I had a situation in ministry which was, in some ways, similar to that of the Archbishop of Canterbury. A caretaker whipped his wife with a sjambok. I found her in the Church foyer, streaming blood. I sought to report this immediately to the police. They said no, they could accept no such complaint. His wife had to do that herself. But she would not. I called for support from a (sturdy) member, and dismissed the caretaker immediately. I need to qualify that, though. I dismissed him subject to the final verdict of the Church Meeting. So one might say that I suspended him. OBSERVATION: Opposition came from an unexpected quarter. The Department of Labour insisted that we immediately reinstate him, as he had whipped his wife out of hours. We said no. Our opinion won the day, but we paid a penalty as a result.
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