s.
I spent the evening with the O.C. of a battery and the night, on my
return, was very dark. One of the battalions had been paid off that
afternoon, and the men, who as usual had been celebrating the event in
an estaminet, were in boisterous spirits. It was so hard to make my
way through the crowd that Dandy got nervous and unmanageable. A young
fellow who recognized me in the dark came up and asked me if I should
like him to lead the horse down the road. I gratefully accepted his
offer. He walked beside me till we came to a bridge, and then he told
me that he had been very much interested in religion since he came to
the war, and was rather troubled over the fact that he had never been
baptised. He said he had listened to my limericks that day, and while
he was listening had determined to speak to me about his baptism. I
arranged to prepare him, and, before the battalion started north, I
baptised him in the C.O.'s. room in a farmhouse. The Adjutant acted as
his godfather. I do not know where the lad is now, or how he fared in
the war, but someday I hope I shall hear from him again. It was often
very difficult, owing to the numbers of men one was meeting, and the
many changes that were continually taking place, to keep track of the
lives of individuals. The revelations of the religious experiences (p. 123)
and the needs of the human soul, which came over and over again from
conversations with men, were always of the greatest help to a chaplain,
and made him feel that, in spite of many discouragements and much
indifference, there was always some soul asking for spiritual help.

The Headquarters of our Division were now at a place called Hooggraaf.
It consisted of a few small houses and a large school kept by nuns.
Huts were run up for the officers and, at a little distance down the
road, a home was built for "C" mess. At one side were some Armstrong
canvas huts, one of which was mine. It was a pleasant place, and being
back from the road was free from dust. Green fields, rich in grain,
spread in all directions. It was at Hooggraaf that the Engineers built
me a church, and a big sign over the door proclaimed it to be "St.
George's Church." It was first used on Easter Day, which in 1916 fell
on the Festival of St. George, and we had very hearty services.

Poperinghe, only two miles away, became our city of refuge. Many of
our units had their headquarters there, and the streets were filled
with our friends. We had many pl