Remarkable Scene in a Chapel.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 22 April 1893, Page 11

Remarkable Scene in a Chapel.

A kemakkable eight was witnessed by tha coneregation ab the Queen-street Chapel, Wolverbampton, on & recent Sunday evening, during the service. In the course of the sermon (which was being delivered by the Rev. C. A. Berry, pastor) an old member of the church, named Thomas Gething, who resides ab 135 Lord-street, Woiverhampton, and whose mind had been affected by bha loss of a son, in November last, through a fatal attack of typhoid fever, entered the chapel premises by the side door in Marketstreet, and walked along the corridor and through one of the doors leading into tha chapel itself. Ho was most eccentrically attired, wearing a felt hab which covered his head down to his eyes, and a muffler which covered the lower part of his face Neither of these articles of apparel did ha remove on entering die chapel. He allowed the door to bansr in a way which startled the congregation, and then proceeded tip the pulpit stairs, carrying before him a thick stick. The congregation were completely dumfounded ab the suddenness of the man's appearance, and the peculiarity of his garb and conduct. Some thought that he intended to assault Mr Berry. No one seemed to have retained his presence of mind with the exception of Alderman Saunders, who is an official of the church, and the pastor. The former attempted to stop the intruder, but without success. Mr Berry at first declined to admit him into the pulpit, and the congregation felt relieved ab seeing that the stranger had no malignant intention. Mr Berry then admitted him, and both sab down. Mr Gething then asked M"r Berry bo request the congregation to sing, and, after remarking that ho himself could nob sing with the muffler on, removed it. After conversing with him, Mr Berry (who had, of course, brought his sermon to an abrupt conclusion) announced to the congregation that Mr Gebhing was under the impression that he was in his own pew, and thab he was bemoaning the loss ot his son. By means of the efforts of some of the genblemen presenb Mr Gething was persuaded to descend into the vestry, and the service was duly concluded, though the sermon was nob resumed. In the vestry the man's conduct was most eccentric. For part of the timo he made rambling quotations of Scripture. He was ab length taken home in a cab.