The Henson Journals

[79]

6th Sunday after Trinity, July 7th, 1918.

1434th day

The collect prays for grace to "love" God: "Pour into our hearts such love towards thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises". So S. Francis Xavier sings : "My God, I love Thee. Not to gain, The bliss of Thine eternal reign ". A disinterested & spontaneous love, sympathetic & therefore revealing — this, if the Saints speak truly, is a possible sentiment in man towards his Makers. And may not the loveableness of God immanent in the Universe give the key to all those loves of country, birds, flowers, above all of men & women, which hold our hearts so strongly? If we realized this, and in the measure of our realisation, our religion would sum up, & hallow all these partial and distributed affections. There would be no place for Puritanic moroseness, or for ascetical severity, as for antinomian self–abandonment.

[80]

I celebrated in the Lady Chapel, (St John's). The "Second Master" was present, but apparently had no intention of assisting. I sent for him, and bade him "serve". He said that he had come to take the celebration. However, he served. Evidently, the Rubric which orders the Priests to stand "at the north side of the Table" was ignored, for the desk was carefully arranged on the south side! However, I shifted it, & took the rubrical position. The atmosphere of the chapel was asphyxiating. The Mayor & Corporation came to the Cathedral at 11 a.m, when there was a special service in connexion with the Silver Wedding Commemoration, but the School was absent, dispersed by the Influenza, and the congregation was not conspicuously large. I preached from 1. Peter II. 17." Honour all men, Love the Brotherhood, Fear God, Honour the King". The Archdeacon & Mrs Carden came to lunch. I went to the Palace, and prepared notes for a speech about the War.

Ella went with me in the motor to Bodenham, where I preached to a church – full of rustics. There was a collection for Church Army Huts. We returned just in time for the meeting in the Town Hall, which was arranged to start a war–savings week. There was a smaller audience then had been expected, a circumstance probably explicable by the fineness of the evening, (which encouraged walks in the country,), the fear of influenza germs (which are most to be dreaded in promiscuous assemblies,), and the purpose of the meeting (which was nowise agreeable to people who knew themselves to have money, which they ought to lend). I made a speech.

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