The Henson Journals
Sun 26 January 1930
Volume 49, Pages 91 to 92
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3rd Sunday after Epiphany, January 26th, 1930.
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A white frost. I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. We numbered 9 communicants including three Brydens.
I prepared notes for an "extemporaneous" sermon at Witton Park, and then wrote to Jack Boden. His "Modern Churchmen's Union Pamphlets', of which he had sent me the first two' advance specimens' are poisonous productions. I expressed myself with frankness.
A Canadian Archdeacon (retired) named Hayes, who had preached in S. Anne's as a deputation for S.P.G. came to tea. I inquired about the Union of Churches in Canada, & he said that it but added one more Church! The Presbyterian minorities did sometimes represent the wealth of the Church. In some cases they were joining the Anglicans, & raising the usual difficulty about Confirmation. His account of Prohibition in U.S.A. was amusing. At Chicago he had asked for a magazine, & was brought a bottle of whisky! Inadvertently he had used the current bootlegging term. He said that the Archbishop of New Westminster, having to attend a meeting on the American side of the Niagara river, had accepted the courteous proposal of some motorists to carry him over [92] [symbol] the bridge. When he thanked the motorist, he was somewhat disconcerted to learn that he had been sitting on a large consignment of whisky! In spite of himself, he had played the bootlegger! He described the system now established in Canada as "ideal".
I went to Witton Park, & preached at Evensong. This is a derelict parish with a very bad name: most of the people are unemployed. There was a good congregation. The choir consisted of 15 boys, 10 young women, 10 young men, and 14 members of the Mothers' Union. The behaviour was exemplary, & the singing of the anthem quite creditable. After the service I was introduced to a number of women who voluntarily wash & clean the church. Evidently the Vicar has got hold of the people. Birney was one of Lomax's young men. He has had no academic training. I myself ordained him to the diaconate in 1919, & to the priesthood on 1921. I appointed him to Witton Park in 1924. He is an example of a clerical type as rare as it is valuable.