BRAWLING IN CHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2606, 16 May 1877, Page 2

BRAWLING IN CHURCH.

Yesterday St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Walker and Melville streets, was the scene of an unusual and unpleasant incident, by which the solemnity and decorum of public worship were much disturbed. In our report of last week's meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery there.-was a brief account of a series of protests and appeals presented by Mr J."P. Millar in opposition to certain pro- ; ceedings of the congregation and Kirk Session of St. Andrew's Church, having reference to the introduction of hymns into the, public worship of the church. : All these protests and appeals were disallowed by the Presbytery as " frivo- ' lous," and, on- the same grounds,l his application for permission to appeal | from the Presbytery to the Synod was also refused. But the appellant, nothing daunted by his non-success witk the Presbytery, evidently determined to take the law into his own hands, and selected his time and place yesterday, in presence of the whole congregation. The pastor of the church, the Jiev; Mr Gow, having conducted the previous devotional exercises as usual in the commencement of the service, announced the beautiful hynin, "Revive Thy work, O Lord," when Mr Miller, making his way to the platform beside the minister, in a loud voice commenced to read out the following extraordinary document: — [Protest.] Dunedinj 6th May, 1877.

Before God and in the presence of this congregation, I t solemnly protest .against the unconstitutional and illegal manner in which the English Presbyterian Hymn Book is being introduced into this congregation, pending the judgment of the Supreme Court of the Church on the appeals taken to it, and because its introduction at the -instance of a small minority of the membership of this congregation will ..virtually prevent many from joining in praise to God in His own appointed way. (Signed) James P. Millab. As the clergyman, paying no attention to the interruption, continued to read the hymn, Mr Millar, finding that his voice was no match for the sonorous and powerful tones of the practised speaker, and that it was in fact drowned, after a few senlencesibf his protest, quietly dropped back and allowed the minister to, finish the reading of the hymn. But lie had not abandoned his purpose, and was apparently gathering up his strength

to break in- before the singing. However, the precentor and choir appeared to hare aroused themselves to the necessities of the occasion, and ere the minister had completed the re-reading .of the first two lines, when, in fact, within three words of the end, the powerful melody of Jthe choir burst forth and fil led the church, the congregation joining in the strain with heart and will. Nothing daunted, however, Mr Millar, from bis stand beside the minister, proceeded wiih great vehemence and force of lur.gs to der liver himself of his burthen, and read the protest from beginning to end, every word being inaudible owing ,to the zest with which the people applied themselves to their new hymn-books. Having finished reading the paper Mr Millar threw it at the minister, who quietly warded it off with the back of his hand, and it floated down to the congregation, -one of whompickingit up has kindly furnished us with the foregoing copy. Having thus "witnessed for the fci-uth," Mr Millar retired from the platform and resumed his place ma pew, but on second thoughts arose again and retired from the church, accompanied by one sympathiser. Naturally the.incident has caused much indignation among the congregation, the whole of them—with the exception of eleven who think with Mr Millar —having, determined to have this hymni.l, which has been already adopted in a/Host all the Presbyterian Churches in the Colony. This indignation, we^bpder* stand, is considerably increased by the fact that tbe singular demeanour of i Mr Millar in relation to, i he conduct of I the affair? of the congregation has during a course of years driven from St. Andrew's a large number of its best and most valued and influential members, who for the sake of peace hare attached themselves to other congregations. Thii occurrence is the more remarkable when we further learn that Mr Millar is neither a seatholdcr nor a contributor to .the justentation fund of that church, considering, we presume, that, his very regular attendance at worship and his guidance of congregational affairs, and his knowledge of church law, in which he is very learned, and which he imparts gratuitous]^ are worth more to the congregation thau silver or gold.—-Otago Guardian. •