The Henson Journals
Sun 16 November 1913
Volume 19, Pages 58 to 59
[58]
26th Sunday after Trinity, November 16th, 1913.
We endeavoured to follow Christianity in the depth of its distinction between right & wrong. Herein this religion is of priceless value. Philosophy proclaims the unity of our nature. To philosophy every passion is as natural as every act of saintlike negation, & one of the usual effects of thinking or philosophising is to bring together all that is apparently contrary in man, & to show how it proceeds really from one centre. But Christianity had not to propound a theory of man; it had to redeem the world. It laid awful stress on the duality in us, & the stress laid on that duality is the world's salvation. The words right and wrong are not felt now as they were felt by Paul. They shade off one into the other. Nevertheless, if mankind is not to be lost, the ancient antagonism must be maintained……. No religion, so far as I know, has dwelt like Christianity with such profound earnestness on the bisection of man.
Mark Rutherford
[59] [symbol]
I attended the morning service, and for the first time heard the Archdeacon preach. It was a strange sermon, almost entirely filled with the legend of St Martin. The delivery was deplorable, explosive shouts failing immediately to whispers, very hard to listen to, & probably dooming most of the congregation to a total ignorance of the meaning of sentences which yet filled the air with clamour. Tucker celebrated, and I received the Holy Communion.
Reggie Still was among the communicants. He and Cyril are staying here for a week! How to keep the dear boys happily occupied is a problem!
In the afternoon the new Mayor (C. Caldcleugh) came in state to the Cathedral, and I preached a special sermon on the Christian theory of government, taking as my text the words of S. Paul: "I bow my knees unto the Father from whom every family in heaven & on earth is named that he would grant you power by His Spirit in the inward man". The Mayor & Corporation with their following formed a numerous company, & there was besides a large congregation, so that the Cathedral had a well–filled appearance. There was a collection for the County Hospital & the Samaritan Society. The amount collected exceeded £24.