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When the written word appears before us in its simplicity – then we see that in the joy of expression we may have lost the honesty of thought which alone makes writing worth while. There is no right and wrong way – the choice is between two terrible wrongs and the most gifted and well informed people will hesitate before coming down on either side. The events of the next few days might help us to decide – in the meantime prayer and honest desire to do God’s will are the only things left to us.

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September 26^th 1938

The chief emotions today are great anxiety, fear, spiritual loneliness. Of actual physical danger there is very little fear; men are prepared to sacrifice themselves for something which they believe is greater than themselves for many peoples, the greatest fear is that this civilisation which in spite of all its deficiencies, embraces so much loveliness and embodies the hopes and dreams of so many individuals, shall be swept away and that in it place we may see a mechanically perfect but soulless and inhuman Godless society.

[NB: In 1938 Hitler invaded the Sudetenland. On September 28, Chamberlain appealed to Hitler for a conference. Hitler met the next day, at Munich. with the chiefs of governments of France, Italy and the United Kingdom. The Czechoslovak government was neither invited nor consulted. On 29 September, the Munich Agreement was signed by Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Whether this has anything to do with the above dedication or not I do not know. WBG.]