Sta,—Really Mr. Betjeman begs a very big question in A
Spectator's Notebook last week. I do not know the Rector of Sandwich, who has charge of all three of Sandwich's churches. I do not know if the other two are full of devout worshippers Sunday by Sunday, and much used for private prayer and public worship on a weekday. That surely would be the best witness to God among us. But if the Rector of Sandwich proclaims God's word to a few people only; if his church accounts are hard to balance because of the paucity of congregations and givers; if he is to decide whether, on the ene hand, to spend much of his life looking after dead stones, or on the other hand, caring for living people; then the more beautiful the stones, the harder it is to decide in favour of the care of the people.
All over our country churches are standing, ruined quickly by bombs, or slowly by beetles, and not rebuilt or repaired because not enough people are interested. The Historic Churches Fund will provide a temporary palliative, but the return of large congregations would see them all rebuilt and repaired. An 'unused church bears no better witness to God than a museum.—Yours faithfully,
W. 15. OLDAKER
Milner Court, Sturry, Canterbury
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