Several years ago' a reader of The British Weekly wrote this provocative letter to the editor:

"Dear Sir:

It seems ministers feel their sermons are very important and spend a great deal of time preparing them. I have been attending a church service quite regularly for the past 30 years and I have probably heard 3,000 of them. To my consternation, I discovered that I cannot remember a single sermon. I wonder if a minister's time might be more profitably spent on something else?

Sincerely, . . .

For weeks a real storm of editorial responses ensued. The uproar finally was ended by this letter:

"Dear Sir:

I have been married for 30 years. During that time I have eaten 32,850 meals - mostly of my wife's cooking. Suddenly, I have discovered that I cannot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet, I received nourishment from every single one of them. I have the distinct impression that without them, I would have starved to death long ago.

Sincerely, . . .