AN UNCLEAN CLERIC.

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 5

AN UNCLEAN CLERIC.

REV. A. T. BRAINSBY'S^ BAD BREAK. GRACELESS GIMIEIEER GETS GAOL IFreitv "Truth V Christchurch RepJ

On Tuesday last at Christchurdi, combined Wowserism . throughout the Dominion sustained the most colossal bump it has been treated to ■ for many moons. It is quite reasonable to suppose that the effects of this didactic disaster will be sufficiently far, reaching to curtail canonical clap-trap, and, • for a time at least, relieve a longsuffering public from the infliction of prejudiced Prohibitionist piffle promulgated by pulpit-pounding parasites whose practice is a persistent perversion of their preachings. "Truth," from the moment it was launched into the homes of the public, has extended the glad hand to those reminiscently rare parsons whose Christianity has been, purely ■ Christian, and nothing more or less. But, with the exception of these true Christians,, who could be counted without need of reference to an ecclesiastical directory, our consistent contention has been that Church- ■ ianity is V ."*'.•.•.'. :}■' '; \ . , •'■'.' CLOTTED WITH RELIGIOUS , ■-, PRggPESSiONALISM.; Work shuffling twisters, whose moral code- is cloaked by broadcloth, find m it a soft billet, and their constant railings against the immorality of those outside the fold, is inspired, m many cases, to hide the sin underlying their' own apparently angelic frontispieces. 'According to the .charge-sheet at the Christchurch Magistrate's Court last Tuesday, "a person who 'gave -the name of Arthur Todd was charged with indecently exposing himself on the previous evening ,to a couple of flappers In Colombor street, Sydenham. The blue.paper/further alleged that Arthur Todd'oDSceriely addressed 1 the girls regarding his Intentions towards them. Lawyer Salter appeared on behalf of .Todd, an uncommonly fine '■ looking fellbw with a clean-shaven, intelligent face, surmounted by a mop of grey hialf. He. wore a long, grey overcoat over- a black suit.] His lawyer inti- . mated to Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., that prisoner elected to be 1 dealt with summarily and pleaded .not guilty. 'Sub-Inspector MacKinnon, conducting the , case for the police, outlined the case against Todd. He said that on Monday evening a couple of girls were walking past the Sydenham Post Office and saw Todd standing on the j far . side .: of a telegraph pole. When they drew alongside of' him he made use of .; ; ./ /■■■■■ ' : •' ■'■'■ OBSCENE LANGUAGE AND EX- j 1 ■ . • POSED HIMSELF. The girls told the cionstable, who arrested the accused and locked him up. '•' The S.M; commented on the strength, of the Sub's assertions, but the Sub. | replied that the evidence would prpve the accuracy of what he had said. | AJlapper of about seventeen sum- j mers 1 gave evidence that on the pre- ] vi pus evening, when she was m Colom-bo-street,. Sydenbarn, with her sister, she saw the accused standing m the j shadow of- a telegraph pole near the Post Office. As the girh? drew level 'with him he exposed himself. Wit,,ness did not bear him say anything, to she was farthest from him, but when' she saw what he did she and her sister, ran 'down . the, road until they ' f me't'Constctble. WilUß.ms, who "chased the roan, arid eventually caught him. The little party went along to the Sydenham police station. On the way ttiere, Todd wont, dojvn on his hands and' knees and asked forgiveness. Mr. Salter: Weren't you and your sister m the garden of an empty house Svhen you saw the accused?— No. An empty house near the Methodist church? — No, we were passing the Sydenham Post Office. The previous witness's sister gave corroborative evidence, and added that when Todd expdsed itfmself ■ ■ . ,HE MAIXE^A VltiE REMARK. His trousers^Vero riot merely unbuttoned. Hepiilled them down. ■ ' - Mr. Salter asked the witness the same questions he had asked her sister, and her replies were the same. She' said the Methodist Ghiirch was on the 2/itde of the road opposite .the place fWhere the offence had. been committed. &i»he was positive ' that the. man m the ifff pick was the one who had used the •&o'bscene language and exposed himself. pA Constable Williams fortunately the accused fed-handed, He ?'■ "utated, m ovidonce, that when the girls complained to him^ he made a bee-line for the position they indicated. The accused evidently saw him coming, and dodged around to the other side o£ the telegraph "post, and was m the act of running away when, His trousers fell down. He pulled them up; and, after some more , dodging uround posts, took to his heels. The •John Hop lodged It after htm. .and caught him. when he had gone some distance. Todd wont down on his knees oh the pavement and begged for pardon, but tho relentless copper lumbered him to the police station. On ■■-■tho way there, the prisoner resisted land pleaded without making any impression on his captor. In the charge room the policeman let go bis hold of Todd for a moment while ho struck a match to light tho. way to the cells. Iv that moinont Todd boltud for the door, but was caught and hauled back by the John Hop. Cross-examined by Mr. Salter, the. constable «ald lie was posltlvo that "Todd" was the man who committed the Indecency. From the timo witness saw him with-'- hla trousers down until he whs captured "Tout!" was npt out ' of his Might- and there were few other people about. When ho was searched tit the lock-up tho back straps of his i>ruae« worcetlll unbuttoned. After hearing the ovld,enca for the prosecution, Mr, Halter appeared to bo suffering from a sudden concavity beneath the waistcoat, and, In reply to Iho S.M.'a query, "Well, what have you «rot to., fifty, Mr. Salter?'' ho replied, "I . <lon't know what to say, your Worship. Tho ovldenco Is so different to my Instructions and places mo In a quandary. Tho accused is quite willing to go Into tho box," Tho S.M.: Then you had better call him, although ho runs a risk, you know, and you had bettor adviso him. If ho won't act on your, advice, of course, it clears you. After a talk with tho accused, Mr. Salter returned to tho solicitors' benches and remarked that ho hardly know what to do. " . "Tako your tlmo." said tho S.M., "I want to bustle you." "7 . Mr. Salter (perplexedly) : No, I won't call tho accused; I'll put beforo you tho facts as fflven mo by tho accused. Tho S.M.: They'll carry no weight, you know. Mr. Sal tor then nald that tho accused's story wan that on Monday afternoon ho had been paying some calls at Cuahmerc Hlll«, and was returning ' to Chrlntchnrch In tho evonlng when ho was compelled to go into on empty house •■•■!■■ FOR A CERTAIN PURPOSE. While he was In thoro he hoard some fdrla talking? In iho garden and ho canflo out at onco, only to be arrested by a poUcomaa. Tho 8.M.: I« that nil? , Mr. Suitor: Yes, your Worship, How about 'hin bogging for pardon? — r don't know. Everything In ab«olntoly different to tho Instructions I rC ThoV.M.: You, I daro i»y. It gonCT Hr. Saltor: I have ample ovidonco us to character. . „ The 8.M;: It carriea no wo»«rht Ho Juus mlalod you. Innocent people don t

ask forgiveness or run away. The case is about as complete as it could be. ■-."•■ ■' ... ■.■ .. ' •• . No further evidence was forthcoming, and Ms Worship proceeded with his comment: . ;• . "As everyone acquainted with me m this Court can testify," he said, "I have repeatedly held that if there' is one class of offence against which the public have a right to be protected, it Is offences of this nature. They are demoralising m the extreme. I have always dealt seyerely with them. Gases of this sort are utterly disgusting, and there is no redeeming feature about them. Here are two young girls— and we have had cases m which a whole school has been concerned — insulted by 'a. reprobate of a man who is absolutely beneath contempt. Who is this man? What is he? The Sub-Inspector fumbled amongst his papers and said he did not know whether Todd was the prisoner's correct name, but that papers found : on him seemed to show jthat he is a cleric. . The Sub. handed the S.M. a> printed circular bearing the accused's portrait over' the name, ■"-, REV. A. T. BRAINSBY, of Wellington, who would lecture that night (Tuesday) on "lan McLafren" at the Oxford- terrace Baptist Church/ Mr. Salter chipped m here, saying: "I could tell your Worship who he is and all about him, but, for certain reasons, I don't want it made public. I will tell your Worship privately." The S.M.: Oh, no, I'll not take. any information privately. He is sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labor. After "Todd" had been awarded his six months' gaol, the handbill found m the prisoner's possession bore an unmistakable photograph of "Todd," over the name of the "Rev. Arthur T. Brainsby, Wellington.' 1 The letterpress stated that the subject of the portrait would deliver a popular illustrated lecture on "lan Maclaren," iii the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church last Tuesday evening. After "Mr. Todd" had been sent to gaol, the announcement of Rev. Arthur T. Brainsby's lecture, which • appeared on the notice,: board of the Baptist Church was covered by a freshly printed poster to ttie effect that •'TO-NIGHT'S LECTtTRE IS. POST- - r PONED.". Further inquiries make it clear beyond doubt that the person sent to Lyttelton Gaol is the Rev. A. T. Brainsby, who occupied the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church pulpit, , In place of the Rev. J. J. North, .with whom he had temporarily exchanged pulpits. "■■;•*, The Rev. Brainsby is In charge of the Baptist Church m Wellington, which was formerly: the Rev. J. J. JjTorth's Chtfrch. As a conunitteemah of the Baptist Union, he has been favored with the confidence and respect of the combined denominational brotherhood throughput the Dominion. Prior to his advent into Christchurch, it is stated that this particular parson conducted a ten weeks' mission m Dunedin, besides having preached the gospel from various pulpits m New Zealand and Aus-

tralla. His angelic countenance and saintly bearing 1 largely hoi pod towards the profound impression which hegoncrally creuted amongst tho female section of those who camo within tho .scopo of his ministrations. It was significant that on Tuesday night, before it had been made known that his appointment, with Gaoler Scanlon had necessitated tho, postponement of his proposed discourse, the assemblage which turned up>t tho Baptist Church was composed jinalnly of women, many of whom gave way to tears on hearing of tho , BEAUTIFUL BBATNSBY'S IM- * PROMPTU ''CALL,." Doubtless the more level-headed and slncero of the church-going fraternity have accepted tho cleric's imprisonment as i-lghteous punishment for a fall from graco for whloh ho alone was responsible. But the weevlly wowserJhUc section of the community has been completely flabbergasted and is unable to formulate any excuse m extenuation of the cleric's unclean conduct, other than that their unfortunate "brother's" actions have been miserably 'mlsconstruod. Tht» more broadminded among the community, notably the ratlonallHtM and unbelievers generally, express the opinion that thu man must have had a sorlous mental lapse*, but point out that thin excuse put forward In the enso of a wharf laborer or othor "bottom doe" charged with a similar orfenco would be Immediately and contemptuously brushed awldo by tho very claws to which tho prisoner belongs. ! "Truth" has no pleasure In pillorying a clergyman simply becauHo ho Is a olorKyman, and would gladly glvo tho Rev. Uralnnby'M beastly conduct tho benetlt of the doubt as to hla sanity at tho timer— IF4THKRK WKtIJ-J ANY DOUBT. Unfortunately, for thu reverend culprit aud all concerned, Indications point to the probability oC bits, actions having be«n premeditated. Previous to stationing himself m the position

where tho offence was committed, Bratnsby is stated to have gone into tho grounds of tho Methodist Church on tho other bWo of the road, and discarded hiH ovo.rcout. clerical collar and tie, Mb apparent object boing that if trouble arose over his subsequent actions he could run ucrose Into tho church grounds and, slipping on his f.vi'i-ctwa juv! collar, walk out as tho Rev. A. T. Mmlnuby. On the faeo i»f nil tho circumstances the ease is. to use the S.M.s words, "about as complete as it could be%" and tho police and Court are to bo complimented on their absolutely Impurtiul treatment of Vho elerlwil culprlL Some time ago, It will bo remvmbrred. the ttev. .T. .1. North caustically crlUclHcd the ChrlHtchurch police concerning the tmmorallty which ho reckoned was permitted to putrify tho churchy city. Douhtlesa it will afford that ca'ueilc critic and his pulpit pals and prohibition preachers groat witlKfuctlon to milla* that the police have profiled by tho prayerful parson's purBpicaclouH pulpit poundhtg— «von to tho extont of pouncing on and imprisoning a prurient pervert of his own particular profession.