The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-22 00:00:00

A STRANGE STORY.

The Scotsman tells a singular story under the
heading of " Extraordinary Case of Demoniacal
Possession in a Free Church." The " case" oc-
curred in the Chalmers Memorial Church, Grange,
on Sunday last. Dr. Bonar, the minister, took for
the subject of his afternoon discourse the unclean
spirits described in the 12th chapter of St.
Matthew. The afternoon was very warp; and in
the course of the service a number of people became
sick and fainted. One girl, in attempting to leave
the church while the chapter was being read, fell in
a fainting fit, and was carried into the vestry. The
occurrence caused some hubbub among the congre-
gation, and several of the members, including Dr.
Duncan, Professor of Hebrew, left their seats to
wait upon the poor girl. In the course of a few
minutes, and while a hymn was being given out, Dr.
Duncan came out from the vestry and asked in a
loud voice if there was a medical gentleman pre-
sent. A gentleman who was understood to be a
doctor thereupon rose and proceeded to the
vestry. Certain members of the congregation
afterwards began to move to and fro in order to
make inquiries respecting the sufferer, and not a
few left the church altogether. Still the service
proceeded in as orderly a manner as was pos-
sible amid such uneasiness and excitement, and
Dr. Bonar in due course of time began to preach on
the devils. When the rev. gentleman was about
half way through his sermon-- he had not reached
the " application"—a gentleman seated in the centre
of the church became ill, and apparently fainted.
Some appearance of confusion ensued, but Dr. Bonar
called out to the people to be calm, and a number
of them, though in a state of great alarm, at once
resumed their seats. Still persons continued to pass
out of the church, and the whole congregation were
restless and inattentive. Dr. Duncan then stepped
up to the pulpit and had some private conversation
with Dr. Bonar, who, after a few moments' pause,
closed the book before him, and, addressing the
congregation, said it would perhaps be better to say
nothing more, but simply engage in prayer. It was
perhaps quite true, he continued, as Dr. Duncan
had suggested, that Satan was there tempting them
with these interruptions, and that he was angry
at being spoken against. The rev. gentleman then
engaged in prayer, and after he had finished a
hymn was given out and sung. While the verses
were being read out, Dr. Duncan ascended the
pulpit unnoticed by Dr. Bonar, and the latter
gentleman on raising his head from the desk and
looking around appeared for the moment to be
greatly startled at seeing a personage so near to him.
The object of the learned professor in going into the
pulpit was to address the congregation, and having
obtained leave from Dr. Bonar to speak, he rose and
ejaculated a few thoughts on the passage of Scrip-
ture respecting the security with which a strong man
armed can keep his house in peace. In the middle
of his oration the learned professor had a thought
about Satan—or "Sattan," as he called his Satanic
Majesty, exclaiming, with great vehemence, in re-
ference to what had taken place among the congre-
gation, that "it was Sattan, brethren, Sattan—
Sattan." He also wished to notice something said
by the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles ; but, failing to
remember the particular passage, he had to announce
that his memory did not serve him to tell what the
Apostle said to the Gentiles. The benediction was
then pronounced, and the congregation dismissed.
As the people were about to leave the church Dr.
Duncan again rose in the pulpit, and briefly repeated
his former assurance, that it was "Sattan, brethren,
Sittan—Sattan." A suggestion was made that the
enemy should be fought out, in the belief that if re-
sisted he would flee ; but the terror caused by his
warm and unprecedented " manifestation" was too
great to be hurriedly shaken off, and the congre-
gration dispersed.

The death is announced of the Dowager Lady
Knowles, at the ago of 85. Her ladyship was the widow of
the late Admiral Sir Charles Henry Knowles, Bart.,
G.C.B , and mother of the present baronet, Sir Francis
Knowlei, barrister-at-law. The family is descended
from Sir Thomas Knowles, who followed the standard of
Richard I. into the Holy Land, and entered the breach at
Jerusalem, next after Ilia renowned Godfrey do Bcuillon.
King Richard granted to him, in recognition of his ser-
vices, the arms which are still born by the family. The
first baronet, Sir Charles Knowles, was a distinguished
admiral in the British Navy, and chief president of the
Russian Admiralty, with a seat at the Imperial council
board.

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