The Henson Journals

[124]

Palm Sunday, March 29th, 1931.

A white frost and a brilliant morning. I celebrate the Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m. in the Chapel. Charles served, and we were 8 communicants in all. The beauty of the Chapel in the morning sun–light grows on me. It is not the least of my privileges.

I spent most part of the morning in making notes of a sermon preached 20 years ago in S. Margaret's Westminster, on "the discipline of suffering" from Hebrews ii.10,11. "For it became Him, for Whom are all things, & through Whom are all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through Sufferings." It occurred to me that this subject would accord well, not only with the suggestions of Palm Sunday, but also with the special purpose (dedicating memorial gifts) which will bring me to Kelloe tonight. Memorial gifts recall the suffering of bereavement, & thus raise the moral potency of such experience. Very regretfully I am being driven to the conclusion that, if one is to arrest the attention of these mining congregations, one must preach "extemporaneously". The habit of a life–time makes such preaching both distasteful and difficult, but 'needs must when the devil drives'. So I have to mangle & mutilate compositions which cost me thought & care.

[125]

Ella & Fearne accompanied me to South Church, for the annual Confirmation. The candidates numbered 171, and were fairly distributed between the sexes. They came from the parishes of Bishop Auckland, Coundon, & Byers Green. Everything was satisfactory except the atmosphere, which was heated and poisonous. I exhorted the Churchwardens to have the Church ventilated before Easter, when I have promised to preach there. They seemed rather surprised that I had not enjoyed the warmth!!

Ella and Charles went with me to Kelloe, where at Evensong, I dedicated some sanctuary lamps & a stained glass window presented to the Church by Wood, the local mine owner, in memory of his sister. The church was densely crowded: my sermon was dreadfully handicapped by the persistent coughing of two small boys, far too young to understand it, but quite old enough to have strong voices! Dr Short, the Rector, is large, florid eccentric man, whose pastoral capacity is probably not increased by his zeal as a Freemason. His wife's death, which happened recently, will not assist. On returning to the Castle, I found a note from Walters indicating his acceptance of Gateshead Fell. This vacates St Peter's, Bishop Auckland, of which the patronage is vested in the Crown.

---