RELIGIOUS FEUD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3558, 6 February 1914, Page 7

RELIGIOUS FEUD.

WYCLIFFE RKAORER’S Li BEL

ACTION

BOX OF “ILLUSTRATION”

WAFERS

The Lord Chief Justice last monk with a special jury, began the hearing in the Kings’ Bench of a libel action described as involving bitter religious feelings engendered at Sun-bury-on-Thames. The plaintiff, Mr John C. Gurr, a retired sergeant of the Metropolitan Police, was a Wycliffe preacher in the town, living at Vicarage Road. The defendants, from whom he claimed damages, were Roman Catholic residents, Mr John Henry Scott, of independent means, and Mr Daniel Collins, hairdresser and tobacconist.

The alleged libel was contained in a circular distributed by the defendants in Siunbury. There were piles of copies of it in Mr Collins’ shop, said Mr J. B. Matthews, K.C., counsel for the plaintiff. It alleged among other things, that Mr Gurr had by some means “procured and held up to ridicule in tho public street the Eucharistic element.”

UNCONSECRATED WAFERS. Counsel then pointed out that Mr Gurr could not have obtained possession of wafers consecrated in a Roman Catholic Church except bv sacrilege. What Mr Gurr had used in his addresses as a Wycliffe preacher wore unconsecrated wafers with Maltese crosses on them, such as were used in a church in Sunbury where ritualist practices were ill vogue. Oouncel at this point produced some specimens of the wafers. He then fold how Mr Gurr, when a constable at Islington was an enthusiastic Church of England worker. When he was transferred to Sunbury he objected to the ritual at St. Savior’s, and it was then he became a Wycliffe preacher. What Mr Gunobjected to was the use cf wafers in places of worship like the Church of England,contrary to the Rubric. Mr Gurr, in the witness box, denied that he had ever exhibited consecrated wafers or said he had done so. He denied exhibiting a certain poster alleged to be offensive to Roman Catholics.

The Rev. Norman Olivers, of the Parsonage, Hemel Hempstead, said he had heard the plaintiff speak at meetings but never disrespectfully either of Roman Catholics or their Ritualistic beliefs. Other evidence was to the effect that when Mr Gurr produced a wafer at a meeting he did net say it was consecrated.

Mr Healey, K.C., opening the case for the defendants, »aid the circular complained of written, by Mr Scott, was the protest of a citizen outraged in the dearest part of his faith, and outraged gratuitously and unnecessarily.

Mr Gurr had committed an outrage upon Catholic belief by the public exhibition of wafers, whether consecrated or unconsecrated.

Mr Joseph William Wynn, a Roman Catholic, said he was.secretary of the Sunbury Gasworks. Mr Gurr told him the wafers he had were sent 'o him from North London and had been obtained from a man who was thinking of leaving the Catholic Church. The hearing was adjourned.