ABSTRACT
Six years before her crucial intervention at Kentish Town, in May 1973 Elsie Chamberlain had become the second president of the &RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQVXFFHHGLQJ/DG\6WDQVJDWHLQWKDWRIÀFH In her presidential address to the May assembly that year, Elsie spoke of the ‘simplicity of our basic belief as Congregationalists’ which, she stressed, should provide ‘the basis for the unity of all &KULVWHQGRP·7KHXVHRIWKHWHUP¶RXU·LQYLWHGKHUKHDUHUVWRVHH themselves as members of one family, that is her family, while VLPXOWDQHRXVO\UHFDOOLQJ-HVXV·ODQJXDJHLQ7KH/RUG·V3UD\HU6KH held that the foundation of Christian unity lay in ‘faith in Jesus &KULVWDV/RUGDQG6DYLRXU·$VKDVDOUHDG\EHHQQRWHGVKHDUJXHG that Congregationalists should ‘stay simple’ and be happy to be ZLWKRXWZRUOGO\LQÁXHQFHDQGSRZHU¶H[FHSWWKHSRZHURIWKH+RO\ 6SLULW·1 This was clearly intended as a rebuke to those in the United Reformed Church, and other like-minded Christians, whom she understood as seeking a measure of prestige and power which had OLWWOHWRGRZLWKWKHJRVSHORI&KULVW+RZHYHUIDUPRUHWKDQKHU thoughts on ecumenism and inter-church relations, Elsie’s cordial manner and open-heartedness really made the deepest impression XSRQDOO,QDGGLWLRQWRVHUYLQJDVLWVSUHVLGHQW(OVLHZDVWRUHSUHVHQW the Congregational Federation on the United Navy, Army and Air Force Board (dealing with chaplains for the forces), and to consult with the BBC over religious broadcasting – both areas where she KDGDSDUWLFXODULQWHUHVW6KHZDVDOVRRQHRIIRXQGHUPHPEHUV of the Congregational Federation (Incorporated) and she accepted WKHSRVWRIWKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQ·VRIÀFHUIRUHFXPHQLFDO UHODWLRQVKLSV2
In many ways Elsie was ideally suited to the role of Congregational Federation president which was the Congregational Federation’s
version of the former role of CUEW chairman which she had held ² 7KHSRVLWLRQ FDUULHGZLWK LW IHZGHILQHGGXWLHV EXW UDWKHUUHTXLUHGWKHRIÀFHKROGHUWREHSUHSDUHGWRDWWHQGFKXUFKHV anniversaries, area gatherings and rallies, the assemblies of other denominations, and inter-denominational functions, in the name of the Congregational Federation, and bring greetings and encourDJHPHQW(OVLH·V WDOHQWV DQGH[SHULHQFHXQLTXHO\TXDOLÀHGKHU WR gauge just what to say, how to say it, and how to set at their ease WKHGLIIHUHQWSHRSOHVKHZRXOGPHHWRQWKHVHRFFDVLRQV6KHGLGQRW this time try to tell old hands their job, as she was accused of having done when chairman of the Congregational Union of England and :DOHV+HUDELOLW\WRLQVSLUHPHHWLQJVDQGKHUZLOOLQJQHVVWRVSHDN to both small and large gatherings, at opposite ends of the country, resulted in her being very busy during her time as Congregational )HGHUDWLRQSUHVLGHQW
At Easter 1973 Elsie addressed the Congregational Federation \RXWKDW WKHLU UDOO\DW&KHOWHQKDP ,Q0D\VKHVSRNH WR WKH Norfolk Congregational women at their spring rally at the Old 0HHWLQJ+RXVH1RUZLFK ,Q -XQH VKH WRRNSDUW LQ WKH LQGXFWLRQ of Wilfred Potts to the pastorate of West End Congregational &KXUFK+DYHUKLOO 6XIIRONDQGDOVR WKDWPRQWKZDVD VSHDNHUDW the Congregational Federation’s south-east area rally at Ardingly LQ 6XVVH[ 7KHUH VKHSXW ¶FKDOOHQJLQJTXHVWLRQV· WR WKHPHHWLQJ and spoke of ‘exciting, encouraging and inspiring responses to the FKDOOHQJHDQGRSSRUWXQLW\RI FRQWLQXLQJ&RQJUHJDWLRQDOLVP·3 In September 1973 Elsie was the main speaker to the Federation of &RQJUHJDWLRQDO:RPHQDWWKHLUPHHWLQJDW:LOQHFRWH6WDIIRUGVKLUH ,Q2FWREHUVKHÀOOHGWKHVDPHUROHDWDZRPHQ·VUDOO\DW6LOYHU(QG :LWKDPLQ(VVH[
On the Radio with John Huxtable
On 7 October 1973 Elsie was once again ‘on the air’ in a Radio Four SURJUDPPHZKLFKPDUNHGWKHÀUVWDQQLYHUVDU\RIWKHIRUPDWLRQRI WKH8QLWHG5HIRUPHG&KXUFK-RKQ+X[WDEOH·VDQG(OVLH·VYLHZVZHUH recorded in the studio and then were discussed by a live audience
RI\RXQJSHRSOH IURP0XVZHOO+LOO8QLWHG5HIRUPHG&KXUFK LQ QRUWK/RQGRQ ,Q WKHSURJUDPPHHQWLWOHG2Q5HÁHFWLRQ, she took SDUWLQDGLVFXVVLRQZLWK+X[WDEOHRQ¶WKHZD\WR&KULVWLDQXQLW\· $OWKRXJK+X[WDEOHKDGRQFHEHHQDIULHQGKHKDGPRUHUHFHQWO\ become Elsie’s leading adversary, because he had been for some years and remained then the chief advocate of the United Reformed &KXUFK+HKDGEHHQWKHPLQLVWHUVHFUHWDU\RIWKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO Church in England and Wales, prior to October 1972, and, one year later, at the time of the broadcast, he was the joint general secretary RIWKH8QLWHG5HIRUPHG&KXUFK$V¶WKHPDLQDUFKLWHFW·RIWKH8QLWHG Reformed Church, he was the man whose policies Elsie and her FROOHDJXHVLQWKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQKDGGHFLVLYHO\UHMHFWHG :RXOGWKH\RXQJSHRSOHRI0XVZHOO+LOOSHUKDSVUHSUHVHQWDWLYH of British opinion in general, see the disagreement about different approaches to church union as an arcane discussion, merely a storm in a small, unimportant teacup? Whatever others thought, Elsie and +X[WDEOHZHUHWKHQLQSURIRXQGGLVDJUHHPHQWRQWKHFRXUVHZKLFK contemporary Congregationalism should have followed and on the goal which the British churches in general should aim at in the LPPHGLDWHIXWXUH
Douglas Brown, the religious correspondent of the BBC, opened the discussion by stating that, in his view, the steam had gone out of the movement for organic unity of the Church and that the future lay LQFORVHUUHODWLRQVKLSVDWWKHJUDVVURRWV(OVLHLQDSSDUHQWVXSSRUW of this, denounced the pressures for organic unity in ‘no uncertain WHUPV·6KHZDVDZDUHVKHFODLPHGWKDWSHRSOHKDGWULHG¶WREHQG their consciences to meet the needs of something that isn’t according WRFRQVFLHQFH·:K\QRWVKHDVNHGOHW¶WKHOLWWOHFKXUFKHVNHHSZKDW may be funny ideas to us but are matters of principle to them’? She GHIHQGHGWKRVHZKRUHVLVWHGWKHVHSUHVVXUHV ¶,I IXQQ\LGHDV· WKH principles of people in little churches, help them ‘on the way to God, OHWWKHPNHHSWKHP:HKDYHJRWWRJRIRUDFKXUFKZLWKRXWSRZHUDQG my idea of such a church is one based simply on faith in Jesus Christ DV/RUGDQG6DYLRXU²ZHFDQDOODFFHSWWKDW·6KHFRQWLQXHG¶,VHHWKH way forward as the basis of accepting each other’s churchmanship ²DFFHSWDQFHRIIDLWKLQ-HVXV&KULVWDVWKHEDVLVRIRXUWRJHWKHUQHVV ,EHOLHYHWKLVLVWKHZD\IRUZDUGDVWKHEDVLVRIRXUWRJHWKHUQHVV, believe this is the way to unity that could include us all provided ZHGRQRWZDQWWRSXVKRQHDQRWKHULQWRRXUNLQGRIPRXOG·6KH
reiterated that church leaders and committed zealots had no right to IRUFHRWKHU&KULVWLDQVLQWR¶RXUNLQGRIPRXOG· -RKQ+X[WDEOH FRXOGQRW DFFHSW WKLVYLHZ+H FRXOGQRW DOORZ
Elsie’s vision of what he called ‘an ecclesiastical free-for-all as a UHVSRQVLEOH VWUXFWXUH·(OVLH UHWRUWHG WKDW HYHQ LI+X[WDEOHGLGQ·W recognize the picture she had put forward, the early church (in the ÀUVWFHQWXULHVRIWKHFKXUFK·VOLIHKDGGRQHVR+HGLDJQRVHG¶SODLQ KXPDQFXVVHGQHVV·DV¶WKHPDLQSUREOHP·IDFLQJHFXPHQLVWV(OVLH responded that she wanted people ‘to have a conscience of their own’ which seemed to echo her feeling, when associate minister at The City Temple, that the denominational leaders, with their big battalions, were bullying and bamboozling the people in the pews LQWRRWKHUZLVHXQZDQWHGVFKHPHVRIXQLRQ 'LG VKHXQGHUVWDQG+X[WDEOH·V IUXVWUDWLRQZLWK ¶SODLQKXPDQ
FXVVHGQHVV·SUHVXPDEO\KLVGLDJQRVLVRIWKHDLOPHQWDIÁLFWLQJWKH non-uniters in the Congregational Federation and Elsie, in particular) DVDQLQWROHUDQFHWRZDUGVGLIIHUHQFHDQGLQGHSHQGHQFH"+HVLQFHUHO\ yearned for Christians in all churches to share his vision but what if, DIWHUKHDUWIHOWSUD\HUDQGUHÁHFWLRQWKH\KRQHVWO\WKRXJKWRWKHUZLVH" Was that honest difference enough to make them cussed in his eyes? %\WKHVHWZRIRUPHUIULHQGVZHUHWUDJLFDOO\SROHVDSDUW5
Presidential Peregrinations
,Q-DQXDU\(OVLHDVSUHVLGHQWRIWKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQ DWWHQGHGD VHPLQDURQ WKHPLQLVWU\DW&KHOWHQKDP7KH VSHDNHUV ZHUH'U:73HQQDU'DYLHVDQG7UHIRU(YDQVERWK:HOVKVSHDNLQJ Congregationalists, of Memorial College, Swansea, and members RIWKH8QLRQRI:HOVK,QGHSHQGHQWV(OVLHFORVHGWKHVHPLQDUZLWK SUD\HUV ,Q0D\ VKHSUHVLGHGDW WKH LQGXFWLRQRI -RKQ%RXUQH WR the ministry of Bedford Street Congregational Church, Stroud, in *ORXFHVWHUVKLUH,Q$SULOVKHSHUIRUPHGWKHVDPHIXQFWLRQIRU*HUDOG *RVVDJHDW1RUWK6WUHHW&RQJUHJDWLRQDO&KXUFK7DXQWRQ,Q at Cheltenham again, she reported to the Congregational Federation May assembly on the ‘talks about talks’ on church unity between WKH&KULVWLDQGHQRPLQDWLRQV6KHKDGDWWHQGHGWKHVHRQEHKDOIRI WKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQZLWK¶DYHU\GHÀQLWHPDQGDWH·²WKDW
is, although the Congregational Federation supported the general aim of church unity, it distinguished this from the organic union of GHQRPLQDWLRQVWRZKLFKLWGLGQRWVXEVFULEH,Q$XJXVWVKHVSRNH DW 6ZDQ+LOO&RQJUHJDWLRQDO&KXUFK 6KUHZVEXU\ WR DERXW SHRSOHJDWKHUHGIURP&RQJUHJDWLRQDOFKXUFKHV,Q6HSWHPEHUVKH attended the return of Wavertree Congregational Church, Liverpool, to its repaired church building, having spent two years away from LWVKRPHDIWHUDÀUHKDGGDPDJHGWKHSUHPLVHV6
In March 1975 Elsie was the guest speaker at the Dorset and 6RPHUVHWUDOO\RIWKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQ6KHUHSHDWHGKHU view then that the way forward to church unity was through ‘stark VLPSOLFLW\·$WWKH(DVWHU&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQ\RXWKFRQIHUHQFH DW 3HQJH LQ VRXWK/RQGRQ VKHZDV DJDLQ DPRQJ WKH VSHDNHUV In April she led worship for a packed congregation at the 150th DQQLYHUVDU\RI&R[KHDWK&RQJUHJDWLRQDO&KXUFKLQ.HQW,Q0D\ 1975 Elsie was one of 11Congregational Federation representatives at Chislehurst, Kent, for a planning meeting, which looked forward WR WKH IRUPDWLRQ RI DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO&RQJUHJDWLRQDO IHOORZVKLS $OVRLQ0D\VKHEHFDPHWKHÀUVWSUHVLGHQWRIWKH)HGHUDWLRQ of Congregational Women, having, two months earlier, addressed ZRPHQLQ7RQ3HQWUHLQWKH5KRQGGD9DOOH\LQVRXWK:DOHV At its spring assembly, Elsie, still in her own way a keen ecumenist, proposed that the Congregational Federation should apply to join WKH%ULWLVK&RXQFLORI&KXUFKHV7
All this activity would have exhausted others, younger than her, but the apparently indefatigable Elsie appeared to thrive under the SUHVVXUH6KHZURWHWKDWKHUWZR\HDUVDV&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQ SUHVLGHQWKDGSDVVHG¶ZLWKLQFUHGLEOHVSHHG·6KHSODQQHGWRVSHQG more time travelling northwards in the coming year and wondered LIVKHPLJKWEHDEOHWRYLVLWPRUHFKXUFKHV6KHLQYLWHGFKXUFKHVLQ <RUNVKLUHDQG&KHVKLUH WRXVHKHU LI WKH\ FRXOG ,QDGGLWLRQ VKH stated that she expected to visit the Rhondda valley, Shrewsbury and the West Country at some time in the coming months and again she ZDVUHDG\DQGZLOOLQJWRVHUYHFKXUFKHVLQWKRVHSODFHVLIUHTXLUHG8
+DYLQJVHUYHGDVSUHVLGHQWIURP0D\WR0D\ZKHQ David Watson was appointed to succeed her, Elsie found herself still LQGHPDQG7KLVPD\LQSDUWEHH[SODLQHGE\WKHIDFWWKDW:DWVRQ was a layman and, although a lay preacher, he was less likely to be LQYLWHGWRSUHDFKDWFKXUFKDQQLYHUVDULHVLQGXFWLRQVDQGRUGLQDWLRQV In addition his was a quieter, more retiring personality than Elsie’s and church secretaries may have felt that, although Watson was a competent speaker for an area rally, and undoubtedly he was a committed Congregationalist, Elsie brought authority, colour, drama DQGZDUPWKWRDQDFWLYLW\6KHZDVVXUHWRSXOO LQWKHFURZGVLQ a way which, at that time, few other Christian speakers, however ZRUWK\DQGLQWKH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQRUEH\RQGLWFRXOGGR
Thus Elsie felt called to give herself in a quest to motivate the &RQJUHJDWLRQDOFKXUFKHV+RZPXFKWKHVHWUDYHOVGUDLQHGKHUZH PD\QHYHUNQRZ&HUWDLQO\VKHZDVDOZD\VDWKHUEHVWZLWK¶RUGLQDU\ SHRSOH·6KHZDUPHGWRWKHPDQGWKH\ORYHGKHU+HUHQJDJLQJVPLOH DQGFRQÀGHQFHHQDEOHGHYHQWKHUHWLFHQWDQGDZNZDUGWRWUXVWKHU As president of the Congregational Federation she had welcomed LQYLWDWLRQVIURPFKXUFKHVDQGJURXSVXSDQGGRZQWKHODQG2QFH VKHKDGVWRRGGRZQIURPRIÀFHWKHLQYLWDWLRQVVWLOOSRXUHGLQ6KRXOG she decline them? She found that she could not and, in truth, she did QRWZLVKWR
Elsie’s Mileage for God
(OVLHDWWHQGHGWKHÀUVW&RQJUHJDWLRQDO)HGHUDWLRQVXPPHUVFKRROIRU PLQLVWHUVLQ-XQHDW%ODFNSRRO$OVRWKDWVXPPHUVKHWUDYHOOHG to Mickleby, near Whitby, on the North Yorkshire coast, to speak at the anniversary of the church and then drove to Loddiswell, near Kingsbridge, in the south-west of England, the opposite end of the country, to speak at the annual rally of the South Devon group of &RQJUHJDWLRQDO FKXUFKHV9 No Congregational Federation rally or PHHWLQJVHHPHGFRPSOHWHZLWKRXWKHU+HUDFWLYLW\ZDVEUHDWKWDNLQJ She was simply everywhere, preaching at rallies, anniversaries and ordinations, presiding at inductions, and speaking to young people DQGWRZRPHQ·VJURXSV
In September 1975 she preached at the ordination of Christopher Gillham at Charlesworth, Derbyshire and at the induction of Victor
&DPHURQDW:LYHQKRH(VVH[,Q2FWREHUVKHOHGZRUVKLSIRUWKH ZRPHQ·VJXLOGRI3HQJH&RQJUHJDWLRQDO&KXUFKLQVRXWK/RQGRQ In February 1976 she preached at the induction of John Watkins DW0DUNHW+DUERURXJK&RQJUHJDWLRQDO&KXUFK ,WZDVQRWHG WKDW Elsie’s ‘mileage for God’, in these early years of the Congregational )HGHUDWLRQPXVWKDYH VHW ¶D UHFRUG·+HU DSSHDUDQFH DW0DUNHW +DUERURXJKHQWDLOHGKHUOHDYLQJKHUKXVEDQGLQKRVSLWDOLQ3O\PRXWK DQGGULYLQJPLOHVWR/HLFHVWHUVKLUH-RKQKDGEHHQWDNHQLOORQO\ WKHGD\EHIRUH,WZDVVRLF\RQWKH6DWXUGD\RIWKHLQGXFWLRQWKDW the church’s front steps were too dangerous to use, so entry to the EXLOGLQJZDVJDLQHGE\WKHVLGHGRRUV$IWHUWKHVHUYLFH(OVLHEROWHG a few sandwiches and then motored the 100 or so miles to her own FKXUFKDW+XWWRQ LQRUGHU WR FRQGXFW WKH6XQGD\ VHUYLFHV WKHUH She was not only busy but conscientious and she did not want to let DQ\ERG\GRZQ,Q-XQHVKHWRRNSDUWLQWKHLQGXFWLRQVRI7RP +RGJVRQDW+D\0LOOV%LUPLQJKDPDQGRI(GZDUG0D\QDUGDW /DWLPHU6WHSQH\10 In October 1977 she presided at the ordination of Alan Argent in Brixton, and also that month at that of Arthur Boyle DW2UVHWWLQ(VVH[11
A Wedding
In June 1975 Elsie conducted the wedding of Janet Morris and Christopher Wootton at Loughborough where the Congregational FKXUFKZDV WKHQZLWKRXWDPLQLVWHU6KHSUHSDUHG WKH FRXSOH IRU marriage by asking them directly, ‘This is for life, isn’t it?’, and by DFFHSWLQJWKHLULPPHGLDWHDQGUHDVVXULQJO\DIÀUPDWLYHUHSO\7KH wedding occurred on a Sunday afternoon as part of the normal church service, with the marriage ceremony set between the sermon and the ÀQDOK\PQ+RZHYHUDIWHUSUHDFKLQJWKHVHUPRQ(OVLHDQQRXQFHG WKHÀQDOK\PQWRWKHTXLHWFRQVWHUQDWLRQRIDOOSUHVHQW$WWKDWSRLQW the bride-to-be leaned forward from the front pew and, betraying no anxiety, reminded the preacher that she had forgotten something!
