In the Book of Ecclesiastes it is written “There is no new thing under the sun.” Even our word “invent” in its Latin derivation means “find “—not “create.” However, if we can say or write nothing “new,” we can nevertheless ‘take stock’ of our position now and then, question our premises, test our foundations, and see what is transient and what is abiding in the faith that is in us upon any given subject. Some sort of “spring-cleaning” is a good, if an uncomfortable operation, for all of us, particularly at this period of our English year. Let us see if our mental shoots and blossoms are likely to wither or to be fruitful.