The Henson Journals

[215]

Tuesday, April 22nd, 1930.

Last night I relieved my sleeplessness by reading a book by G. Elliot Smith, 'Human History' which promises to be interesting.

Mr Donald and I walked together after breakfast. He disclosed considerable acquaintance with military books, e.g. Oman's History of the Peninsular War, and Fortescue's History of the British Army.

Ella and I motored to Helensburgh where we first called on her aunt, who is now nearly 90 years old but still intelligent & interested in affairs, and then went on to Rhu, where we had tea with Olive & her family. My god–daughter, Nancy, is now 9⅟₂ years old. Walter Smith, who returns to his duty in Nigeria tonight, has grown to be very stout. He says that there has been trouble in Nigeria, where the native women have looted factories, and stolen much property. There ought to be heavy fines on the districts from which these thieving females came, but he feared that the Labour Government, yielding to the ignorant sentiment of their "tail", would not allow this course. We returned to Dargavel by way of the Erskine Ferry, arriving about 6.15 p.m.

[216]

General Shute's letter about the Service in York Minster on May 4th suggests that expectations as to the character & direction of my sermon are being formed which I may find it difficult, if not impossible, to satisfy:–

"I think in these soft, feminist, peace–at–any–price days, it is good that recognition should be given to the stern and necessary work of the fighting forces. The strong anti–military propaganda of the present is apt to insult the high standard of behaviour now general in the Army, & to forget the unselfish service demanded by soldiers in War."

Something, perhaps, might be made of the congruity between the soldier's profession and the Christian discipleship which has left so deep and impression on S. Paul's writings, and carried so much military language into the vocabulary of the Church. What was it in the Roman Soldier which attracted the Apostle?

[217]

Perhaps, we may say, that 3 things impressed him:–

1. The Roman Soldier was the rampart of order, against the attacks of fanaticism & lawlessness.

2. The Roman Soldier was the embodiment of self–mastery by deliberate discipline.

3. The Roman Soldier accepted the obligation of unlimited self–sacrifice in service.

All these are in some sense true of all soldiers, but the specific duties of the Roman Soldier had in his case made them specially prominent. The Roman Army was the police–force of the civilized world, as well as the garrison of civilization against barbarism.

The British Army has mutatis mutandis the same characters.

Thrre is an apparent resemblance between the role of the Christian in society, and that of the British Soldiers in the Empire: and the type of character is similar. In both cases, efficiency requires, not merely knowledge, but high moral quality – self–subordination to discipline, acceptance of risks, devoted loyalty in service.

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