23 JULY 1921, Page 15

London at a public gathering last year. Of no section

of the community is this truer than of many of the beneficed clergy of the Church of England. Poor before the war, some are poverty-stricken to-day, unable to meet the demands society makes on them of housing, feeding, clothing, and 'educating their children. The social ideal of a living wage is far distant from these men, who are doing what all thoughtful people will allow is an important work in a civilized State. How to help these men until the ideal shall be reached is vexing the minds of our bishops to-day. Temporary relief only finds them a few months later in the same state of poverty, for. try how they will, the demands on them cannot be met. To these harassed ones St. John's Foundation School, Leatherhead, which offers free education and maintenance to those who are fortunate enough to secure election, is a priceless boon. It relieves the parent of anxiety, thus promoting the efficiency of the ministers of the Church, and at the same time sends the son of the parsonage out into the world well equipped mentally to fight the battle of life. We notice that the Bishop of London, who is a patron of this institution, was present at the annual festival at the school on July 9th, thus showing that ho recog- nizes the good work the foundation does. In fact, before us as we write is an appeal written by him asking Church people to support by voluntary contributions this necessary method of helping the poor clergy. We sincerely hope this appeal will meet with strong support, for it seems to us that there are few better ways of helping an anxious parent than by giving a first-class education to his son.—I am, Sir, &c.,