The Henson Journals

[23]

Friday, December 20th, 1918.

Dr Paterson came for the last time, and, when he had gone his way, I got up to resume a more normal manner of living. I walked with Ernest in the garden. The wind last night snapped off a great part of the poplar tree by the river–bank.

I read again Burnet's"Discourse of the Pastoral Care". How admirable it is, & how informing & characteristic! There is an impulsiveness about the bustling bishop, which goes far to make him almost loveable.

"In short, the being able to state rightly the grounds of our hope, & the terms of salvation, and the having a clear & ready view of the new covenant in Christ Jesus, is of such absolute necessity, that it is a profaning of orders, and a defiling of the sanctuary, to bring any into it, that do not rightly understand this matter in its whole extent".

His notion of a clergyman's recreation is sufficiently simple:

"His friends and his garden ought to be his chief diversions, as his study and his parish ought to be his chief employments. He must still carry on his study: making himself an absolute master of the few books he has, till his circumstances grow larger, that he can purchase more".

[24]

K. gave a most excellent address in the chapel, not only eminently sound and suitable in itself, but very persuasive, and giving the impression of sincerity. I could wish such an address were given to all the Ordination Candidates throughout the country.

Burnet comments on the fact that the question as to being "inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost" is asked only in the Office of deacons:–

"This is put only in this office, & not repeated afterwards; it being justly supposed, that where one has had this motion, all the other orders may be in time conferred, pursuant to it: but this is the first step by which a man dedicates himself to the service of God, & therefore it ought not to be made by any that has not this Divine vocation. Certainly the answer that is made to this ought to be well considered: for if any says, "I trust so", that yet knows nothing of any such motion, & can give no account of it, he lies to the Holy Ghost, & makes his first approach to the altar with a lie in his mouth, & that not to men, but to God".

This is very terrible, and sets one on a train of self–questioning reminiscence, not very consolatory.

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