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exclusions。 Mahometanism with its fierce proselytism； has； I
suppose； the blackest record of uncharitableness； but most of the
Christian sects are tainted； tainted to a degree beyond any of the
anterior paganisms； with this same hateful quality。 It is their
exclusive claim that sends them wrong； the vain ambition that
inspires them all to teach a uniform one…sided God and be the one
and only gateway to salvation。 Deprecation of all outside the
household of faith； an organised undervaluation of heretical
goodness and lovableness； follows； necessarily。 Every petty
difference is exaggerated to the quality of a saving grace or a
damning defect。 Elaborate precautions are taken to shield the
believer's mind against broad or amiable suggestions； the faithful
are deterred by dark allusions； by sinister warnings； from books；
from theatres； from worldly conversation； from all the kindly
instruments that mingle human sympathy。 For only by isolating its
flock can the organisation survive。
Every month there came to my mother a little magazine called； if I
remember rightly； the HOME CHURCHMAN； with the combined authority of
print and clerical commendation。 It was the most evil thing that
ever came into the house； a very devil； a thin little pamphlet with
one woodcut illustration on the front page of each number； now the
uninviting visage of some exponent of the real and only doctrine and
attitudes； now some coral strand in act of welcoming the
missionaries of God's mysterious preferences； now a new church in
the Victorian Gothic。 The vile rag it was！ A score of vices that
shun the policeman have nothing of its subtle wickedness。 It was an
outrage upon the natural kindliness of men。 The contents were all
admirably adjusted to keep a spirit in prison。 Their force of
sustained suggestion was tremendous。 There would be dreadful
intimations of the swift retribution that fell upon individuals for
Sabbath…breaking； and upon nations for weakening towards Ritualism；
or treating Roman Catholics as tolerable human beings； there would
be great rejoicings over the conversion of alleged Jews； and
terrible descriptions of the death…beds of prominent infidels with
boldly invented last words；the most unscrupulous lying； there
would be the appallingly edifying careers of 〃early piety〃
lusciously described； or stories of condemned criminals who traced
their final ruin unerringly to early laxities of the kind that leads
people to give up subscribing to the HOME CHURCHMAN。
Every month that evil spirit brought about a slump in our mutual
love。 My mother used to read the thing and become depressed and
anxious for my spiritual welfare； used to be stirred to
unintelligent pestering。 。 。 。
2
A few years ago I met the editor of this same HOME CHURCHMAN。 It
was at one of the weekly dinners of that Fleet Street dining club；
the Blackfriars。
I heard the paper's name with a queer little shock and surveyed the
man with interest。 No doubt he was only a successor of the purveyor
of discords who darkened my boyhood。 It was amazing to find an
influence so terrible embodied in a creature so palpably petty。 He
was seated some way down a table at right angles to the one at which
I sat； a man of mean appearance with a greyish complexion； thin；
with a square nose； a heavy wiry moustache and a big Adam's apple
sticking out between the wings of his collar。 He ate with
considerable appetite and unconcealed relish； and as his jaw was
underhung； he chummed and made the moustache wave like reeds in the
swell of a steamer。 It gave him a conscientious look。 After dinner
he a little forced himself upon me。 At that time； though the shadow
of my scandal was already upon me； I still seemed to be shaping for
great successes； and he was glad to be in conversation with me and
anxious to intimate political sympathy and support。 I tried to make
him talk of the HOME CHURCHMAN and the kindred publications he ran；
but he was manifestly ashamed of his job so far as I was concerned。
〃One wants；〃 he said； pitching himself as he supposed in my key； 〃to
put constructive ideas into our readers； but they are narrow； you
know； very narrow。 Very。〃 He made his moustache and lips express
judicious regret。 〃One has to consider them carefully； one has to
respect their attitudes。 One dare not go too far with them。 One
has to feel one's way。〃
He chummed and the moustache bristled。
A hireling； beyond question； catering for a demand。 I gathered
there was a home in Tufnell Park； and three boys to be fed and
clothed and educated。 。 。 。
I had the curiosity to buy a copy of his magazine afterwards； and it
seemed much the same sort of thing that had worried my mother in my
boyhood。 There was the usual Christian hero； this time with mutton…
chop whiskers and a long bare upper lip。 The Jesuits； it seemed；
were still hard at it； and Heaven frightfully upset about the Sunday
opening of museums and the falling birth…rate； and as touchy and
vindictive as ever。 There were two vigorous paragraphs upon the
utter damnableness of the Rev。 R。 J。 Campbell； a contagious
damnableness I gathered； one wasn't safe within a mile of Holborn
Viaduct； and a foul…mouthed attack on poor little Wilkins the
novelistwho was being baited by the moralists at that time for
making one of his big women characters； not being in holy wedlock；
desire a baby and say so。 。 。 。
The broadening of human thought is a slow and complex process。 We
do go on； we do get on。 But when one thinks that people are living
and dying now； quarrelling and sulking； misled and misunderstanding；
vaguely fearful； condemning and thwarting one another in the close
darknesses of these narrow cultsOh； God！ one wants a gale out of
Heaven； one wants a great wind from the sea！
3
While I lived at Penge two little things happened to me； trivial in
themselves and yet in their quality profoundly significant。 They
had this in common； that they pierced the texture of the life I was
quietly taking for granted and let me see through it into realities
realities I had indeed known about before but never realised。 Each
of these experiences left me with a sense of shock； with all the
values in my life perplexingly altered； attempting readjustment。
One of these disturbing and illuminating events was that I was
robbed of a new pocket…knife and the other that I fell in love。 It
was altogether surprising to me to be robbed。 You see； as an only
child I had always been fairly well looked after and protected； and
the result was an amazing confidence in the practical goodness of
the people one met in the world。 I knew there were robbers in the
world； just as I knew there were tigers； that I was ever likely to
meet robber or tiger face to face seemed equally impossible。
The knife as I remember it was a particularly jolly one with all
sorts of instruments in it； tweezers and a thing for getting a stone
out of the hoof of a horse； and a corkscrew； it had cost me a
carefuly accumulated half…crown； and amounted indeed to a new
experience in knives。 I had had it for two or three days； and then
one afternoon I dropped it through a hole in my pocket on a footpath
crossing a field between Penge and Anerley。 I heard it fall in the
way one does without at the time appreciating what had happened；
then； later； before I got home； when my hand wandered into my pocket
to embrace the still dear new possession I found it gone； and
instantly that memory of something hitting the ground sprang up into
consciousness。 I went back and commenced a search。 Almost
immediately I was accosted by the leader of a little gang of four or
five extremely dirty and ragged boys of assorted sizes and slouching
carriage who were coming from the Anerley direction。
〃Lost anyt