The Henson Journals

[131]

2nd Sunday after Trinity, June 9th, 1929.

A still warm morning after the storm, and a haze over the country giving a visionary grace to the fair scene. The air is filled with the singing of birds, and on all sides trees and plants are unfolding their glory. What a good world it is really!

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. We numbered 7 communicants including John. The morning sun shewed up the beauty of the building, and our worship was choral, for the singing of the birds accompanied the Liturgy throughout.

I prepared Notes for my address to the Boy Scouts in Leeds this afternoon, on the "Coming of Age" of that organization. I decided to adapt the Confirmation Address on the words, 'Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth'. Then I revised the sermon on the Sweet Uses of Advertisement which I preached in Westminster Abbey five years ago to the members of the International Advertising Association, & had my first experience of 'loud–speakers'.

[132]

'It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of the long letter of Pius XI. to Cardinal Gasparri, the Under–Secretary of State, published in Thursday's issue of the "Osservatorio Romano", and the full text should be studied' – thus in the 'Observer' "our own Correspondent" writes from Rome. He proceeds to summarize the document:– "The Pope will not admit freedom of discussion, and still less freedom of conscience, & maintains that the full and perfect mandate over education belongs not to the State but to the Church, and that the State cannot prevent the exercise of this mandate. In short, referring to the two distinct sovereign powers as signatories of the Concordat, the Pope affirms emphatically the absolute superiority of the Church." Amazed readers of the Papal letter may well ask whether so uncompromising a position can resolve itself into continual compromise.'

v. 'Observer', June 9th 1929.

[133]

I lunched early, and motored to Leeds by way of Catterick, Boroughbridge, & Wetherby, leaving the Castle at 12.45 p.m., and arriving at 2.45 p.m. The distance was about 70 miles. The "coming of age" meeting of the Boy Scouts, in the Townhall, was an imposing spectacle, for the boys filled the large building. The Lord Mayor welcomed them, & I gave the address which I had prepared. The Town Hall is not acoustically good, but I think the boys heard what I said. The Vicar (Elliott) gave me tea in the Club, & then took me to the Vicarage, where we talked until it was time to proceed to the parish church for Evensong. There was a considerable congregation, which listened to my sermon very attentively. After the service I went to the Clergy House, & had coffee with the Curates. Then I motored back to Auckland. The road from Leeds to Boroughbridge was filled with motor–cars, motor–bicycles, and the old–fashioned 'push'–bicycles, returned with their complement of Sabbath–breakers to the great city. The Clergy have the aspect of tiresome and futile kill–joys!

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