AN EXTRAORDINARY CLERGYMAN.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 37, 1 February 1864, Page 7

AN EXTRAORDINARY CLERGYMAN.

the Btaffordsliire Sentinel.) Last week we gave particulars ofMr. Henniker's conduct in refusing to read the burial service over the body of an aged parishioner named Aleoek, and, actually detaining the body in the church until, after it had , remained above ground fourteen days, it was taken possession of by some of the j parishioners, and interred by the Eev. H. Ward, of Galton. - Mr. Henniker by his conduct excited a strong feeling of indignation, which led on Sunday last .to the results we are about to describe. \ A great number of persons assembled in and otit of the church during the afternoon service, and greeted the Eev. gentleman on his arrival with shouts and hisses. The service lasted about fifteen minutes, during winch several persons standing at the door shouted in the church, and we are informed several stones were thrown in also. At the conclusion of the service there was a great crowd outside the church waiting to give Mr. Henniker a " reception," but instead of coming the way he was expected, he came out another way, after using some very harsh language to his clerk, calling him a fool and a liar. The crowd then followed Mr Henniker .down a by-road about fifty yards from the church, hissing and shouting, and we are told several clods were thrown at him. Here he made a rush at a group of persons, who all ran away, execpt a young man, a shoemaker, from Cheadle, whom he struck. The Eev. B. Henniker is not only the incumbent of Cauldon, but of the adjoining parish of "Waterfall, both livings being in the gift of his father, Mr A. Henniker. He is quite a young man. For some time he has been in the habit of conducting the services at both churches in the most extraordinary manner, generally dispensing with the Confession, the Absolution, the Thanksgivings, the prayer for the Eoyal family, and many other prayers, and also with signing and preaching. Sometimes, however, a homily or a tract has taken the place of a sermon. But the strangest thing of all is that [ he has been in the habit, until some months ago, of reading the Lessons from the Douay version of the Bible, and since he has given up this practice he has read unauthorised translations from _ scraps of paper. The service, curtailed in the way described, has : generally been got through in 15 or |20 minutes. This course of conduct, coupled with Jiis refusing early in the present year to bury a little child named Basset, who died of typhus fever, resulted in an inquiry by the rural dean, the Eev. J. Simpson, of Alstonfield. The latter gentleman buried the child himself, after it had been in the church several days, including Sunday, when the stench from the corpse filled the whole church. The result of the inquiry was that Mr. Henniker signed a * declaration drawn up by Mr. Simpson, in which lie promised to conduct the church service properly for the future. He, however, soon relapsed into his old way, with the exception that he did not commence reaeing the Douay Bible, but read from scraps of paper as stated above. There can be no doubt that Mr. Henniker is liable to be proceeded against at ecclesiastical law, both for refusing to bury, and for systematic violation of the order of service laid down in the Book of Common Prayer. As yet the only proceedings that have been taken, so far as we can learn, are that a summons has been taken out against Mr. Henniker by a young man named Jqseph Eichai'dson, for an assault alleged to have been committed in the churchyard on Sunday week. The case has to be heard at Leek next Wednesday. The villagers call to mind various acts on the part of Mr. Henniker which it would be speaking of lightly to call eccentric. Some months ago he refused to proceed with a funeral until a person whom he chose to consider a Dissenter, and who was one of the funeral party, left the church. When any of his Cauldron parishioners wish to have a christening performed, he refers them to Waterfall, and vice versa. A short time ago he served the parish clerk with a notice of which the following is a copy : — " Cauldron churchyard not to be broke without an order from Kd.H. " On the clerk saying that he should not pay any attention to this order, as he had a letter from the bishop giving him permission to break the ground when a grave was wanted, he abused the clerk in terms which, proceeding from a clergyman, greatly astqiushea the b^t«wle*s. It is sail, though we Gifttiiot YOUOIi for the fact, that Mir. Henm'ker has declared that he will not officiate at the burial of his pariahioners any more. It is understood that the rural dean will visit Cauldron, and hold an investigation into Mr. ]leniu> ker's conduct', ' ' ' ' s ' '