A SUNDAY EVICTION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11646, 25 August 1905, Page 5

A SUNDAY EVICTION.

Extraordinary Scenes at Ayr.

Extraordinary scenes .were witnessed, at Ayr on Sunday, July 2,',' on the occasion > of the" Free Church- congregation occupying Newton-on-Ayr Church, for >the first, time. '. The' evicted congregation assembled at the church gates in Main Street before 1 o'clock, and, headed by the. minister' (the Rev. John Miller) and. office- bearers, marched in processional order to the Town Hall, where the morning service was conducted by Mr Miller. A HOSTILE CROWD. • The opening service of the Free Church was held at 1 o'clock, and 'the preacher. ' was the Rev. Murdo McQueen, Kiltearn, ex-Moderator of the Free Church. A hostile crowd of nearly 2000 people watched' the assembling of the congregation half an hour before the service started. The church officer, on opening the gates .was loudly hopted. As the members of the congregation began to arrive the crowd became more aggressive, and the police had the greatest difficulty in clearing the way for the people entering the churdh. Eacli fresh batch of worshippers was greeted with a storm of hissing and jeering, and several of the men had their hats knocked off. One woman, after struggling through the crowd, marched up the pathway to the church! triumphantly way- ' ing her umbrella- above - her head. '. Another, after getting to the gate, ' turned aside, and was mat with derisive shouts, while, someone cried, "She turns. r , from the error of her. ways.""- , Most of the worshippers walked with - .pale, set faces, bujfc'qtliefs : after getting within, the police, turned and bowed mockingly to .the ccowd.' Altogether/ about 130 people entered- the church. Mr McQueen- only made, a slight reference to the special occasion. He- said that, corning to Ayr for the first time, he could soft forget that he was in Hie land of the martyrs. He was not surprised - that there was a Free Church congregation in Ayr, ' and he hoped the time would never come when there would not bo a town in- which' there was not a congregation to uphold the principles of the Free Church as their fathers believed in them.

Though the police -force had been augmented — all the day-duty. men, sixteen iii number, having been collected— there was a_renewed scene of disorder as the congregation dispersed. The crowd in Maiu Street by this time numbered probably, four or five thousand. The first member* of the congregation to emerge were- badly' hustled. Various missiles, including" rot- 1 ten eggs, were thrown, and some ladies even had -their hats torn, from their heads, and had to beat a retreat within the gates. The .temper of the. -crowd seemed ; to rise as the local Free Church leaders; made their- appearance, and in a concerted" rush the police and some* members of 'the congregation were forced back oil. the rail-,, ings. Orders were * then given.""- for tlwr police to draw their batons, and* the pavement was ultimately cleared. . ' ' Later another .threatening rush was made,' and batons were' drawn for a. second tiaie\ ' ' - 'j- , . At this juncture the Be y.. John Miller,, bare-headed, and the Rev. Dr. Howie passed down the street on their way to 'the afternoon service in 'the Town. 'Hall, and this helped to draw 4 off a portion of the crowd, though the excitement and disorder continued for, some time. ~ , . . The noise in the street was bo great . that the forenoon service, in Newton Parish Church — Rev. Mr . Rainnie's— was . stopped > for a time. Fearing a renewal of the disorder, and acting on the advice of Chief Constable Lowden, ' it was decided to abandon the evening 1 " service; A notice statingj that the service had been postponed was posted at the church gat#. Nevertheless the street" was thronged with ,people, and when a Free Church adherent, evidently unaware of the postponement, put in an appearance he was hissed, »iid a shower of eggs was thrown, at him,.