The Henson Journals

[182]

3rd Sunday after Epiphany, January 25th, 1925.

He [the historian of religion] may well wonder at the sureness of spiritual instinct with which the great Christian theologians selected amongst and interpreted the materials of revelation. It would have been easy for them, for instance, to interpret much of the figurative language used even by our Lord Himself in enforcing the need of earnestness & importunacy in asking, so as to support quite primitive and degraded conceptions of prayer. And, as a matter of fact, popular Christianity has very often yielded to this temptation, and with unconscious blasphemy has literalised the hyperbole of some of our Lord's parables into an advocacy & defence of practices which are hardly distinguishable from such magical perversions as the prayer–wheel of the Buddhists. Yet it would be impossible, I think, to find a single instance of such an aberration in any of the great teachers who have shaped the Christian doctrine of prayer.

A.L. Lilley. 'Prayer in Christian Theology' p. 10.

[183]

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. We numbered 7 communicants in all.

The 'Observer' reported that Asquith was to become Earl of Oxford. I wrote to him a brief letter of congratulation. Also I wrote to the Bishop of Worcester.

Then I completed the reading through of Lilley's "Prayer in Christian Theology". It is a most excellent piece of work, & very suggestive of thought.

I walked round the Park with the dogs after lunch. They fell in with a black cat hard by the bridge over the Gaunless, &, of course, there was a mighty fracas. I feared a tragedy, but happily Pussy took to a friendly tree, and mocked her baffled & clamourous adversaries from a safe altitude. The ferocity which is stirred in otherwise amiable creatures by the sight of a quite pretty & harmless cat is really astonishing.

Ella went out with me to Witton Park, where I preached at Evensong. The hideous little church was well–filled, and the congregation listened with exemplary attention. Birney is evidently getting hold of those rough people. I was pleased with all I saw and heard.

After the service we returned forthwith to the Castle. The weather was mild and wet.

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