VICAR HOWLED DOWN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 278, 14 February 1928, Page 9

VICAR HOWLED DOWN

DARWEN DISTURBANCES LEGAL ACTION TAKEN By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. LONDON, Sunday. Another demonstration occurred to-day at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Darwen, Lancashire, which culminated in an extraordinary scene. Mounted and foot police guarded the church. The congregation of 800 people remained quiet until the vicar, the Rev. E. Lauria, went into the pulpit. When he commenced his sermon lie was unable to make himself heard owing to laughter and shouting. The vicar went out into the street and returned with some police officers. Then amid ironical laughter and singing the police, accompanied by the vicar, moved about the church taking tfie names of demonstrators. Hundreds of people trooped out of the church. Speaking from the chancel steps the vicar said that owing to the blasphemjr of his disturbers the service was at an end. When he went into the street again there was an outburst of “booing.” Mounted police escorted Mr. Lauria to the vicarage. Legal proceedings are pending.—A. and N.Z. Other demonstrations have accurred'at the same church, as protests against the sung Eucharist. On January 29 the police had to be called to protect the vicar and his colleague from a crowd of 2,000 people, who held up the traffic while the police barred the road. Another scene occurred on February 5. Four hundred people walked out of the church before the sermon was commenced. Hundreds of people followed Mr. Lauria to his home, but no hostile demonstration was made.