While social revolutionaries were endeavouring to make the most out of Bergson, many leaders of religious thought, particularly the more liberal-minded theologians of all creeds, e.g., the Modernists and Neo-Catholic Party in his own country, showed a keen interest in his writings, and many of them endeavoured to find encouragement and stimulus in his work.  The Roman Catholic Church, however, which still believes that finality was reached in philosophy with the work of Thomas Aquinas, in the thirteenth century, and consequently makes that mediaeval philosophy her official, orthodox, and dogmatic view, took the step of banning Bergson’s three books by placing them upon the Index (Decree of June 1, 1914).

It was arranged by the Scottish Universities that Bergson should deliver in 1914 the famous Gifford Lectures, and one course was planned for the spring and another for the autumn.  The first course, consisting of eleven lectures, under the title of The Problem of Personality, was delivered at Edinburgh University in the Spring of that year.

Then came the War.  The course of lectures planned for the autumn months had to be abandoned.  Bergson has not, however, been silent during the conflict, and he has given some inspiring addresses.  As early as November 4th, 1914, he wrote an article entitled La force qui s’use et celle qui ne s’use pas, which appeared in that unique and interesting periodical of the poilus, Le Bulletin des Armees de la Republique Francaise.  A presidential address delivered in December, 1914, to the Academie des sciences morales et politiques, had for its title La Significance de la Guerre.  This, together with the preceding article, has been translated and published in England as The Meaning of the War.  Bergson contributed also to the publication arranged by The Daily Telegraph in honour of the King of the Belgians, King Albert’s Book (Christmas, 1914).  In 1915 he was succeeded in the office of President of the Academie des Sciences morales et politiques by M. Alexandre Ribot, and then delivered a discourse on The Evolution of German Imperialism.  Meanwhile he found time to issue at the request of the Minister of Public Instruction a delightful little summary of French Philosophy.  Bergson did a large amount of travelling and lecturing in America during the war.  He was there when the French Mission under M. Viviani paid a visit in April and May of 1917, following upon America’s entry into the conflict.  M. Viviani’s book La Mission francaise en Amerique, 1917, contains a preface by Bergson.

Early in 1918 he was officially received by the Academie francaise, taking his seat among “The Select Forty” as successor to M. Emile Ollivier, the author of the large and notable historical work L’Empire liberal.  A session was held in January in his honour at which he delivered an address on Ollivier.