Ecclesiastical riches
Sir: I read your leading article (22 Octo- ber) about the apparent pusillanimity of the Church of England towards the World Council of Churches' grant to the Broadwater Farm Defence Committee with interest.
Surely, what we need is a better Church and so higher standards. At my home in Scotland I lie between two parishes; to the south the minister is young, keen and his earnest brand of Christianity upsets and drives away the agricultural community. The minister to the north talks regularly to an ever-diminishing congregation of his retirement.
Down in England I have met many clergymen and, with splendid exceptions, the standard is uniformly low. Even the bishops seem more political than the generals. On the other hand I know one parson in South Hampshire who preaches to full congregations in all his four chur- ches, but did you know that his salary is lower than that of the security officer on the back door of C & A in Oxford Street?
Over the years I have met many estate agents responsible for the Church Commis- sioners' extensive properties and have been impressed more by their wealth than their ability. Is it a fluke that the Church lands are managed for such odd material gain or does the spectre of Cardinal Wolsey lurk here somewhere?
Recently I reorganised my business by paying a much increased salary to my managers. The quality of management both for business and the people has improved markedly. In this materialistic, late Thatcherite period, do we not need to attract clergy- men of quality who can help us and our children to behave rather better? Does the Church need to be so rich in land and so poor in recompensing the clergy?
Thomas McMicking
32 Peel Street, London W8
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