BISHOP DENOUNCED

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1927, Page 9

BISHOP DENOUNCED

SENSATION IN ST. PAUL’S ALLEGATIONS OF HERESY RECTOR’S SERIOUS CHARGE DEAN INGE SAYS ‘BRAWLER’ By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, Oct. 16. There was a remarkable scene at the morning service of St. Paul’s. Directly the Bishop of Birmingham entered the pulpit, the Rev. G. R. Bullock Webster, rector of St. Michael Royal, robed in cassock and surplice and accompanied by a number of young men, walked from the main transept, faced the congregation and read from a. document: “Here now in the presence of the conoreoation in my own name, also thus# of a large body of clergy and faithful laity, we solemnly denounce Ernest Barnes, Bishop of Birmingham, who by false, heretical teaching and frequent utterances has denied and poured contempt on the doctrines and sacrament of the Holy Catholic Church. “We fervently protest against the invitation given to the Bishup of Birmingham to preach from the pulpit of the mother church of the diocese, forasmuch as the presence of the Bishop of Birmingham in any church is an indignity to Almighty God and a scandal and offence to the faithful. We call on the

Lord Bishop of this diocese to inhibit the Bishop of Birmingham from preaching or ministering in any church under his jurisdiction. Furthermore, we call on the Bishops and the Archbishop of Canterbury to try the Bishop of Birmingham in respect of his alleged heretical and profane utterances, and, if he is guilty, forthwith to depose and cast him from the church until he repents

and recants ids grievous utterances. Turning, they walked out. The Bishop of Birmingham stood silent in the pulpit

with bowed head and a pained expression. After the interruption he delivered his sermon in a clear, ringing voice, without interruption. Since it was first announced that Dr. Barnes would be preaching at St> Paul’s there have been protests, especially from Anglo-Catholic*, who 1 called on the Bishop of London, whose authority extends to the Cathedral, to forbid th« sermon. The Rev. G. R. B. Webster led his adherents into the church and all faced the congregation, while other sympathisers, including' several clergy, witnessed the scene from the transepts. The organist quickly started to play, gradually swelling in volume, until Mr. Webster's voice was inaudible to the congregation.

Anglo-Catholies in many suburbs cooperated with the Rev. iMr. W’ebster’a protest and formed a proeestjon from tiro Cathedral singing hymns in the streets and celebrated Mass at St. Michael’s, the cantors wearing capes. Dean Inge, interviewed, said: “I have nothing to say in reference to that brawler. We could take proceed, inge, but 1 do not suppose we shall. This is the first dieturbanco in thq Cathedral since the suffragettes.”

The Rev. Mr. Webster/ interviewed, repudiated the ecclesiastical Charge of brawling. He said everything was orderly and dignified. They especially resented Bishop Barnes’ keferencee to the Mass. They considered the Rev. Mr. Inge, as Dean of the Cathedral, was a partner in Dr. Barnes’ crime. 11.'d Dr. Barnes disparag'd the King, every citizen from the Lord Mayor downwards would have been indignant. The feeling of the churchmen was the same when the King of Kings was dishonoured, scorned and derided.

BISHOP OF BIRMINGHAM.SPEAKS, NO REFERENCE TO THE SCENE. Received Oet. 18, I.To a.m. London, Oct. 17. Dr. Barnes, Bishop of Birmingham, j>. ..icL -d a striking sermon .at Saint x'i;ul's with not the slightest reference to the scene. He dis.ussed whether . .r's creation was the result of blind mechanism or divine design. He urged that scientific survey gives nothing to encourage vs to repudiate the belief that man’s creation was divinely plan: 1. The gorilla and the civilised man were products of the me machinery, but there had been an unexpected variation in the ease of the man. It ,was natural to think that this variation was a step in ti.e d’. ine plan. “If Christians regard God as contriving a slowly maturing plan whereby the human race was brought into existence, r adern science has no cogent ar- y gument against it. lam convinced that the purpose of evolution is revealed in the moral and spiritual development of humanit y.”