RELIGIOUS (VERY).

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 982, 28 September 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

RELIGIOUS (VERY).

The following is from an English paper: —“ The election of a chaplain for St. Saviour’s, Southwark, took place at the Board-room of the Vestry, Borough market, on Saturday. The following candidates, who have preached trial sermons, went to the poll: —The Revs.W. Thompson (curate in charge), F. B. Procton, R. L. S. Cloquet, R. C. Stevens, Dr. Wainwright, and J. H. Cheadle (minor Canon at Westminster Abbey). The number of assessments in the parish of St. Saviour’s is about 2,500, but the actual number of voters is 2,200, of whom no less than 1600 recorded their votes between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Party feeling ran very high, though at no time dnring the polling was there anything like a breach of the peace. The curate in charge was unmistakably the favorite candidate, and was met with great cheering each time he entered the polling booth. The vehicles bearing his supporters met with the same reception, but those of his rivals were very differently treated. A large body of police were present to preserve order, but their services were not particularly required until the close of the poll, when great commotion took place among an assemblage of at least 2000 persons, who were tightly packed in the market place, and were attacked with scores of flour bags and volleys of peas. Free fighting was the consequence, and a number of persons were injured. The friends of the Rev. W. Thompson were very confident of success owing to the large amount of support that gentleman had. been promised by the Irish voters, whose influence it was believed would secure his election. The counting of the Votes began immediately after the close of the poll, and the result was as follows: —Thompson, 1,095 ; Wainwright, 432 ; Cheadle, 25 ; Cloquet, 18; Proctor, 8 ; Stevens, 0.” And this is done by men who claim to be the elect of God, Apostles in a direct line of succession from all the Saints —men who are “ called ” to the ministry by Divine Grace, to look after the souls of men ! Only fancy it being a notable fact that during the election nothing like a “ breach of the peace occurred I ” Here we find that in the name of religion the end sanctifieth the means. The “ favorite candidate ” being met with “ great cheering” as he entered the “polling booth,” while his rivals were “ differently treated,” so much so that the interference of the police was necessary at the close of the poll, when “ scores of flour bags and volleys of peas ” were freely used as at, any other free fight, while a few rotten eggs would have completed the picture. We fancy we hear the “ favorite ” exhorting his faithful on the following Sunday to let their “ moderation be known unto all men, for the Lord is at hand,” and that “ for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father .of our Lord Jesus Christ.”