(I)

Robert Keable’s death requires a remembrance in Blackfriars, where almost first of anywhere, the writings of the new Keable found place. It was at the time of the founding of Blackfriars that he came in contact with those who were busy with its beginnings. He welcomed it, and was always its friend.

The friendship began in this way. His book, Standing-by, had been given me, and had captivated me, being, so I thought at the time, so I still think, the most admirable study of the War from the standpoint of religion, with its insistence on the two types of Christianity, Catholic and the Y.M.C.A., that is, the priestly religion, authoritative and sacramental, and the religion of clubs, libraries, gramophones, and cups of tea. Under the spell of the book, I wrote to thank the author in a letter of gratitude, addressed to him care of his publishers. For a couple of months I heard nothing. When I had forgotten all about my letter, written, it must be confessed, under the first emotion of the book’s beautiful style and exquisite language and delicate austerity of idea, I was pleasantly reminded of it by a very long answer, full of personal explanation and dated from Basutoland, whither Robert Keable had returned with his labour battalion when the War was done. In that letter one phrase of it may bear quotation: ‘Please pray, that I who have had the light to see the Vision may have the courage to follow it.’