“WE PROTEST”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 268, 23 August 1945, Page 5

“WE PROTEST”

CONFIRMATION OF BISHOP, ) DISTURBANCE IN LONDON CHURCH. V POLICEMAN CALLED IN. (N.Z. Press Association-Copyright.) (Rec. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22. 1 There was an uproar from the congregation when the Bishopelect of London (Dr. J. W. C. Wand) entered St. Mary’s Church, London, for the confirmation service. • ;.;v Cries of “I protest,” “we protest,” came from all sides as Dr. Wand and the Vicar-General headed the procession up the aisle. ' Two protests from the Protestant Truth Society and the National Union of Protestants against Dr. Wand’s confirmation had to be presented to the Vicar-General before the confirmation service began. •; •'-_••/ The protests which were dismissed by a private meeting in the vestry, claimed that Dr. Wand was not a fit and proper person for confirmation as the See of London. The disturbances continued unceasingly while the confirmation “service was in progress. The verger left tho church and returned with a policeman, and the congregation chahted in unison, “we protest.” It was impossible to hear anything of the service., John Kensit, leader of the Pretestant. Church Society, in a protest, claimed that the line of demarcation between the Church of England and the Church of Rome had been altogether obliterated in a number of churches in the London diocese. “I failed to gain from the Bishop-elect any pledge that he will deal with these cases. Moreover, Dr. Wand himseif professes to belong to the Anglo-Catholic school. It can only be assumed that there is no redress for aggrieved parishioners if this election is confirmed. Dr. Wand is an unsuitable person to deal with the erroneous and strange doctrines'. .of Roman Catholicism as practised in the diocese.” Photograph Submitted Mr W. Sinclair Taylor, DirectorGeneral of the National Union of Protestants, submitted a photograph ...to the Vicar-General, Sir Philip Baker Wilbraham. He alleged that the photograph showed Dr. Wand and other members of the clergy participating in mass. Mr Taylor later walked down the aisle and showed the photograph to members of the congregation. After the service was over, Mr Taylor asked the congregation to remain. He said: “We haVe written to the Archbishop of Canterbury and we have seen the Vicar-General, but we cannot persuade these people how wrong they are.”. Protesters leaving the church sang the battle hymn of the National Union of Protestants. 1 ' ’’ r . Mr Taylor later disclosed that h« •vyas a member of the clergy. It was announced in June that Dr. Wand had been nominated for election by the Dean and Chapter of London as Bishop~‘of London in place of the Most Rev. the Rt. Hon. G. F. Fisher, now Archbishop of Canterbury. ; Dr. Wand who was born in 1885, was fellow, dean, and tutor at Oriel College, Oxford, from 1925 to 1934, when he was appointed Archbishop of Brisbane and Metropolitan of Queensland. Two years ago he returned to England to become Bishop of Bath and Wells. He has written a number of books on theology and Church history.