Deakin maintained an "enigmatic public silence" on the Reid Government's actions, particularly during the long parliamentary recess from December 1904 to June 1905. During this time he seriously considered leaving politics. He had been engaged to write monthly anonymous articles for the "National Review", in addition to his weekly articles for the "Morning Post". However, his primary interest was in religion, particularly the role of the preacher. He met with Salvation Army founder William Booth on a number of occasions, even chairing one of Booth's meetings at the Royal Exhibition Building. In his notebooks he drafted sermons and "weighed the religious against the political life, the preacher against the legislator, and both against the ultimate purpose of existence". Late in 1904, Deakin purchased at Point Lonsdale. He named the property "Ballara" and moved a wooden house onto the land, which served as a holiday home for the rest of his life.