NEW REICHSBISHOP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20418, 24 September 1934, Page 1

NEW REICHSBISHOP.

Strong Opposition to Nazi Church. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyrjgh t. (.Received September 24, 12.40 p.m.) LONDON', September 23. The Berlin correspondent of “ The Times ” says that the cathedral was crowded with a selected congregation for Reichsbishop Mueller’s enthronement. Uniformed Storm Troopers, bearing the flags of the German Christian Movement, stood on each side of the altar. The Primate and twenty-nine bishops, all of whom except one were of Bishop Mueller’s creation, moved in procession along the aisles. On his formal instalment, enthronement and consecration Bishop Mueller simply assumed office in the middle of the service, standing before the altar and expressing a vow to fulfil his duties in accordance with the Gospels. Bishop Mueller’s address was noncommittal. He appealed to the congregation to help in building one German Evangelical Church. At the conclusion of the service the Primate appeared outside the cathedral, where a curiously small crowd assembled.

Meanwhile in their churches the opposition ministers held overflowing services. The Rev Niemoller, a wartime submarine commander, preached at Dahlem Church, Berlin. It was so full that some of the congregation sat on the altar steps and others waited outside in the rain. The congregation was in tears as Niemoller concluded with the prayer, “ Lord help us lest we perish.” At Munich, Protestant Bavaria demonstrated widely in defence of the principles of the Reformation against the dangers of religious despotism. One thousand South Germans assembled at Ansbach, singing Luther’s Hymn. Many invalids who were unable to attend church for 3’ears were wheeled to the services in bath chairs. Dr Meiser said that the Protestant Church had never been aroused to such a mighty fighting spirit as during the present crisis. Bavarians were firmly bound to the Lutheran faith, and could not agree to the administration of a Reich Church and the political leadership principle, with dictatorial powers emanating from the arbitrary will of a single individual.