Sect welcome unexpected

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 4

Sect welcome unexpected

By

ALAN KNOWLES

The sound of dogs barking came from the commune of the Church of the Full Gospel as 1 walked beside its boundary fence at Waipara yesterday. I had thoughts of being attacked by a pig dog or of meeting a shower of stones. I put out my hand to a dog guarding a narrow gate giving entrance to the Echo Valley Farm homestead. I expected it to try to bite. Instead, my hand was slobbered over affectionately. After giving the dog a friendly pat. I passed on along the drive toward the house.

The barking must have attracted attention, for a young woman was waiting in the doorway. ’‘Hello.” she said, with no antagonism in her voice. “How many hundreds of cameras have you out there?” I had none. Her skirt was only kneelength. She laughed at a comment that, according to news reports, she should be wearing a long dress. "The papers have published a lot of wrong information about us,” she said. "They are going to have toi

take a lot of things back.” She did not say which reported information was incorrect.

She confirmed that women at the commune were subservient to their men. “The Bible says this should be—and we believe it,” she said. She said that no statement would be made until Dr Douglas Metcalf, the leader of the group, returned. “He has not gone into hiding,” she said. It is just unfortunate that he was away when this happened.”

She would not say where Dr Metcalf was. It is believed that he is overseas.

From the door of the house, I could see a modern lounge 'suite in one room and two religious signs on the wall. One said, ‘“He hath done all things well.” The other listed “Gems from the Bible.” The woman, in her late 20s. at no time asked me to leave. She was courteous and friendly throughout our conversation.

However, she declined to explain the activities and beliefs of the commune. “You will just have to wait,” she said.