CHURCH AT DARWEN ON SUNDAYS WORSE THAN BEAR GARDEN

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6538, 21 February 1928, Page 8

CHURCH AT DARWEN ON SUNDAYS WORSE THAN BEAR GARDEN

Blasphemous Rioting Goes on Undiminished

STRONG POLICE FORCE IN ATTENDANCE (A.P.A. and “ Sun.”) LOUDON, Feb, 19. A strong police force with difficulty coped with a mob at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Darwen, Lancashire^ The scenes were the most disgraceful yet, 1200 protesters inside the Church, some standing on the seats, demonstrated against the sung Eucharist, singing the Thirtyeighth Hymn and loudly coughing and talking. Sixty of the vicar’s supporters, endeavouring to follow tho curate’s Cole bration Service wore drowned, though they persevered from 9.30 o’clock until noon. The vicar mounted the pulpit and tried to preach. He eventually briefly delivered a message to his followers amid a volume of hostile psalmody, concluding with the National Anthem. Ho proceeded homo between lines of police, V.hom the hooting crowd of SOOO charged, knocking tho vicar and several constables into the scrubbory. A skirmish near the vicarage followed, the crowd dispersing half an hour later.