The Henson Journals

[195]

2nd Sunday in Lent, March 16th, 1924.

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

From the Sacramentum Gregorianum, where it runs thus:–

Deus qui conspicis omni nos virtute destitui, interius exteriusque custodi: ut ab omnibus adversitatibus muniamur in corpore: et a pravis cogitationibus mundemur in mente. Per &c.

A literal rendering shows how Cranmer improved on the original:

O God who seest that we are destitute of all goodness, keep us outwardly & inwardly: that in body we may be defended from all adversities, & in soul we may be cleansed from evil thoughts.

The language is quite general, but the Epistle (1 Thess: IV. 1.f) gives quite special emphasis to sexual sin. "For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication…. For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification". In the ancient world nothing marked off the Christian more sharply from the general society of his pagan contemporaries than his severity of self–control in matters of sex. But now?

[196]

It occurred to me that I would preach at Rainton on the subject thus clearly indicated by collect & epistle, and I expended most part of the morning in preparing notes for my sermon which I subsequently delivered in West Rainton Church to a considerable congregation of mining folk. I was agreeably surprised to see so many present, & particularly pleased by the too–rare spectacle of a fair gathering of young men. The parson, Rawlins, has an ungracious manner & a harsh voice, but, on his own rather old–fashioned Tractarian lines, he seems to be working. Had it not been for the persistent coughing of a small girl immediately beneath the pulpit, I should have had nothing to complain of in my congregation. There service ended, we returned to Durham, where, after some food with the Bishop of Jarrow, I attended the performance of Rossini's Stabat Mater in the Cathedral, where I sate in the Throne, & pronounced the Benediction. The music is pretty rather than devotional, and the English words that have been substituted for the Latin are almost ludicrously unsuitable. As a musical performance it reflected credit on Precentor & choir.

Old Mr Proud, the coroner, came to tea. He said that he could remember the deer in the Park, and that he had himself caught trout in the Gaunless. He also told me that the contract for the new road into Bishop Auckland had been signed, & said that he did not think any other solution of the road problem here was really practicable.

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