The Henson Journals

[162]

Tuesday, March 12th, 1929.

[symbol]

A warm night and in the morning a pall of fog.

I wrote to Lord Scarbrough condoling with him on the death of the Marquess of Zetland, his brother–in–law. Then I resumed work on the Presidential Address.

Lionel and I motored to Horden, where I confirmed about 70 persons in the parish church.

Ella brought to dinner (or supper) a hard–faced female, who had been holding forth to the Women's Institute. She reduced us all to a terrified silence. How I do loathe these prating women!

These Women's Institutes are frankly secular associations, and they are said to be telling with ill effect on the Mother's Union, which is definitely religious. Even apart from any hostile purpose – which is, of course, energetically denied by the leaders of the new Institutes – it is doubtful whether this consequence can be averted. For the agents were not only different persons, but they represent different conceptions, and aim at different objects. I suspect that the treatment of Sunday will be a point on which the fundamental divergence will disclose itself. The Secular organisation aims at developing recreation: the Mother's Union aims at securing religion. The tone, temper, & tendency of the two movements are conflicting.

---