Widnes Examiner. — 1908-09-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

STRUM TROUBLES.  THREATS TO NON-UNIONISTS AT ST. HELENS.  The St. Helens magistrates completed on Tuesday the hearing of two sammonses for intimidation against William Curley, of Oxford-strect, the prosecutor being George Nicholson. The inciden's of the case have arisen in connection with tho moulders' strike at St. Helens, Curley being one of the society men on strike, and Nicholson a non-society man at present working in the town. Nicholssn and other non-society men had lodged in Charles-street, end every rOght had to be escorted from the Brookfield works to their lodgings by policemen. It was alleged that Curley met Nicholson in the street and said to him, " We 1-we got you marked, you had better be careful. You know the dark nights are coming on. "If the blue bottles' had not been with you at 5.30 to-night we would have pot you out." In consequence of these threats prosecutor and the other non-society men were afraid to go out after dark.—Nicholson was severely cross-examined by Mr. W. Hutchens, who appeared for defendant. He admitted he had had considerable trouble with the Moulders' society in Manchester, but a slander sction was pending by him against an official of the society. He denied that he had been fined as a book-maker in Manchester, or that he had been expelled from the society for obtaining contributions by false pretences, but he said that, in consequence of the trouble he had had with the soicety, he had twice attempted to commit suicide.— Defendant and a number of the strikers gave a complete denial to prosecutor's story.—The Bench considered the charge of intimidation proved, and bound defendant over for six months.  The European Baptist Conference. At a social hold in the Baptist Schoolroom, Latchford, on Mondays, evening, the Rev. J. F. Matthews gave an address on b;s recent visit to the European Baptist Conference recently held in Berlin. After describing some of the meetings he said the remarkable feature about the gathering was that all Europe was practically represented, Baptists coining from Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, the British Isles, France, Holland, Italy, Hungary, Roumania, North, South and West Russia, Livonia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, as well as Jamaica, America, South Africa and India. (Applause.) So eager were the promoters of the Congress that there should be this wide representation that the poorer delegates 4.70 M Russia and Bulgaria and other places not only had their travelling expenses paid but were proslded for while in the city.(Applause.)As to the probable effects of the Conference, Mrafatthews said it would cement the bonds of brotherhood between the Baptists of the various nationalities and promote the peace spirit tl—oughout the countries represented. Their() would be an increased spirit of toleration and a broadening of human sympathy towards all sorts and conditions of believers and 'unbelievers. The Baptist Churches of Germany \Niue particularly alive, at least two of them in Berlin having over 1,000 meml ;rs each. Certainly Baptists had no need to despair, for throughout Europe they were on the increase. A Labour leader was also a Socialist and a High Churchman, after askindmany vigorous questions about the Baptists, said to Dr. Clifford, "Your religion is just the religion that we men are looking for Why don' you let us know all about it." Ho (Mr. Matthews) had come back prepared to let the people "know all about it." (Applause).—The Ilev.C. Harvey Cook expressed the pleasure it afforded him to be present and said he was delighted the church at Latchford had been able to send llr.Mattliews to Berlin. He hoped they would save up and send him in 1910 to tne "Baptist World Alliance "to be held in America. (Laughter and applause.)—Songs were contributed during the evening by Miss Bacon, Miss Winnie 'Jones, Master Harold Jones, and Mr. Trovr, who also acted as accompanist and played several pianoforte solos. A duet was well rendered by Mr. Trow and Mr. Banner. Light refreshments were provided.  In order to encourage the study of Free Church history and principles, the National Free Church Council ' has promoted a splendid little series of handbooks ; "Eras of Nonconformity." For the purposes of textbooks for examinations, etc., and for widespread circulation they now announce a cheap issue, in uniform ed cloth binding at Is, net.