The Henson Journals

[79]

Sunday after Ascension Day, May 12th, 1929.

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A warm night, excellent for the crops, & a clouded sky in the morning, prophesying rain. I must have taken a slight chill yesterday, when sitting with the pitmen, and am as hoarse as a raven, and generally nowise "in fighting form."

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were 8 commts including John.

I wrote to William.

I wrote to Herbert directing him to discontinue the use of the gong at Holy Communion. Dearmer in the Parson's handbook. p. 98:–

"A sacring bell inside the church is inexpedient except for giving the signal for the communicants to approach. To ring it at the 'Words of Consecration' (which were really our Lord's words of administration) is to give a 'clock–time' idea of the consecration which is false."

But I fear that it is precisely the falseness of the idea which commends it to our 'Anglo–Roman' Zealots.

[80]

The annual service of Freemasons in the chapel was held at 3 p.m. There was a smaller attendance of the Brethren than heretofore, a fact possibly explained by the heavy thunder–rains which are said to have taken place at Stockton & Sunderland, and may well have hindered the contingents from those considerable places. The service itself pleased me. I preached from S. Matthew XXii. 35. 40. Colonel Thompson from Whickham came in to tea, & took the opportunity of delivering his soul on the subject of that helpless jackass, his Rector! He appears to be as completely ignorant of pastoral methods as an old prison chaplain might be expected to be. It is the usual complaint– he won't visit the people, whom he hardly knows by sight. This is a defect pardoned with difficulty in a man who preaches well & is distinguished, but in a dreary & uninteresting creature like this particular parson it is grievously resented. I walked in the Park with the dogs for an hour & a half after the brethren had departed.

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