BOGUS PARSON

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 90, 7 December 1931, Page 7

BOGUS PARSON

MYSTERY MINISTER WHO CAME AND THEN DISAPPEARED SHOCK FOR CONGREGATION SYDNEY, Wednesday. It came as a shock recently to the i congregation of the Richmond (Melbourne) Presbyterian Church to learn that the police in two States were searching for the man who on the previous Sunday night had delivered to them a stirring sermon. He was — a well-dressed and well-edueated man who had introduced himself to the regular preaeher (Rev. Wilfred L. Collins) as the Rev. P. G. Darcy. He seemed to Mr. Collins to be every inch a minister. He was present at the morning service at the church, and when it was over he congratulated Mr. Collkic on the excellence of his -sermon, and he praised the singing and the orgnn. Darcy mad 3 a mysterious appearance in Melbou" ne and was not long in finding Mr. Oollins. He told Mr. Collins that hr. was a Master of Arts at Belfast Uiiversity, and that he was on his w: ~r to Sydney, where he was going to be married. Mr. Collins was so impressed by the man's general bearing that he invited him to conduct the evening service, and he agreed to do so. There y:as a crowded congregation, and, according to Mr. Collins, Darcy made the service extremely interesting, He related an experience in Belfast when he preached to the inmates of a gaol in the afternoon, and to a large society audience in the evening. "I told that exclusive audience in the evening," said Darcy, "that the only difference between them and the poor sinners to whom I had preached in the afternoon was that those in gaol had been found out." Mr. Collins saicl that he became suspicious when "Rev. Darcy" persistently found excuses to evade being introduced to other ministers. Darcy said that he had been promised work l by the Rev. Hugh Paton in Sydney, and in order to verify this Mr. Collins rang up the home of Mr. Paton. Mr. Paton happened to be out. In the meantime Darcy borrowed money from Mr. Collins, and this made him even more suspicious. He became even more anxious, and again telephoned to Mr. Paton. Mr. Paton then told him that he had never heard of the Rev. P. G. Darcy. On the Tuesday following his sermon Darcy disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared, and it was then that Mr. Collins "placed the matter in the hands of the police. He told the police that Darcy was a finelooking man, about 5ft. lOin. in height, with a fair, ruddy complexion. So far Darcy has eluded the police. He is among those "who have not been found out."