PASTOR & SLEDGE HAMMER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1705, 24 March 1913, Page 3

PASTOR & SLEDGE HAMMER.

ME. HUGHES TELLS STOEY OF HIS / • TROUBLES. ; The. Eev.. Daniel Hughes, pastor of tlic Calvanistic Baptist Chapel, Crane Street, I'ontypool, whvoO exploit with a sledge hammer recently brought him into prominence tola {ho: story, of his troubles in Court ' ■; • The trustees of tlurchapel moved .to restrain Mr.. Hughes from entering,breaking into,-or officiating in the church pending the trial of the action; an interim : injunction was granted on December 19, and the motion stood over ■for the pastor to answer the evidence on affidavit. : The case cam© before Mt. Justicte Neville in January 13 in the Chancery Division, when Mr. Hughes, who appeared in. person, read a bulky typewritten affidavit, in which he stated that the church was jieycr filled until ho came •and : made worship. He went ih-great (retail into-complaints as to the failure of the.'deacohs, to support him iii various church matters, and to provide'him with opportunities to answer gossip and scandal which -was discrediting liis. -.xiir.olry.' I

.One- of' the' charges .brought against him at 'the 'meeting was, li© says, that he had not supported Welsh Disestablishment, and , another was that the church was not; paying, its. way. Mr. Hughes asserted that the'latter was. due to the "starving out" policy adopted by scsne of the congregation towards him. In case, he did not consider'. "Himself as a financial asset in the matter. He had offered to resign when his three years' ministry oameto an end in the usual way next September,.'but his reputation would have been seriously affected if he - -had resigned under this cloud of soandal and suspicion. . There-was no machinery in the trust'deed for tlfe'dismissal of the minister, the-usual, but undignified, course being to withhold monetary support. , Tho closing of" the church was, he: went 011 to say, . overt, illegal, and disgraceful; and he would' have been a discredited': minister if ho- had' not broken in. , . ; Mr. Justice Neville said there were two questions to be decided-, whether a congregation who appointed'the 'minister was entitled to.dismiss him, and whether the resolution purporting to put an end to .the ministry of Mr. Hughes was a valid one. He could not : decide these questions on an interlocutory - -application, but oculd only keep matters quiet and at rest pending the trial of the action. The injunction would be:. continued until then, tho plaintiffs undertaking in damages being also continued. / -, In reply to the .defendant, ■ the Judge said the -injunction would not prevent him holding religious services in -other premises in the. town./