The Henson Journals

[338]

17th Sunday after Trinity, September 22nd, 1929.

The wind has fallen. I went to St Anne's, and celebrated the Holy Communion. There were 40 communicants, and among them John and Alexander. The cherry tree, broken by last night's gale, has a woeful appearance, and defaces the drive.

I wrote to William and to George. Also, I wrote to Lomax in answer to his voluminous account of a 'crisis' in his parish. Some of his Choirmen have joined the Wesleyan Male Choir, and he has required them either to retire from it, or to end their connexion with his choir! There must be no playing with schism in Ferryhill. He sends me a 'pastoral' which he has circulated in his parish, giving the parishioners 'sound doctrine' about the Catholick Church, & he invites my opinion of it. I sent him together with my reply a copy of "Ecclesiastica: a Triplet of 'Old Sermons'" which I issued in 1910 as a 'Christmas Card' for my people in Westminster.

[339]

"Always, in history, when men thought they were returning to the past, they were also creating a future that had never yet been."

G. G. Coulton

This might serve as the text for a Dissertation on the Reformation.

Pattinson and I motored to Egglestone, where I preached at Evensong. The "diamond jubilee" of the consecration of the parish church was being celebrated. The deaf Vicar, Ladell, read the Prayers, and Pattinson the lessons. After service we all went to the adjacent 'big house', and dined with Sir William Gray, the ship–builder from West Hartlepool, and his newly–married wife. She is simple, unaffected, and rather attractive than pretty. After dinner we returned to Auckland. There was a moon, which shone intermittently through heavy banks of cloud. The wind, which had been high, fell at nightfall.

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