DISSENTING BISHOPS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 235, 17 September 1934, Page 7

DISSENTING BISHOPS

Nazi Attacks Deplored

SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

(Received 17, 11.45 a.m.) MUNICH, Sept. 16.

A sensational development in the struggle between Dr. Mueller and the evangelical bishops followed a sermon by Dr. Meiser, Bishop ot the Bavarian church, deploring Nazi attacks on dissenting bishops.

Crowds inside and outside the church sang the Lutheran fighting hymn, “Our Gtod a Tower of Strength is He.” This is the first time it has been heard in the Munich streets since the Reformation.

Nazi flying squads attempted to disperse the crowds, some of whom assembled outside Brown House still singing the hymn. Dr. Marahrens, Bishop of Hanover, issued a further challenge to Dr. Mueller claiming that four-fifths of the clergy in his diocese will suppose him, and declared: “Whoever concentrate* on outward unity and seeks to compel it by force, disregarding cojucianoe, destroy* the true unity of the Church and endanger* the unity of this nation.”Herr Siebert, Bavarian Premier, speaking at Neerdlingen, warned dissenters of the Reich not to tolerate th* appearance of *chi»m». “The Time*” Berlin eorreepondeat says that indignant crowd* held meetings of protest against Dr. Wurm’* suspension and roughly handled Nuri functionaries. Dr. Wurm refuse* to recognise the validity of the suspension and continue* to claim leadership of the regional church, though he i* unable to gam ecclesiastical building*. The decree ordering church officials to take the oath Herr Hitler prescribed for public officials and soldier*, is also causing widespread trouble. Almost half of 16,000 pastors in Germany resolved to resist it.