[To - the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
Sta,—As the Anglican Church is at present conducting—and very sluggishly too—a " Recall to Religion" Campaign, and since you yourself published a series of articles on the subject some months ago, we considered this to be an opportune moment at which to write these words.
We, as public-schoolboys who are compelled to attend an Anglican chapel, object to many of the features" of the Anglican Church, and we believe that if these idiosyncrasies were corrected, the Church's campaign would be. unnecessary. Our reforms really mean a thorough reorganisation of the Church, but these are the chief causes that necessitate them : (I) The 'training of the clergy at present seems to instil a desire to " gabble " the prayers, and to preach sermons aimed at some section of the community, i.e., those who drink, or frequent the cinemas, a cetera.
(2) There is no concord of ideas existing among the dig- nitaries of the Church on such matters as divorce, Sunday games, cinemas and the attire of people attending church.
(3) That the paying of the clergy makes them—however sincere they may be—regard religion as their breadwinner, and so destroys' their enthusiasm, which reflects on the Way in which they conduct the services.
(4) The complicated music to which the hymns are set— and the Psalms 'too, but we believe them to be without meaning when applied to the present day—makes the understanding of the words difficult to grasp, and so destroys any effect that they may have.
These are our chief objections, and we believe that religion should be less formal—" more matter with less art "—and that the prayers and hyinm should be continually changed. Also we think that the sermon should be the climax of the service. But as we have already overstepped our space, we would like to keep the rest of our ideas until next week, if you consider this letter worthy of publication We have, though, thought out many detailed ideas which we would like to circulate, as we believe they would help the Church to regain its former respect, and also which would help to keep the numbers of worshippers continually, rising, not just for the present as the Church's campaign will at the most, result in doing.—We remain, Sir, yours sincerely,
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