God, A Hound?

The Rev. Mark J. McNeal S.J., who was one of the successors of Lafcadio Hearn in the Chair of English Literature at the Tokyo Imperial University, in an interesting article recounts the following incident of his experience in that institution. “I was seated on the examining board with professor Ichikawa, the dean of the English department….There entered the room a student whom I recognised as among the best in the class, a sharp young chap with Mongolian eyes, and one who had never, to my knowledge, given any hint or even a leaning toward Christianity. I remembered, however, that his thesis submitted for a degree had been a study of Francis Thompson. Following the usual custom, I began to question him about his thesis. “‘Why did you choose Thompson?’ “‘Well, he is quite a famous poet.’ “‘What kind of poet is he?’ “‘We might call him a mystic.’ “‘Is he a mystic of the orthodox sort, like cynewulf or crashaw; or an unorthodox mystic, like Blake or Shelley?’ “‘Oh, he’s orthodox.’ “‘Well, now, what do you consider his greatest production?’ “‘Why, I should say “The Hound of Heaven.’ “‘Well, what on earth does Thompson mean by that Hound?’ “‘He means God.’ “‘But is not that a rather irreverent way for Thompson to be talking about God, calling Him a hound? What does he mean by comparing God to a hound?’ “‘Well, he means the pursuit of God.’ “‘Oh, I see, Thompson is pursuing God, is he? “‘Oh no. He is rather running away from God.’ “‘Well, then, God is pursuing Thompson, is that it?’ “‘Yes, that’s it?’ “‘But, see here; according to Thompson’s belief, God is everywhere, isn’t He.’ “Yes.’ “‘Well then, how can God be going after Thompson? Is it a physical pursuit?’ “‘No. It is a moral pursuit.’ “‘A moral pursuit! What’s that? What is God after?’ “‘He is after Thompson’s Love.’