CHURCH SERVICE ENDS IN UPROAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5290, 31 December 1946, Page 5

CHURCH SERVICE ENDS IN UPROAR

( Press Assn.-

BISHOP SHOUTED DOWN FROTESTANTS' PRdTEST OF ILLEGAL MASS

-Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, Des. 29. Pifty members of the Nttional Union of Protestants shouted clown Dr. Martin, Bislipj of Liverpool, at the West Dferby Church, Liverpool. The Bishop waited half-an-hour in the pulpit, then returned to the ctoir sialls and advised the Viear, the Rev. Frank Sanson, to end \he service. The demonstrators remained scated during the opening hymns and prayers, but when the Bishop was about to announce his text oue shouted: "We reprove you for allowing high mass. We protest againsc this illegal practice," The Bishop replied: "This sort oi behaviour will do. your cause no good, my friend." The demonstratofs chanted: "We will not have the mass." The Bishop's voiqe was lost in the t'proar. Th.e organist played to drown the chanting, but the demonstrators showered the congregation with leaflets and stqod and sang the i.ational anthem. After the service !:(• demonstrators j showered with leaflets the clergy sind choir moving "n procession to the jvestry. Two demonstrators and one member of the con;-regation had a scuffle. Many wonen in the congregation wept. Thi wardens suminoned the police, who took the names of a number of demonstrators. IVtr. M. A. Perkins, secretary of the National Union of Pr>testants, whose icadquarters are in London, said: 'This is the beginnilg of an intenive campaign we have planned for fic Merseyside. Thik church is the nest extreme Anglo-Catholic one in Ihe city. We intenc to follow the. Jhshop around in th" future whenever the illegal full Toman Catholic mass is celebratedJ*