The Cathedral Close

Fourth of Henry Holiday’s original illustrations to “The Hunting of the Snark” by Lewis Carroll. From Fit the Second: The Bellman’s Speech.

For reasons unknown, in preparing the homily for tomorrow, I found myself rereading Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark. The plot follows a crew of ten trying to hunt the Snark, an animal which may turn out to be a highly dangerous Boojum. The poem is dedicated to young Gertrude Chataway, whom Carroll met at the English seaside town Sandown in the Isle of Wight in 1875. Included with many copies of the first edition of the poem was Carroll’s religious tract, An Easter Greeting to Every Child Who Loves “Alice”. 

The ocean map used by the Bellman to lead the snark-hunting expedition seems an apt metaphor for the state of the disciples. Despite all of the teaching and all of their witness, the events of the Crucifixion seem to have erased entirely the map of salvation the Lord had given them. It is, perhaps, equally as apt for our modern world which seems to be bent on likewise forgetting or even erasing the “map” to our own salvation.

After all, the Bellman’s map (above), which, being blank, is equally useful everywhere, unlike normal maps. “Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes! But we’ve got our brave Captain to thank” (So the crew would protest) “that he’s brought us the best– A perfect and absolute blank!”  We can, after all, populate our own map, with our own landmarks and fancies, never mind the actual shoals, reefs and deeps!  Could that be a recipe for a shipwreck?

Well, to see how this somewhat nautical tale ends up, stop in to St. Alban’s, Richmond, Virginia, at 8:30 (Morning Prayer this week) or 11:00 a.m. (Holy Eucharist with music).