The Henson Journals

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Sunday, November 17th, 1929.

The roads a sheet of ice, but it had started to rain when I walked to S. Anne's for the service at 8 a.m. I celebrated the Holy Communion, & among the communicants, who were not numerous were Ella, John, and Alexander.

I wrote to Lord Darling giving him, as I promised, the list of the ''Seven Deadly Sins'', on which he has undertaken to write somewhere. I got it from the Prayer Book Dictionary.

Then I prepared a sermon for tonight, writing a prefatory eulogy on Canon Knowlden. This 'hand–to–mouth' preaching cannot be really effective, but in my ill case for the time being I can do no other. While I was thus employed Ella burst into my room in much excitement to call me to gaze on the huge airship R.101 which was sailing over us very low down. The spectacle – as of a vast salmon – was extremely magnifical.

[456]

Pattinson went with me to Hartlepool where at Evensong I preached in the magnificent parish church, which is being well restored by Caröe. The building was unheated save by oil–stoves, which had little effect. The church was open to the elements at the west end save for a very ineffectual door. In this cruel atmosphere it is not to be wondered at that attention was limp & coughing emphatic! I prefaced my sermon by an eulogy on Knowlden.

On my way to S. Hilda's I called at S. Aidan's Vicarage, & expressed my condolence to Mrs Townsend, Knowlden's sister: and promised to officiate at the funeral on Wednesday. Also, I called at Christ Church Vicarage, and saw Canon Poole, who is to succeed Knowlden as Rural Dean. With him I found Shebbeare the Rector of Stanhope, who is to preach at Evensong in Christ Church.

The car skidded more than once on the frozen road.

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