The Henson Journals

[113]

4th Sunday after Trinity, July 13th, 1924.

O God, the protector of all that trust thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord.

Amen

One of the supreme merits of the Collects is their avoidance of specific petitions. These must ever have an element of presumption, for we are no longer content to place ourselves into God's Hands with the single desire to "do His Will", but must needs set out to Him in detail our own plans & projects, and call upon Him to approve and assist them. And herein the Collects follow closely the Divinely given model of Christian prayer – the Lord's Prayer. Every human need is included, but no specific demand is allowed. Contrast with this character of the Collects, authenticated by Christ Himself, the prevailing fashion of issuing prayers as part of agitations for what is called (often ridiculously enough) reform. Thus the Bishop of Southwell has ordered the clergy of his diocese to use a form of prayer in the public services of the church invoking the Divine Assistance in his effort to get the diocese divided!

[114] [symbol]

I drove to Westminster, and preached to an immense congregation which filled the Abbey Church. A horrible instrument suspended "before" the preacher, called a "Loud Speaker", is said to magnify his voice so effectively that he can be heard far beyond the limits of the unassisted voice. To the preacher himself the effect is precisely that of speaking in a building with a loud echo. One of the choirboys told me "it sounded as if four persons were speaking together": and, even if the congregation succeeded in hearing me, the process must have been dreadfully unpleasant. On the other hand, a verger stationed in the nave affirmed that I was easily audible to the congregation there. After lunching with the Charleses, I attended Evensong in the Abbey, & was able to judge for myself the effect of the new instrument. I failed to distinguish the preacher's words though the noise was terrifying. Ella and I had tea with Mrs Murray Smith, and paid some unsuccessful calls. Then I returned to the Athenaeum and dined.

The "Sunday Times" refers to my speech on the Liquor Bill as the most notable episode in the week's record of debates in the House of Lords: but the 'Observer' describes my performance disdainfully, and prefers to eulogize the maiden speech of the Bishop of St Alban's.

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