UPROAR IN CHURCH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 226, 23 August 1945, Page 5

UPROAR IN CHURCH

OBJECTION TO BISHOP.

TWO BODIES PROTEST

(N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright.) (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22. There was an uproar from the congregation when BisjiopEleet of London (Dr Wand) entered St. Alary’s Woolnoth Church, London, for the confirmation ser- • vice. Cries of “I protest,” and “We protest” came from all sides as Dr Wand and the Vicar-Gen-eral headed the procession up the aisle.

! Two protests from the Protestant I Truth Society and the National Union I of Protestants against Dr Wand’s con--1 lirniation had to be presented to the I Vicar-General before the confirmation j service began. , | The protests, ivhich were dismissed |by a private meeting in the vestry, ! claimed that Dr Wand was not a fit j and proper person for confirmation in the See of London. The disturbances [ continued unceasingly while the' confirmation service was in progress. The verger left the church and returned with a policeman. The congregation chanted in unison: “We protest.” It was impossible to hear anything of the service. Air John Kensit, leader of tlie Protestant Church Society, in the protest claimed that the line of demarcation between the Church of England and the Church of Rome had been altogether obliterated in a number of churches in the London Diocese. “I failed to gain from the. bishop-elect any pledge that lie will deal with these cases,” Air Kensit said. “Aloreover, Dr Wand himself’ professes to belong to the AngloCatholic school. It can only be assumed that there is no redress for aggrieved parishioners if this election is confirmed. Dr Wand is an unsuitable person to deal with the erroneous and strange doctrines of Roman Catholicism practised in the Diocese.” Air W. Sinclair Taylor, directorgeneral of the National Union of Protestants, submitted a photograph which showed Dr Wand and other members of the clergy participating in Alass. Air Taylor later walked down the aisle and showed the photograph to members of the congregation. After the service was over Air Taylor asked the congregation to remain. He said: “We have written to the Archbishop of Canterbury and have seen the Vicar-General, but we cannot persuade these people how wrong they are.” The protesters, when leaving the church, sang the battle hvnin of the National Union of Protestants.

Air Taylor later disclosed that he was a member of the clergy. I have got my collar on back to front because I wanted to protest as an ordinary layman,” lie said.