Persecuted Evangelists.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 18, 19 December 1884, Page 2

Persecuted Evangelists.

-♦ The Onnondville correspondent of the Napier Telegraph writes as follows : — J. Mclntyre, E. James, H. Stent, and James Allardice were charged under the Vagrancy Act with threatening behaviour m a public place, whereby 'a breach of the peace might have been occasioned. The evidence of a most illiterate man named Thomas Purvis or Fern's, who called himself a preacher (of what denomination I could not gather, there being bo much noise at the entrance to, the Court at this time that it was impos--1 sible to hear distinctly what was said^) and of a Mr and Mrs Collet went to show that on the eveuing; of the Ist December a service was being held m the Danevirke schoolroom, when the defendants interrupted the meeting by stamping of . the floor, rattling slates, and throwing stones upon the roof of the building. Theaecused were defended by Mr Loughnan, who cross-examined the witnesses at great length. He (Mr Loughnan) did all m his power to shake the testimony of the old girl, but the estimable old soul proved one too many for him, and he gave her up m disgust. The Magistrate acquitted James, dismissed Allardice and Stent with a severe reprimand, and fined Melutyre £1 with £1 19s. costs, cr an alternative of seven days imprisonment. The fine was paid. From the Woodvillo wo iqarn that the complainant was Mr Thomas Pyvis, described as an evangelistic preacher. \\?o presume this is a ! more remunerative calling than that of | anvil. ■