▁Christian ) ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁contemporary ▁world ▁and ▁its ▁problems ." ▁ ▁One ▁aspect ▁of ▁the ▁long - term ▁decl ine ▁in ▁religios ity ▁was ▁that ▁Protest ant ▁showed ▁less ▁and ▁less ▁interest ▁in ▁sending ▁their ▁children ▁to ▁religious ▁schools . ▁▁ ▁In ▁local ities ▁across ▁England , ▁fier ce ▁batt les ▁were ▁fought ▁between ▁the ▁Non con form ists , ▁Ang lic ans , ▁and ▁C athol ics , ▁each ▁with ▁their ▁own ▁school ▁systems ▁supported ▁by ▁tax es , ▁and ▁sec ular ▁schools , ▁and ▁tax pay ers . ▁The ▁Non con form ists ▁had ▁long ▁taken ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁fighting ▁ ▁the ▁Ang lic ans , ▁who ▁a ▁century ▁before ▁had ▁pract ically ▁mon opol ized ▁education . ▁The ▁Ang lic an ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁elementary ▁school ▁population ▁fell ▁from ▁ 5 7 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁to ▁ 3 9 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁sust ained ▁decl ine ▁in ▁Non con form ist ▁enthus ias m ▁ ▁their ▁schools ▁closed ▁one ▁after ▁another . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁the ▁Method ist ▁Church ▁operated ▁ 7 3 8 ▁schools ; ▁only ▁ 2 8 ▁remained ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Britain ▁continued ▁to ▁think ▁of ▁itself ▁is ▁a ▁Christian ▁country ; ▁there ▁were ▁a ▁few ▁at he ists ▁or ▁non bel ie vers , ▁but ▁unlike ▁the ▁continent , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁anti - cler ical ism ▁worthy ▁of ▁note . ▁ ▁A ▁third ▁or