The Henson Journals

[132]

Wednesday, February 19th, 1930.

The new vicar of St. John's, Darlington came to lunch. His name is Stephens, and his main spiritual experience has been in the air force! He is a large man, tall and well proportioned, with a rather heavy countenance, which could easily become sullen.

I walked in the Park after lunch, & came upon a company of at least 15 magpies. There was so mighty a chattering in a tree that I clapped my hands, whereat the noisy fowl emerged, & I counted them as they flew.

Ella, Pattinson, and I motored to Durham, where I instituted the new vicar, Pickering to St. Nicholas. There was a considerable gathering of the clergy from the rural deanery, including 3 of the canons from the cathedral, Lillingston, as Rural Dean, inducted him. The congregation filled the church, and in it was the Mayor of Durham. I had taken pains to prepare notes for my address on the text – "Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. And God hath set some in His Church". I spoke about the church, and particularly about the Church of England. We returned to Auckland after the service.

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