Northern Times. — 1857-09-11 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

RELIGIOUS MONOMANIAC.  A man shout forty years of age, who refused his name lend address when taken into custody, was placed at the bar of Guildhall Polite-court, on Wednesday, before Sit Peter Laurie, charged with being in St. Sepulchre's Church with intent to commit a felony. The prisoner save his name before he was brought up and said it was William Baxter, and that he was an artificial flower maker, livieg in the Curtain-road. Turner, the sexton of St. Sepulchre's parish, said.: I found the church door open at half-past six o'clock yesterday evening, and on looking in I saw the prisoner in the pulpit, repeatin4 the Litany aloud. I -desired him to -come down, but be refused, and 'said he was cent there by the Almighty. He came down .shortlyufrer, and then proceeded to the etepa at the south 'side of the church, where he said he could see by the ligheof the gas, and commenced reeding aloud from the Prayer Bock. Sir Peter Laurie: What part of the book 'did he read? Prisoner : The epistle taken from Isaiah, .50 h chapter and -Zith verse Behold, the Lord will help me. Who is he that shall condemn me ?" Turner: Ater that the ,prisoner went 'up to the altar, where =I perceived some artificial flowers, consisting cf white roses, and I inquired if they belonged to him. He replied in the affirms, ice, and asked me if I knew for whom he had made'then. I told bits I did not, and be then said he had mice them for the great whore of Babylon ; upon which I said he had better take them to her, as ho was 'not wanted there. He would not leave, and I took him by the collar and tnrned hint out of the church. Sir ' peter Laurie : What did you want in the church? —Prisoner : °I "'.found i-, ()Denoted I alway s understood a church -was free to every one. lam subject to religious enuncialions, 'and this was one of them which came upon me, and ',directed me to go into the first church I found open, and -I-accordingly went 'into St Sepulchre's, because I found the-door open. Shs'Peter Laurie ; What -do you mean by a religious ennnciatlcn ? —Prisoner .: It was a religious ftidieg which bade-zed me to go in and pray, and preach a ear= )11. Sir Peter Laurie : I consider yen a -very dangerous ' man, if yon are subject to such cells. Prisoner:: If you will forgive me this time, I will endeavour not to offend wen. Sir Peter Laurie : But if yen act upon impulse e7ou may have no control over your 'feeling., En d might ' comma murder. Prisoner : But I 'heve-wotle to go to, sir. Sir Peter Laurie : Then why did you not go to it instead • of entering the church?—Prisoner: I was going to'work, when I saethe church dooropen, and it was that which induced th 43 religions feeling to tome overme, and I went in, and fishing a cushion at the communion-table and no one in tire church, I knelt down and -acid a prayer, and then I went int o the pulpit and sang a hymn or two, when Turner tanned to me to come away.. Sir:Peter Laurie: Did you -pray and sing without a congregation?—Prisoner : lelid not notice that at the time. This 'was the first time I was ever in that church. The pew-opener cf the church atid: The prisoner is very like a man who frequently comes into church daring Sunday evening service, and • conceals himself in the gallery ; and when discovered he expresses his disappointment because he cannot get into • the 'pulpit. The prisoner is not the same man. Sir Peter h ring cautioned the prisoner against any future attempts at preaching to imaginary conwegations, and ben. fng him to be a li.tle wroeg in his mind, directed the officer to take the prisoner home. The charge was therefore dismissed.