communicants in all.

After breakfast I wrote a letter to the Times in answer to that which appeared yesterday from the Sectary.

In the afternoon we motored to Durham, where I had some talk with my Suffragan, preached to the boys in the Chapel of Durham School, had tea with the Headmaster & the monitors, and returned to Auckland. Ella & Miss Binnington attended Service in the Cathedral.

[The usages in the Non–Jurors' Controversy were: 1. a definitely expressed Oblation of the Elements in the Eucharist to God the Father. 2. A direct Invocation of the Holy Spirit upon the Elements they might be made by the Body and Blood of Christ. 3. Such alterations in title & expression in the prayer for the Church on the Great Intercession as wold include the departed as well as the living. 4. The use of the mixed chalice.]

The brilliant weather continued all day. We returned from Durham about 6 p.m. in Sunshine.