Free Church Free Fight.
LIVELY SCENE. A split in the Free Church of England at Great Harwood, near Blackburn, resulted in a free fight in the church and the barring out of the minister on a recent Sunday. The dispute came before the Blackburn magistrates in the shape of summonses issued by the Rev. Henry Francis Gordon, against seven defendants named Taylor, Hall, William Edmundson, Duckworth, Hirtwhistle, and Nultall, for riotous behaviour in a place of religious worship. Mr Gordon, reading from a sheet of foolscap headed “The Indictments' said that when men obtained money by false pretences and absolutely refused to give an account of collectio r.\ they were worse than wolves and hyenas. They had tried lies and sla.ll- - against the good members of the congregation, and even against their minister. They had resorted to force and vulgar behaviour in God’s house. With brass-like impudence they refused to accept their dismissal from office, hut lie prayed the magistrates to order them to restore to the faithful flock the church so burglariously entered He trusted the justice they would ad minister would be approved by God in Heaven, and all reasonable people on earth. Evidence was given bv church officers that tiie c6:^“b tioa naa dccitlecl lo i h?.ve a plainer service. When the new order Of service was used John Fdmundson loudly objected. Ills brother (the organist") demanded that he should be allowed to play ; the soßitor fot the trustees mounted a bench and tiied to speak, several people w?re pushed about, and the choir, after three times attempting to sing, le f t the church in a body. John Edmondson, it was stated, called the minister “ hypocrite " and “ rotten turnip " His" son William knocked Miss Gordon violently away from the organ, and two ladies fainted.
A witness named Garner said Hail shouted “ I'm master here," and put his head down and butted people as if he was playing in a football mat *ii. Nultall took oil his coat to fight. Ail defendants denied <>u oath that the.' were guiltv o: brawl in. putting the blame for {he disturbance on the ministe r s party. John Kdmundson, however, admitted callin'.', the minister "an old Methody." The Bench acquitted Taylor, Birtwhistle, and Duckworth. The other defendants were each fined 10s ar.d costs
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 292, 17 December 1901, Page 2
Word Count
383Free Church Free Fight. Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 292, 17 December 1901, Page 2
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