"ANOTHER STAR GONE OUT."

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3559, 5 December 1882, Page 4

"ANOTHER STAR GONE OUT."

At a meeting of the Presbytery of Christchurch held the other day the following resolutions were passed in reference to the charges against the minister of St. Andrew's Church, which have been occupying the attention of that body for some time past:—

" That having heard the report of committee appointed to inquire into certain famas affecting the character and ministerial standing of the Rev. Charles Fraser, and having heard also and carefully considered depositions of witnesses for and against, and also the explanations and rebutting evidence adduced by the Sev. C. Fraser laid upon the table, the Presbytery resolve to proceed by the "way of libel in strict accordance with thelawof the Church. That a committee be appointed this day to prepare the libel ; that Mr Fraser be suspended from the office of the holy ministry forthwith; and that the moderator of Presbytery (the Rev. A. Blake) be now appointed moderator of St. Andrew's Kirk Session, and to preach in St. Andrew's Church next Lord's Day."

" That the Presbytery express the strongest disapprobation of Mr Eraser's conduct in excluding them this morning from the usual place of meeting; and his unworthy attempt to escape from the discipline and withdraw from the jurisdiction of the Church, in direct contravention of his ordination vows."

The second of the above resolutions was occasioned by the fact that the meeting which was appointed to be held in St. Andrew's Church found the doors locked. The meeting was held in the church grounds, and formally adjourned to St. Paul's Church. Mr Fraser has threatened a libel action against some papers in. connection with this case.

In connection with the above a great scandal was expected at St, Andrew's Church yesterday, as the Presbytery had appointed the Rev. Mr Blake to preach, and the Rev. Mr Fraser intimated his intention of conducting the services himself. A tremendous crowd assembled at the church doors in the morning, numbers being unable to get in. Those that did were, however, disappointed, as Mr Fraser got there first, and the other minister seeing that Mr Fraser was in possession suffered him to remain there. The service consequently passed off quietly. The following is a full account of the proceedings at St. Andrew's Church on Sunday. The announcement made by the Ray. C. Fraser that, he would, conduct services in St. Andrew's Church on that day, notwithstanding the fact that the Rev. J. Blake had been appointed to do so by the Presbytery, had the effect of causing a very large assemblage of persons at that place of worship in the morning in anticipation of a " scene." Nearly an hour before the service was announced to begin, 11 a.m., crowds of people —a largo proportion of them evidently not habitual church goers —began to gather in the grounds attached to the building and the adjacent street, but their efforts to gain admission, however, were for a long time fruitless. The door of the schoolroom was from time to time opened from within in order to admit a few individuals, most of whom were apparently members of the choir, but those of the public who applied, for entrance were told that the church doors would be opened at 11 o'clock, and they must wait till then. A small window by the side of the door appeared to be used, as a means of reconnoitreing the approaches, so that the door was only opened to those ; ,whom it was desired to admit. About aqu arter before 11 the Rev. Mr Blake, Moderator of the Presby-tei-y, made his appearance, accompanied by Mr Smart, a member of the congregation. They proceeded to the school-Toom door, and the latter knocked for admission, but no notice was taken of the summons. About this time the tones of the organ were heard from inside the church, and the greater portion of the crowd, which now mustered several hundred persons, gathered round the front porch waiting for the opening of the door. Mr Blake took his position in the porch. At 11 o'clock the door was thrown open, and the crowd surged into the building. Considerable squeezing took place, but fortunately no one was hurt. Those who first gained admission saw the Rev. C. Fraser in the usual gown and bands of the Presbyterian ministry in the pulpit, while the organist, precentor,and choir were in their accustomed places, and the hymn, " Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," which had evidently been given out as the door was opened, was being sung. Mr Blake advanced to the front of the pulpit, and formally protested against Mr Fraser's conducting the service. Mr Fraser merely waved Mr Blake back, and the latter retired to the door of the church. When outside he read a protest against the Rev. C. Fraser occupying the pulpit or conducting the service in the church ; he also read a document signed by Messrs W. Wilson and John Anderson, two of the trustees of St. Andrew's Church, giving instructions that the pulpit should be occupied only by those authorised by the Presbytery. Having done this he left the ground. The service meanwhile proceeded in the usual manner. At one time a seat broke down, and for a few moments confusion ensued. Order was soon restored, however, and those outside the building, finding it impossible to gain admittance, began to disperse. Pome individuals inside stood upon the seats as if to get a good view of the minister and choir, but a few words from the former had the effect of making them assume a more reverent attitude. The service then continued to the end without interruption, and no mention was made of the recent events connected with the church. Service was held again in the evening without interruption of any kind.