The Henson Journals

[414]

11th Sunday after Trinity, September 3rd, 1916.

762nd day

O God, Who knowest all, have mercy on me, and forgive the thoughts and desires of my heart. Give me grace to perceive the way of Thy service, and to walk therein with a willing mind. Purge my conscience from dead works, and order my steps. Grant unto me a true love of Thy service, & a right knowledge of Thy Will. Grant that the remainder of my life may be governed by Thy Holy Spirit. "Show Thou me the way that I should walk in for I lift up my soul unto Thee". Look not on my old sins, and remember not the sins of my youth, but renew me unto righteousness, though Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen

I celebrated at 8 a.m. Dennett and two of the choirboys were among the communicants. The post brought some interesting letters anent my protest against the Battle–films. An anonymous post–card runs thus:–

'Dear Sir, Thanks for your letter, "A Contrast & a Protest", in the Times. You are a Voice. It is as you say. "And sitting down they watched Him there". "Edinburgh".

Two correspondents dwell on the fact that their wives approved the films. I receive the impression that while men tend to adopt my point of view, women do not, a fact which sets one thinking. The morbidity of feminine grief for the dead is the real factor in the popularity of these spectacles. I am reminded of the morbid developments of the Roman Nunneries, in which the desire to enter into the anguish of our Saviour's Passion occasions the strangest efforts at a literal Passion & Crucifixion. Then there is the popular lust of shocking spectacles, which has already gone to great lengths in the Cinematograph shows. Finally there is virile curiosity, & love of combat.

[412]

'And we must note, that he which affirmeth speech to be necessary among all men throughout the world, doth not thereby import that all men must necessarily speak one kind of language. Even so the necessity of polity & regiment in all churches may be held without holding any one certain form to be necessary in them all. Nor is it possible that any form of polity, much less of polity ecclesiastical, should be good, unless God Himself be the author of it.' Hooker. Ecclest. Polity III. ii. 1

'All that which we have done in the reformation of the Church consisteth in three things; the first is, the condemning of certain erroneous opinions in matters of doctrine; the second, the shaking off of the yoke of papal tyranny: & the third, the removing of abuses and superstitious observations.' Field. 'Of the Church' vol. iv. p. 388

I attended Mattins. Freeman brought me a message from the Chief Constable that there had been a Zeppelin raid on London last night, and that two Zeppelins had been brought down. He had not heard what damage had been done. Cruickshank preached on "The Pharisee and the Publican", a very characteristic sermon, every word of which was indisputably true, and yet provoked in one's mind an eager desire to contradict it! This is the result of a paedagogue's manner, and a bored, rather supercilious voice. Yet the man himself is singularly simple & single–minded. The wet, depressing weather predisposed one to be captious & carping!

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