The Henson Journals

[119]

Sunday after Trinity, July 6th, 1930, Service in S. Paul's.

The torrid heat continued. I was doubtful whether I would run the risk of going to S. Paul's for I had had a restless night, & felt debilitated. However I yielded to the obvious wishes of Ella and Fearne, and went. [struck through] [We drove in a taxi to the cathedral, a 4/ fare, and arrived an hour before the time of the service. However the bishops were already assembling.] The Bishop of Winchester and I walked in the procession with the mixed multitude of metropolitans and presiding bishops. Then separately came the bishops, walking in the order of seniority in consecration [end]. The Archbishop of Canterbury celebrated, and the Archbishop of York preached the sermon. Temple's discourse was excellent, and excellently delivered. His text was Revelation I.8. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, which is and which was and which is to come, the Almighty"; and his argument was the power of a faith in the Divine Sovereignty to quicken & invigorate human effort.

[120]

Less than half the bishops communicated, but even so, the Archbishop had to consecrate twice. The singing of the hymn, "Glorious Things of Thee are spoken", at the close of the service was most impressive, the whole of the vast congregation joining with much religious ardour. If our problems could be solved by well–arranged pageants, we should do well enough even now!

[Fearne went off to lunch and Ella, who succeeded in perceiving me in the crowd, returned with me by the Underground to Neville Terrace for lunch.

While I was waiting for Ella on the steps of the cathedral, a stout man entering middle life, addressed me. He was my old Westminster sidesman, Gilbert Box, who with his brothers Lionel and Norman, lived in Abingdon street. He now lives in Barking, where he is a sidesman in S. Paul's Church. With him was a boy of 10, whom he introduced to me as his son, Reggie, a choirboy in S. Paul's, Barking.]

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