Vicar's Singular Conduct.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 22, 21 October 1907, Page 10

Vicar's Singular Conduct.

BURIAL SERVICE READ. ( \ BRIDE IN TEARS. Thero was an amazing sceno at a wedding on day last month in the parish church of Isl< Abbots ; a village near. llmin'ster, Somerset According to the "Daily Mail," the vicar, th< Rev.. James H. C. Taylor, behaved in so ex traordiuary a way, first reading part of th burial corvico and later of the baptismal that othor clorgymen had to bo called t complete the ceremony..-..-■ A lotter written a the bishop's request to the bridegroom refer to the vicar's "disgraceful conduct and coil dition," and says that he has been suspendet ponding investigation. Tho bridegroom, Mr. Arthur John Bu'rt clerk,, and the bride, Miss Emily Eliza Hooper aro of good family; and well known in thi district. To a "Daily Mail" repres'entativi tho bridegroom gave tho following account o; the scene:— ' ■.'•■■ ■ ■ "I got to the church about ■ two o'clock when it was full. Mr. Taylor, vicar of tin ■parish, camo to the chancel steps and beck 'iQiied me and the best man to stand up Thereupon, to our astonishment, he startec the service. I said, !Thc bride has not arrived,, and he walked down the church. ; "When tho bride arrived, he returned tc ;tho chancel stops and commenced saying ' something which, although we tried to follow it from tlie Prayer Book, neither understood He neVer as'ked, as I expected, for mycerti h'cate. Presently I heard him mutter, '] commit these peoplo to tho ground, earth tc earth.'" -• "The orido began weeping, and I said tc him, 'This is not right.' Ho held his fingei up and bacio me keep quiet. My aunt rose from the congregation, came up, and said, 'He is reading tho wrong service , ' ' ( Hc stared' vacantly at us for several minutes and then proceeded, 'I baptise theso people with water.' Then he • exclaimed, 'Whj don't you answer? , I said, 'When you start .in a proper way, I-will.' ' ' ■ "My bride was now weeping bitterly, and it was a wonder'she did not entirely collapse, whilo I saw several of her friends in the congregation crying. I again asked him to.go on properly, and ho started addressing us oil all sorts of things. 'Upon further re . strance ho went and siu down. I told the bride to sit down, and went to' a friond who was outside, and who at my request proceeded to liminster to fetch the Rev. Jamd's -Street, as we were determined to be married properly. Miss Hunt, another friend, volunteered to cycle to llton for Archdeacon Chard. In the meantime several of tho congregation tried to consolo the bride. " Mr. Taylor came out to mo in the churchyard, and I spoke strongly to him, asking whatovor ho was thinking about. Ho took off his surplice and throw it on the ground, •returning to the church. After a long wait Archdeacon Chard arrived, and the service was properly gone ' through. Tho affair lasted about two and a quarter hours. You can imagine our footings, especially thoso of my wife, who was greatly v upsct, whilo thero was considerable consternation among tho congregation. The marriage was solemnised after the legal hour, and I have not yet received a certificate, although they say that it is all right. The Rev. James Street arrived after the service had started. Mo'anwhilo Mr. Taylor remained seated in tho church. Both clerymon afterwards expressed their sympatTiy with us and their sorrow at what had happened. Several of tho congregation'left the church disgusted at tho disgraceful scenes. "Since then I have received a letter from tho James Street, vicar of Ilminstcr and nirai dean, expressing tho bishop's regret."