The Henson Journals

[168]

Septuagesima, February 17th, 1924.

O Lord, we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayer of thy people; that we, who are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

Amen

The collect is a rendering from the Sarum, the phrase "by thy goodness" being inserted, and the doxological ending being added. I celebrated the Holy Communion in the chapel at 8.30 a.m. William communicated. The chapel was mortally cold.

The first note of the disciplinary season is struck today. Septuagesima leads in the vestibule of Lent. It carries us back to first principles in the Lessons, and forces us to face the facts in epistle & gospel. The practical disappearance of "Heaven" and "Hell" from the scheme of modern Christianity has robbed the preacher of his most effective weapon. "Lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" – how is this terrifying sentence to be understood, and interpreted now? It wants for its sufficient exegesis, what S. Paul did certainly possess, – the sure proposal of "the great white throne", and the Judge, who will render to every man "his praise from God". But how can these tremendous assumptions be any longer securely, or reasonably, or usefully made?

[169]

Beautiful!

How beautiful is all this visible world!

How glorious in its action and itself!

But we, who name ourselves its sovereigns, we,

Half dust, half deity, alike unfit

To sink or soar, with our mixed essence make

A conflict of its elements, and breathe

The breath of degradation and of pride,

Contending with low wants and lofty will,

Till our Mortality predominates,

And men are – what they name not to themselves,

And trust not to each other.

Manfred. 36 – 47 (iv.95)

It is impossible to separate the personality of Byron from his poetry. His enormous egotism clothes every personal experience with such importance in his eyes, that he uttered it inevitably in his poetry. Therefore much turns on the question of his guilt in the dismal mystery of his domestic collapse: and, apart from clear evidence of his innocence, his verse is strong evidence of his guilt.

I motored to West Hartlepool, and there preached in the Mission Church of St Luke to a congregation plainly suffering from suppressed influenza! I picked up Clayton, and returned to Auckland immediately after the service.

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