The Henson Journals

[202]

3rd Sunday in Lent, March 23rd, 1924.

We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

This note of danger is sustained throughout the season, and, indeed, is rarely absent from the collects. The Epistle (Ephes. V If) indicates that the danger specially referred to is that of moral corruption through careless living & loose conversation. it opens with the tremendous exhortation, "Be ye therefore imitators ^[Greek word]^ of God, as beloved children", and names the sacrifice of Christ as a motive for careful living. Then it becomes specific. "But fornication, and all uncleanliness ^[Greek word]^ or covetousness ^[Greek word]^ let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints; nor filthiness ^[Greek word]^ nor foolish talking ^[Greek word]^ or jesting ^[Greek word]^ which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks". Then he adds the warning that all these sins exclude men from "any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God". S. Paul renews his exhortation in very earnest language: "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them: for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of". Was the Apostle referring to some particular obscenities of Pagan worship or generally to the grossness of pagan life?

[203]

The long frost, which has arrested vegetation for six weeks, ended yesterday. This morning was mild and wet.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were eight communicants including William and Frank Berry.

I occupied most of the morning in writing a long letter to Ernest in answer to one from him, in which he asked me some questions about Renan's presentation of the Founder of Christianity.

In spite of the rain I walked round the Park with Cutty. The air was springlike [sic], & the rooks mightily busy with their nesting.

[["Don Juan" is really another example of travel–poetry. In "Childe Harold" the country traversed is the solid earth: in "Don Juan" it is the immaterial soil of human life. Moral situations take the place of historic scenes, & moralisation takes the form of satire. Byron is irretrievably mistaken in his treatment of women. He is at once pagan and Oriental. He had "no use" for women in the serious business of life, & in its pleasures they are the members of a harem. He was very unfortunate in his experience of life – his mother, his half–sister, Lady Melbourne, his wife, Claire, the Venetians.]]

Ella went with me to Byers Green, where I preached at Evensong. The rain was falling fast, and the weather became warm & "muggy". There was the worst possible ventilation, & the church smelt horribly of fresh paint. So I was uncomfortable. We returned to Auckland after the service.

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