THE CALL OF THE CHURCH [To the Editor of the
SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—I think the letter of Mr. Jethro Sable in your issue of January 24th raises a vital point, and explains the reason why the Church of England is losing grip—because so many English clergymen fail in their parochial duties. I am par- ticularly interested by his reference to Westminster. This district, as far as I remember, has six churches. I was some years ago on the staff of a hostel in Westminster which was run by a society connected with the Church of England, and practically all the seventy resident young girls were members of the Established Church. During the year that I was there no clergymen ever paid us a pastoral visit. In fact, when one member of the staff died suddenly we had quite a lot of trouble in getting a clergyman to come and conduct a short service in our little chapel. But before I came there a clergyman had called to point out to the Head that he would be quite unable to spare any time on us at all.
As a member of the Church of Ireland, may I advance the heretical idea that clerical energy might be better used in personally seeking out church members, than in multi- plication of unattractive services ?—I am, Sir, &c.,
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