The Henson Journals

[169]

Friday, March 16th, 1923.

Some, it may be, will knit the Brow, if I should say, that even Holy Scripture itself, sometimes requires an astronomical Interpreter: who else shall…decide the controversy about the Retrocession of the Shadow upon the Dial of Ahaz? When without a miracle that might be many ways done by the meer Fabrick of the Dial…Neither need we fear to diminish a Miracle by explaining it: this Retrocession of the Sun was given as a Sign, so was the Rainbow, which had it appear'd never since, had been miraculous.

Wren's Parentalia p.26.

Sir Christopher Wren was well beyond the obsessions of the XVIIth century when he expressed himself thus in 1657, when he was but 25. I think I will preach about him to the Freemasons on April 15th.

Clayton and I motored to the North Eastern County School, and there, in the school chapel, I confirmed 57 boys. After having tea with a large company of parents & boys, we returned to Auckland.

I read through Wren's Parentalia with a view to estimating the homiletic value of the great Man's Life and Character. On the whole I incline to thing that I "struck oil". He was certainly a 'miracle of a man'.

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