The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-25 00:00:00

THE RELIGIOUS DISSENSIONS IN ST.
GEORGE'S-IN -THE-EAST.

On Sunday evening the riots in the parish church of
St. George's-in-the-East were brought to a close by
means which were entirely unexpected, and which bad
the effect of cutting off the service soon after the first
lesson had been read. The church was thrown into a
• state of darkness, and although many attempts were
made to light it up again, they all.proved failures. At
first it was supposed that the circumstance Was attribu-
table to malice on the part of some persons who were
'opposed to the rector's services ; but Mr. tilliarns, a
Iplumber and gas-fitter, residing opposite, having been
• called in to examine the meters, made it pretty certain
to the authorities that the darkness into which the
church was thrown was simply the result of an accident.
Mr. King, the 'rector, with his choristers, entered
the chancel from the vestry shortly after seven o'clock,
and were loudly hissed, and the uproar was continued
without 'cessation during the earlier portion of the
prayers, which the rector read from the desk. He
bad finished the first lesson, and the choir had corn-
Menced the first verse of the " Magnificat," when the
gas went out, and left the church in darkness. For-
tunately, it .being only twenty minutes past. seven
o'clock, some little light streamed through the win- '
,doiis, 'enabling the people just to see each other. Had
,it been perfectly dark, the consequences would probably
hate been of the most serious character. As it was,
'the women and girls, who were present in great nam-
hers set up a simultaneous scream from all parts of the
Church/ while from the galleries thete wits a t:trong
movement, and every now and then fresh screams from
those who were rushing frantically down the narrow
staircases. Meanwhile, men with loud voices, called to
the people to keep their seats, others began to sing the
Doxology,
while the organist endeavoured to drown all
voices by playing
at 'the highest pitch of which his
instrument was capable. All this time there was yell-
howling, shouting, and slamneing of pew doors.
Attempts were several times made to light the gas, and in
some cases the attempts were successful, but only for a
Inonient, and the church was again in darkness. By
'means of tapers and lucifer matches, of which many of
the boys 'in the galleries appeared to have a plentiful
Stock, there was every now and then a glimmer of light,
133' which Mr. Bing was seen still standing at the desk,
and 'lr. Lowder, one of the parochial curates, running
7-116 to bun from amidst the choristers at the altar,
endeavouring to persuade him to come
down. Mr. King stood firm, and once had candles
taken to him at the desk in order that he might
Prl'eeed with the service. But there was evidently
lo chance of succeeding with the gas, and " the
ftnretation " were getting more riotous as the dark-
ness increased. They shouted at the top of their
°°ices) began to sing songs instead of the Doxology,
and in the midst of this terrific uproar Mr. King left
the desk and his Choristers retired from tore altar with
bins to the vestry. Mr. Cook, the parish crk, shortly
afterwards made his way into the church with a
lighted taper and announced that the service would
41° be continued, Mr. Inspector AlisOn at the same
tare entered the church with a body of police, and coin-
enced cleating the place, a difficult process it may be
imaginig the church being by this time in total dark-
‘riess'and densely crowded. In about half-an-hour the
fzoxology was "sun up
2qle were got out into the street, and here again the
and down Cannon-street. The
ev* C. P. Lowderg was to have preached the evening
sermon.

.„
•
the Williams states that the cause of the accident vres
sm. •‘efective state of the meter caused by the 'cleaning
mew having been taken out and a piece of cork put in
and its place. The cock had become eaten away,
raete', eater had consequently dropped out until the
r eater
left in
The na, n;--L an unserviceable state.
f ng service was attended by a large number
of avratzgere,
more,
perhaps,
than have been present on
the Rev previous occasion. The service. was performed by
Re°. Thomas Dove, and there were many interrup-
(:," dilring the Litany service, especially on the clause
rem. all false doctrine, heresy, and schism" and
That it
may please Thee to illuminate all bishops,
10t Priests, and deacons." The rector peached from the
,
sheph he 0-I—daPter. of St. John, verse 11, "1 am
..the good
sheep .
The good shepherd giveth his life for the
There was a slight titter at the text, and the
Usttal 'lamming of doors and coughing, but the sermon
°Pas laninterraptetl.
- The Parishioners havetubscribed and paid the penalty
11P011 Mr, Rosier by Dr. Twiss, the judge of
et; ° C
sens
gis,ctiskr'i Court, on Tuesday last. Mr. Rosier
pres
regret at this course, inasmuch as he had.
151)aiti°1y deter • ed not to pay anything, and to risk
an
—le4:4lsequences.