The Henson Journals

[115]

5th Sunday in Lent, March 22nd, 1931.

A mild beautiful morning with much jubilation of nesting birds, and a final disappearance of the snow.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. We numbered but 6 communicants. The Gospel as history is intolerable: as an interpretation of history luminous & satisfying. Christ could not have actually spoken thus to the Jews: but the Words attributed to Him do sum up most truly the essential meaning of His intercourse with them, & of their rejection of Him.

I finished and despatched a letter to William. It occurred to me that it might be judicious for me to inform myself of the facts about this crisis in the College of Medicine from an independent source. So I wrote to Sir William Marris suggesting an interview.

Ella went with me to West Hartlepool, where I preached in S. Paul's Church at Evensong. My text was S. John viii. 46. "Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do you not believe me?" There was a considerable congregation, and, though there were certainly many bad colds, there was quite a reasonably close attention. We returned to Auckland after the service.

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