IN two parish magazine articles about Freemasonry, I have sought to make a serious contribution to the present debate.

I was disappointed therefore that Mr Norman Pickles, the press officer for East Lancashire's Freemasons, (Letters, May 15), should make remarks of a personal nature which may detract from a consideration of the issues.

Mr Pickles is aware, not least through a conversation we held which lasted for almost two hours, of the care I have taken in writing about Freemasonry.

I was however pleased that he recognised that central to my concerns is the matter of whether it is appropriate for Christians to participate in Masonic rites, prayers and hymns, from which the name of Jesus has been deliberately excluded. That those from different backgrounds should meet and work together for the common good is something which I fully support. How this is best done may be debated, although in my opinion it should include women as well as men.

I am puzzled that he should think I have written about Freemasonry in order to obtain 'personal publicity.' If such publicity was my aim I could think of less stressful and more enjoyable ways of going about it.

Moreover, it was Mr Pickles who forwarded to you my first magazine article and, therefore, brought my comments to wider public attention.

THE REV JOHN CORBYN, St Gabriel's Vicarage, Pleckgate Road, Blackburn.

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