Sunday 3 .P.M

Feb 4th 1917

My Dear - Dear Betty:

I suppose you will be just about finished or just at your breakfast & I am sitting by a window overlooking "Picadilly (after having had a rather good dinner) to write a few lines to you & send you & the kiddies a few more picture post cards I do hope that you receive them all - & that the submarines do not get them, things are getting kind of serious now, are they not? - let's hope that the U.S.A. take their stand with us & help us to "chain & muzzle the Beast of Russianism." This morning I went to see St Paul's & attended the service - again I can only say it was beautiful - impressive, inspiring & solemn - the music was great I sat right under the vast dome - the sermon was a masterpiece, by the Bishop of London he spoke from the Text in Revn "And God shall wipe a way all tears from their eyes etc" A word of glorious hope for the Future & a word of sweetest comfort in the present points (1) The use of sorrow etc = "to make perfect" II Those who mourn able to comfort others. III Another result of Sorrow etc [?] After the service I passed into the choir channel for the Communion Service, & I sat or knelt right opposite the royal pew in which there were the Duke & Duchess of Connaught with Princess Patricia - Princess Victoria & her Mother Queen Alexander & Princess Mary daughter of King George, there were others whose faces were familiar but whom I could not name, & when the people passed up for communion to the alter rail I was amongst the first lot - after the Royal Party had taken their places, the vacant places were filled up by any soldiers present, & I found myself kneeling by the side of the Princess Patricia - it was a service I shall long remember, they used the old cups etc = I suppose some of our Emerson Baptists friends would think that I had wandered from grace if they heard this, but I do know I seemed to get very near the heart of things & very close to God, as I knelt & sat thro the services, after the service I wandered arround a little to see the tombs & monuments, our great soldiers & sailors lie burried here, chief of whom are Wellington - Nelson - Napier & General Gordon with a memorial tablet to Kitchener. Am going back to Camp in a hour or so after a quiet but delightful holiday & will write you further of course from Seaford. God bless you all sweetheart, fondest love to my dear wife & Shirley & Billy

from Daddy