HARD ON MRS GRUNDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 78, 2 April 1927, Page 23

HARD ON MRS GRUNDY.

WOMEN WHO STOP AT NOUGHT. EXCOMMUNICATION HINT. "When two women, or .1 group of women. get up against each other they will stop at nothing," said the Rev. T. P. Stevens, vicar of St. Matthew's, Xcw Kent Road, London. lie was explaining why he has announced to his parishioners that if a scandalmonger does real harm she will be mentioned from the pulpit. "I would not hesitate a moment," ho said. "I would also report the offender to the Bishop, who would have the power to ex-communicate, her. But it would have to be a serious case. "Women cau lie without " . <-\c it. I believe it then springs fi ■ desire to be interesting. Some womt ■ morally defective in this respect. The? can go on saying things about other people until they really believe them to be trio. "Scandalmongers get into the Church simply because the Church receives everybody. "It often happens that certain women will do church work without any trouble coming out of it, until one day a bright young girl or more attractive young woman uppeara among them. "The middle-aged women will suddenly seem to be filled with rancour. Perhaps they arc jealous of her superior attractiveness, or it may be that they are just soured with life generally. "If the clergyman is unmarried then two women, each with designs upon him. will spread the most amazing talcs about each other. "My advice is. if a scandal spread about you is not serious,ignore it. If it is serious go and face the scandalmonger and have it out. "I have not said what I have said because my parish is specially affected. It is not. The people in it work too hard to have time to spread talcs. "The suburbs where women have less to do suffer much more. ' "I should never have raised the subject but for the fact it was mentioned recently at a conference in the parish. "It was in commenting on what was then said about scandalnionjrering generally that I made the statement in the parish magazine about naming biisybodice from the pulpit.* .