TROUBLE IN CHURCH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5256, 26 March 1928, Page 3

TROUBLE IN CHURCH.

BISHOP INTERVENES.

“ MOB RULE NOT TOLERABLE.”

Dr. Herbert, the Bishop of Blackburn, in, a statement regarding the protests by a section of the parishioners of St. Cuthbert’s, Darwen, Lancashire, against the sung Eucharist or Holy Communion service, sa ; d:— For some time past regrettable and unjustifiable incidents have taken place during Divine service at St. Cuthbert’s, Darwen. On the last three Sundays organised efforts have been made to prevent sung communion service being carried out. This has been the subject of legal proceedings with strong comment from the chairman of the. Bench. I emphatically condemn such conduct as intolerable.

As bishop I solemnly appeal for its discontinuance. I am ready to do all I can to bring about a settlement of the dispute that will satisfy the desires of reasonable worshippers at St. Cuthbert’s, but organised mob rule cannot be tolerated, irreverence and persecution must cease and. the rights of minorities must be safeguarded. The services of St. Cuthbert’s, though not of a kind to which the peoplle have been accustomed, are nevertheless not Contrary to the' law ■of tihe Church of England; The fact that the opposition, which has been largely recruited of late from people from otuside who have no direct concern with St. Cuthbert’s, has become inflamed with fanatical frenzy in which all Christian feeling has been forgotten. Let the outsiders stay away. Let the rioting and disorder, cease, .and it will surely not prove impossible to find a way by which different people can agree as to the service of their church. I. appeal for support'of all concerned in bringing to an end the present scandal.