Strange Scene in a Church.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 174, 23 October 1880, Page 2

Strange Scene in a Church.

(Otago Daily Times.)

An extraordinary incident occurred on Sunday, the 18th July, in Irvine Parish Church (Scotland), during forenoon service. While a hymn was being sung, immediately before the sermon, a singular elderly man entered the church and forced his way into the minister’s seat, obliging one of its

occupants to seek another seat, and himself declining offers of accomodation elsewhere. As soon as the hymn was finished he began reading a document, which purported to be an interdict forbidding certain lawyers in Irvine from selling some property. To aid in the understanding of the document, the reader gave illustrative measurement with “ an extremely long handkerchief.” By this time many were laughing, including the Militia and Volunteers, who crowded the building, but the man steadily read to the end of his paper, and was then removed from the church, but refused to leave the churchyard, and was ultimately taken to the police office, where he gave the name of PI ugh Gibson, of Fergushill, and alleged that what he had done was in accordance with the provisions of an old ecclesiastical law entitling persons to claim in church property of which they were likely to be dispossessed by legal action.