"I RESIGN"

Evening Star, Issue 19774, 26 January 1928, Page 2

"I RESIGN"

VICAR'S SEX TEACHING SENSATIONAL PULPIT ANNOUNCEMENT, The Eev. R. B. Disney, vicar of Beigtove, Leicester, whoso sex teaching to boy and girl candidates for confirmation aroused strong criticism, has caused a sensation by announcing from the pulpit his resignation. He has held the living for fifteen years. “I have resigned the living,” he stated at the end of his sermon, “and shall settle up lay affairs in the parish as quickly as possible before taking a much-needed rest.” Mr Disney’s talks on sex matters aroused much criticism, which was voiced before him at the last meeting of the Parochial Church Council. A guarantee was given by Mr Disney that he would not introduce such teaching into his addresses to young people except with the consent of their parents. This undertaking satisfied all the members of the council except one, Mr Flavill, the people’s warden. He took the complaint to the Bishop of Leicester, who interviewed the vicar. Mr Disney gave a second undertaking that he would not continue his teaching on such matters. The vicar also published letters he had received from former boys and girls in bis classes thanking him for his help. “As a young soldier during the war,” writes one man, “your teaching was invaluable in enabling me to steer clear of many temptations and pitfalls.” A woman wrote: “ You have never to my knowledge failed to teach the subject reverently, and the effect of your teaching has directly helpd me.”