A LIVELY SERVICE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3156, 15 May 1883, Page 3

A LIVELY SERVICE.

A disgraceful scene, says the “ Pall M all Budget,” was witnessed on Sunday March 11, at the Church of Holy Trinity, Bordesley. A day or two ago the Bishop of the diocese served Mr Enraghtwith a formal inhibition from officiating at Holy Trinity, and the livins was offered to and accepted by tho Bist H. Allan Watts, of Sunderland. Ou Sunday morning the new vicar underwent the introductory process of reading himself in. There was a great crowd in the churchyard, and the adjacent streets were filled with a, noisymob, while the church was crowded. Immediately the vicar made his appear* anoe, in the, vestry he was served with a protest by one of the Ritualist church* wardens objecting to his presence, on the ground that he wks disposed to degrade the services and upset the regular machinery; of the parish. On entering the church he was greeted with a storm... of hisses and. joud cries of “Traitor.” The members of the old choir took up a position at the end of the churoh and were' loudest' in the up* roarious When the vicar ascended the pulpit he was pale and agitated, and amid the Babel of sound his voice was scarcely audible He began by saying that he hoped those members of his congregation who had attended the opening service with the object of creating a distur* banco would "become quiet and peaceable worshippers. Derisive laughter and unseemly shouts proceeded from various parts of the building, and the supporters of the vicar were so enraged that acollision between the two parties seemed imminent. Thecbief of police, who was present with a force of men, pushed his way among the rival sections and entreated them to observe something like decency in a place of worship. As the vicar proceeded his voice was drowned by fits of coughing and other concerted interruptions, while some of the moat systematic ones evoked bursts of laughter by shouting out a familiar piece of “ gag”, from a local pantpmine, which was followed by counter cries of “ Shot up,” ■ and “Go to On finishing his formal task of reading himself in, the vicar abruptly left the pulpit, and the proceedings were brought to a termination. The mob then rushed outside to join their companions in the churchyard, with the apparent object of . mobbing the vicar. The police formed a compact phalanx to escort the clergyman to a place of safety. The vicar placed himself in the middle of his bodyguard* amid a tumult of groans and shoots. Some of .his supporters cheered him and pressed forward to assist the police in clearing the passage. The mob followed the vicar, and bis body guard, howling and pushing them about, till the gentleman reached his residence. Here another 'demonstration was made, and it was deemed necessary to leave a number of policemen outside the bouse to protect it. from .damage. The proceedings at the evening service were even of a more disgraceful character than in the morning.