Raymond, darling, you have gone from our world, and _oh_, to ease the pain. I want to know if you are happy, and that you _yourself_ are really talking to me and no sham. "No more letters from you, my own dear son, and I have loved them so. They are all there; we shall have them typed together into a sort of book. "Now we shall be parted until I join you there. I have not seen as much of you as I wanted on this earth, but I do love to think of the bits I have had of you, specially our journeys to and from Italy. I had you to myself then, and you were so dear. "I want to say, dear, how we recognise the glorious way in which you have done your duty, with a certain straight pressing on, never letting anyone see the effort, and with your fun and laughter playing round all the time, cheering and helping others. You know how your brothers and sisters feel your loss, and your poor father!" * * * * * The religious side of Raymond was hardly known to the family; but among his possessions at the Front was found a small pocket Bible called "The Palestine Pictorial Bible" (Pearl 24mo), Oxford University Press, in which a number of passages are marked; and on the fly-leaf, pencilled in his writing, is an index to these passages, which page I copy here:-- PAGE Ex. xxxiii. 14 63 St. John xiv. 689 Eph. ii. 749 Neh. i. 6, II 337 St. John xvi. 33 689 Rom. viii. 35 723 St. Matt. xi. 28 616 Ps. cxxiv. 8 415 Ps. xliii. 2 468 Deut. xxxiii. 27 151 Deut. xxxii. 43 150 Isa. li. 12 473 Isa. lii. 12 474 Jude 24 784 Ezra ix. 9 335 Isa. xii. 2 451 Isa. i. 18 445 Isa. xl. 31 467 Rev. vii. 14 788 Rev. xxi. 4 795 MIZPAH. Gen. xxxi. 49. R. L. 14/8/15 The following poem was kindly sent me by Canon Rawnsley, in acknowledgment of a Memorial Card:-- OUR ANGEL-HOST OF HELP IN MEMORY OF RAYMOND LODGE, WHO FELL IN FLANDERS, 14 SEPT. 1915 "_His strong young body is laid under some trees on the road from Ypres to Menin._" [From the Memorial Card sent to friends.] 'Twixt Ypres and Menin night and day The poplar trees in leaf of gold Were whispering either side the way Of sorrow manifold, --Of war that never should have been, Of war that still perforce must be, Till in what brotherhood can mean The nations all agree. But where they laid your gallant lad I heard no sorrow in the air, The boy who gave the best he had That others good might share. For golden leaf and gentle grass They too had offered of their best To banish grief from all who pass His hero's place of rest.