The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-11 00:00:00

SCANDALOUS PROCEEDIA CS AT SEFTOY.

The disturbances which originated five or six weeks ago
on the appointment of a new curate to the parish church
of Sefton, and which have been continued each
succeeding Sunday, instead of subsiding, grow worse.
Last Sunday there was the most scandalous
exhibition ever yet witnessed in connection with the
present differences. The church in the morning
was not attended by so many as on previous Sunda37o,
but the majority of those who were present were men and
young lads, and a few women, who had come from a dis-
tance for the express purpose of creating a row. Every
respect was paid to the service, and the sermon was lis•
tened to with due attention, but there was the usual
interruption at the conclusion, when the clergyman
faced to the east and afterwards proceeded to the
communion table to read the prayer for the church militant.
Immediately the sermon- was finished, nearly the whole
of the congregation left their seats. Some of them went
into the churchyard and remained there, but a great
number stood in the centre aisle of the church, crowding
up to the chancel, and stared at the clergyman until he
had got to the end of the prayer. The service ever'
they joined those who had already taken up their position
outside. They strolled about the churchyard, and stood
in groups in the adjoining lane, watching for the appear-
ance of the clergyman. Amongst those in waiting were
several Orangemen from Litherland. The majority of
those in waiting had yellow flowers in their coats, and
those not already possessed of that distinguishing badge,
especially the younger portion, scampered about the
churchyard and plucked dandelion flowers, which they'
placed in their hats and coats. Whilst the mob
waited for the clergyman some of the singers, highlY,
respectable and good-looking young ladies, came out 01
the church. As they passed out of the churchyard they
were grossly insulted by the Orange rowdies. The curate,
after an imprisonment of about three-quarters of an hour,
ventured out of the church to proceed to the rectory'
where he is at present located, the system of persecution
being carried so far that he is now denied lodging°
at Sefton. Immediately on his issuing from the
vestry a shout was raised of "He's coming," and
the whole mob rushed after him, and howled and yelled
like a horde of Indian savages. Mr. Inspector Moss and
several policemen followed close to see that no harm W
clone to the rev, gentleman. The mob crowded close upon
the heels of the rev, gentleman until he reached the
rectory, yelling and shouting at him the whole way, and
when he reached his journey's end they yelled still louder
by way of a parting salute.

There was a very heavy rain on Sunday and through
the night at Birmingham. Mr. Plant's rain gauge showed at
8 o'clock on Monday morning the amount of three inches
and one-fifth. This is said to be unparalled in the time•

Mr. Gladstone's bill (c to put an end to the Estab-
lishment of the Church of Ireland, and to make provision in
respect of the temporalities thereof, and in respect of the
Royal College of Maynooth," as amended in committee, 1:1(43
been printed to-day. It contains G 8 clauses.

A telegram from Belfast states that the late rob-
bery of fire-arms there has turned out to be a local affair, 0
was anticipated. The property has been discovered, Lod
the supposed burglar, Joseph Berry, of Shankhill-road, 110
been captured.

Some consternation has been caused in Yorkshire
by the "mysterious disappearance" of a gentleman named
Hills, of Colne, Essex, who left York on the 11th of APri4
without acquainting any of his friends of his whereabouts
since that time. A reward of £lOO was offered for his dis-
covery, and it has now transpired that ho is living in rari°'
Meetings in support of the Permissive Bill are
just now being held throughout the country. A large °Tie
was held in the open air on Saturday at Liverpool, and re-
solutions were unanimously passed in favour of the mew
sure. The Reform Leag.le of Birmingham has adopted,:
petition to Parliament, praying that the bill should be passed'
Colonel Cowell Stepney writes that he was the
member who, in reference to Mr. Bright's land poll
uttered the emphatic " No" generally supposed to I,l'l,
come from the Premier himself. The gallant member
Carmarthen was sitting immediately behind the Treasurf
bench, and of course it was difficult to tell the exact quarter
from which a single exclamation of that kind came.

A singular excuse for attempting to commit suicicif
was made before the Liverpool magistrates on Saturday
man named Griffiths had been apprehended by a
officer in the act of hanging himself up to a beam. Wiled
remonstrated with his excuse was that he had got wet, an
e 0
that ho was "hanging himself up to dry." The
discharged him.

At the Worship-street Police-court on Alencl3s:
a man named Stevens was fined 55., or, in default, five d"Ys
imprisonment, for being drunk and incapable in church e. 12
Sunday. The defendant entered the church of St. Stephen, 10
the Commercial-road, in a state of helpless intoxication+
and soon wort to sleep in ono of the pews. Ho was cal-
vied out of the church without having made any disturbance'
The seventy-fifth annual meeting of the members
and friends of the London Missionary Society—the first °f
a series of meetings to be held during the week—took place
on Monday morning at the Mission House, in Blomfield-street]
at half-past seven o'clock. The meeting was of a devotional
and business character ; and in the afternoon, at threi
the annual meeting of directors and delegates was hold'
Ca Monday about 1,700 men of the Roy s..
Naval Reserve left the various southern ports of Elgo
land and Scotland for the guardships of their resPectivto
districts, from which they are to be forwarded at 011°3.4
the vessels composing the 'Whitsuntide squadron, will:,
is to rendezvous at Portland on Monday, thence to proceed
on a cruise of about a fortnight's duration under the conlbe
mand of Rear-Admiral Key, 0.8., and it is said undar t
personal supervision of tho First 49rct 9f_ thp 4,d4103"'