Fight for Possession of a Church. The Pastor Wounded. Grafton (N.S.W.), March 7th.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 147, 27 March 1886, Page 5

Fight for Possession of a Church. The Pastor Wounded. Grafton (N.S.W.), March 7th.

A most scandalous and painful scene took place this morning at the Fry -street Presbyterian Church. At the Presbyterian Synod of Eastern Australia, held, on Thursday last, a meeting of the congregation was called by five persons, denominating themselves tho trustees of the church, at which resolutions were passed taking possession of the church, and also one intended to depose tho minister, tho Rov. Isaac Maokay. After the meeting tho trustees fastened tho doois of tho church, which were subsequently re-opened by someone. The trustees then had the doors more securoly fastened, and on Saturday night three ot thoir number, with two others, toolc^ up their quarters in the vestry room adjoining. At a quaiter to eleven o'clock this morning tho minister, in the presence of about thirty of the congregation and a largo assemblage of people, three times demanded admission, and failing to socure compliance with his request, .he procuied a large axo and burst open the vestry door. While pushing open tho door, assisted by half-a-dozen mon, tho minister being: in tront and tho door ajar, <i clenched fbt with a massive ring on ono of its fingers was seen to decond on the pastor's romple,from which tho blood bespattered the wall, and streamed down hit, faco. The vootry having boon taken by storm, was speedily tilled with people, and the scene which ensued bailies doscri^tion Some fifteen ov twenty people wt o hustling and grappling with each othc. Some blows were struck, and all were talking at the top of their \oices. Four ladies, the wives of respeclablo townemon, and a young woman ol about 20 years of ago, got to close quarters with three of V\q besieged, and from words camo to blows with paiasols, which weie returned by the stricter sex with their foot, the young woman receiving a severe kick in the stomach in the melee. At this timo a wilder scene was nover enacted in a booth tn a Donnybrook fuir. One of the besieged had his hair pulled, his watch chain broken, and his clothes torn, while challenges from others to Fee it out on tho green were freoly thrown out. In the thick of tho fight one of tho besieged escaped by the door leading into 1he church, which he bolted behind him The others seeing tho flight of their companion, were now "omewhat cooled, and with little resistance were pushed out of the ve&try by the females. Ovortures weic made to the man who had taken refuge inside the sanctuary and after a little parleying he opened the door and thereby saved the axe being applied to tho church proper. The alleged trustees and their abettors having gathered up their bags, supposed 1o contain provisions ior a prolonged piego, retired outside tho fence, wl.ilo the minister, as far as possible, icojoved the traces of the fight from his faco and clothes and proceeded to conduct Ihe usual service, in the course of which ho was not interfered with.