VICAR RESIGNS

Evening Star, Issue 20633, 5 November 1930, Page 9

VICAR RESIGNS

CHURCHMEN EXONERATED THE EX-COMMUNICATION INCIDENT Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, November 3. (Received November 5, at 1 a.m.) The Bishop of Durham states that the “ lamentable excommunication incident ” has been definitely ended by the resignation of the vicar, and the churchmen concerned are entirely exonerated. [There was an extraordinary sequel to an award of a consistory court at Durham recently, which ordered the removal of ceitain articles from a church of which 600 parishioners had. complained on the ground that they were Romanist. The Rev. E. A. Merryweather, from the pulpit of Pelton Church, Ohester-le-street, on Sunday, October 12, announced the excommunication of two men and one woman who had given evidence before the consistory court. Air Merryweather said: “ We cannot go on being disturbed by these godless people, I shall expel them from the congregation for three years, and ask all Christian people to treat them as heathens and publicans. They are denied all the rights and privileges of the sacraments of tho church.” The Bishop of Durham later wrote to the Rev, Mr Merryweather ordering him “ to give notice that the excommunication was null and void, and no steps will be taken to exclude the three parishioners from public worship.” This notice was read in the church.]