The Henson Journals

[192]

14th Sunday after Trinity, September 2nd, 1923.

Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This collect, of which the language is almost literally that of St Augustine, is based on the teaching of St Paul as set forth in the passage from the Epistle to the Galatians (v. 16f.) which forms the Epistle for the day. There the Apostle teaches that the Christian life is supernatural, inspired by the Holy Spirit: & that only when we are "led by the Spirit" are we able to gain the victory in the continuing conflict with "the flesh". Apart from this victory, indeed, we are not in any true sense "inheritors of the kingdom of God", for the practice of "the works of the flesh" excludes us from that kingdom. Liberty is the fruit of obedience to the Spirit's leading, and complete self–mastery is the reward of obedience.

This language of St Paul – clear, confident, categorical – is a challenge to the experience of the Christian Church, and not less to the experience of every professed Christian. Are the 2¼ million communicants of the Church of England recognizably superior in the article of personal morality to the rest of the population? If not, can we say that the Pauline theory stands the test of experience? Did not Christ say, " By their fruits ye shall know them "?

[193]

Aleck, Ella and I walked to the parish church, & attended the morning service – Mattins & Holy Communion. We all communicated. The service was simple & reverent: the sermon a disconnected extemporaneous address, which suggested neither thought nor knowledge in the preacher. In the afternoon we attended Evensong at Langridge, where again the service pleased, and the sermon offended me. The preacher could hardly have been sillier or shallower. Afterwards he walked back to Brockham End for tea, & I had some opportunity of appreciating him. M r Fuller has recently retired from the parish of St Chad's, Lichfield, where he held office for no less than 23 years. I remember that Godfrey expressed delight at his departure, and said that his normal subject of preaching was Hell, which he described with much curious detail! He is now the assistant curate of Devizes, & had "exchanged" for the Sunday with the local Rector. The little parish church of Langridge has considerable architectural interest. The late Norman chancel arch has much richness & beauty.

My experiences during the last few months have confirmed my dislike of extemporaneous preaching. It fosters indolence, and conceal failure. I cannot conceive that such sermons as I have listened to could either inform or edify anybody. They certainly asked nothing from the preachers, except, perhaps, a measure of self–conceit. There needs not a professional clergy for such preaching: any pious layman could provide sermons as good or better than those I have listened to.

---