Henowreturnedwithfeverishdesperationtohisstudyforthepriesthood-intherecognitionthatthesingle-mindednessofhisaims，andhisfidelitytothecause，hadbeenmorethanquestionableoflate。
HispassionforSuetroubledhissoul；yethislawfulabandonmenttothesocietyofArabellafortwelvehoursseemedinstinctivelyaworsething-eventhoughshehadnottoldhimofherSydneyhusbandtillafterwards。
Hehad，heverilybelieved，overcomealltendencytoflytoliquor-which，indeed，hehadneverdonefromtaste，butmerelyasanescapefromintolerablemiseryofmind。Yetheperceivedwithdespondencythat，takenallround，hewasamanoftoomanypassionstomakeagoodclergyman；theutmosthecouldhopeforwasthatinalifeofconstantinternalwarfarebetweenfleshandspirittheformermightnotalwaysbevictorious。
Asahobby，auxiliarytohisreadingsinDivinity，hedevelopedhisslightskillinchurch-musicandthorough-bass，tillhecouldjoininpart-singingfromnotationwithsomeaccuracy。AmileortwofromMelchestertherewasarestoredvillagechurch，towhichJudehadoriginallygonetofixthenewcolumnsandcapitals。Bythismeanshehadbecomeacquaintedwiththeorganist，andtheultimateresultwasthathejoinedthechoirasabassvoice。
HewalkedouttothisparishtwiceeverySunday，andsometimesintheweek。OneeveningaboutEasterthechoirmetforpractice，andanewhymnwhichJudehadheardofasbeingbyaWessexcomposerwastobetriedandpreparedforthefollowingweek。Itturnedouttobeastrangelyemotionalcomposition。AstheyallsangitoverandoveragainitsharmoniesgrewuponJude，andmovedhimexceedingly。