A “BISHOP” HECKLED.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1921, Page 5

A “BISHOP” HECKLED.

ROWDY MEETING IN WELLINGTON. SUNDAY NIGHT SERVICE DISTURBED. A disgraceful exhibition of hooliganism was shown at the Paramount Theatre, Wellington, on Sunday night, during a service held by “Professor” John Howard and Madame Ranee, “teachers and demonstrators of Theomonism, Human Character and Psychology.” The theatre was crowded. When the preacher announced that the service would open with the hymn, “Onward, Comrades, Onward,” there were cat-calls, yells, and cries from all parts of the hall. During the singing of the hymn the disturbers sang, “Abe, My Boy,” and “Mademoiselle from Armentieres.”

The “Professor,” or “Bishop,” as the crowd called him, commenced to read a prayer, but was greeted with further calls and stamping of feet. He kept on with his reading, and made a little progress. Many of the congregation expressed disgust at the disturbers’ tactics, and one was heard to exclaim, “What about free speech,” Nothing daunted, the preacher concluded his reading, while leather-lunged voices counted him out.

“I’m For Ever Blowing Bubbles,” was the next item on the crowd’s programme while another hymn was being sung. “Cowards,” flip “Bishop” called ’shem. “I have been allowed to hold my Sunday services throughout Australia, and I have to come to New Zealand to know that the holding of a Divine service !• to be prevented.” ’He threatened to impose certain restrictions, and exhibited, his ordination certificate. A little peace reigned for a few moments. A solitary policeman appeared, and was greeted with thunders of applause. “Our doctrines,” said the preacher, “are taught on Monday, Tuesday—”

“Wednesday,” shouted the crowd settling down to its stamping again. Raising his voice above the din, the “Professor” expounded his ideas on Theomonism. but his voice wa> drowned in noise and shouting. “Is this ‘God’s Own Country'.”' ho shouted. Cheers and cat-calls followed. “I have only been in New Zealand a month, and I don’t think it is ‘God's Own Country,”’ a woman cried. She was immediately engaged in wordy warfare with a number of other women in the vicinity, who stoutly urged that tho disturbing element did not ■ represent New Zealanders.

“Some of the working classes are out —for what?” asked the preacher. “Nought!” yelled the crowd. ‘‘You won’t hunt me out of Wellington,” he said, when quiet was resumed once more.

Details of how he successfully fought an organisation, with half a million of money, in Australia, were now given by the preacher. Working-class people were behind th* Theomonistic movement, he declared, a* the disturbance broke out again. H® appealed for British justice, and got a better hearing until he used the word “Yahoo” in his discourse, when there were more yells, and the singing of “What Are We Waiting For Now?” The woman who declaimed against “God’s Own Country” walked on to the stage, picked up a couple of badges, and left the hall with her friends. “Come on, mother,” the crowd called to Madame Ranee, as the preacher concluded. “1 wonder would you defend your own country?” asked the “Bishop,” in disgust. He was greeted with a storm of hoots. When the preacher called for questions, there were cries of “How mu h | was there in the collection?” and “Who’s going to win the double at Otaki, Bishop?” Asked to explain why there wore seven days in a week, the ‘Bishop” said the source was in the Bible. A woman rose in the dress circle, and was loudly applauded. “If you know anything about history, you'll know that its source is in the ancient people of Chaldea,” she said amid great applause. “Tr it part of your religion to curse the Pope of Rome?” asked a “digger.” who mounted the platform, at the invitation of the “Bishop,” who rfad a letter from a monk to a theomonistic disciple in America, in reply. The “digger” was not shtisfied, and was greeted with three cheers as he returned to his seat. The crowd got angry at the “Bishop’s” doctrine in regard to Christ, expounded in answer to the woman in the dress circle, and they counted him out vociferously. After further minor disturbances, the meeting melted away.