Feb 15/15

My Dear Mother

This letter will be censored so cannot tell you where I am other than that we are at the seat of war and within ear of the big gins though not hear enough to be in the danger zone. I can [?] in my God and see the flash of light in the sky made by the artillery duel constantly going on and hear the boom boom boom of the canon regularly. It is awful to think that every time one hears a boom probably some more souls are sent to their God. One can't conceive what it means to be at war at your distance from the seat of it. The village from which I write was eight days in the hands of the Germans in October. There were driven out by the British and graves all over the fields mark the places where brave men fell. The Church tower was shattered by shells & the interior badly damaged. Many buildings suffered. The cottage where I have my billet is near the Church and the mother and two children took refuge in the cellar. My room was occupied by a wounded German & two German officers were killed near here & the woman of this house went out with Coffer a third who was wounded. One does not see a young man in any of these villages stall. They are all fighting, dead or wounded. We had two men killed on the journey. One fell of the train & another fell under it. I got off at --- where one fell & helped amputate his right leg, right arm & left hand. I gave the aesthetic. He could not survive the shock & we buried him at - with full military honours. He came from Hespler, Ontario.

The little boy here speaks English & I am fast learning to speak French. We have lots of fun. I just finished a two page letter to Mabel in French with the help of the boy. These people are very poor and will be glad of the help I can give them by living here.

Sunday I arrived here about 2 P.M. and in the wing held 4 brief services in the farms & haylofts where the men are quartered. They are in about 35 billets & I purpose holding 5 services a night. It is interesting work. I go in, speak a little while to them, sing two hymns, pray & all join in the Lords Prayer. Then I go on to another place. Tonight two men followed me out of the hayloft when I held my own service one to ask me for Baptism, the other to talk with me about spiritual things. I spent today (Monday) visiting the various billets finding where they are (in an area of about 8 sq. miles) and announcing my intention to hold services at night. The boys are very pleased with their beds in straw lofts etc and nearly all are well.

I could tell you many more things but one must keep the censor in mind. I must close with this. Sunday night when I asked at one of my 4 services in a loft what hymn they would lone one fellow suggested, "Lead kindly light." Think of the words & the situation. Outside the pitch dark lit up on the horizon like a brewing thunderstorm with the flare of canon & bursting shells, the accompaniment not that of a swell church organ but the boom boom of the death dealing guns; inside the flickering of a few candles amid the prostrate forms of a hundred men and you will catch a glimpse of the scene & understand how one could preach to boys who will soon move forward to the battle front. I spoke on "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found Call ye upon Him while He is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts & let him return into the Lord & He will have mercy & [?] [?] abundantly pardon." There is probably nothing in this letter to prevent your gaining it to [?] of you wish.

Much love to you all. I hope you are as well as [?] Well and busy and happy in my work

Your loving son

Will