17 MAY 1986, Page 24

Moustache warning

Sir: Alan Watkins's warning (Diary, 3 May) to be suspicious of clergymen with mous- taches because 'they are usually unba- lanced evangelicals' reminds me of the way I was taught as a young man to distinguish between the three Anglican missionary societies.

High Church SPG (as it then was): Shaven Priest's Guild.

Low Church CMS: Clerical Moustache Society. Extreme evangelical BCMS (started by a chap called Daniel Bartlett): Bartlett's Conception of a Missionary Society.

Edgar Brennan 12 Cantley Gardens, London SE19