DENBIGH ROAD WESLEYAN CHAPEL.
The Wesleyan Chapel situate in the Denbigh-road, Notting-hill, is the principal chapel of what is marked on the Methodist Conference plan as the Bayswater Circuit. It was built in the year 1858, after the designs of W. W. Pocock, Esq., architect, and is a fair specimen of the Grecian style. In no religious body do tastes as to ecclesiastical architecture vary more than among the Wesleyans. Some prefer the Gothic of the thirteenth century, others the decorated Gothic of the fourteenth. Some adopt the perpendicular of a still later date, whilst others hold to the Grecian, which was the style in which Mr. Wesley himself built. The Wesleyans of Bayswater have followed the original Connexional pattern, but have erected a very neat edifice, which would be more effective as an ornament to the neighbourhood but that its front falls slightly behind the line of houses amidst which it stands, and cannot be seen except in close proximity. The interior arrangement is noticeable for its combined utility and elegance. The seats on the ground-floor are arranged in the amphitheatre style, and all made to converge to the pulpit, so that every hearer directly faces the preacher, and the latter has the most perfect command of all his audience. There are galleries on three sides, and in the west gallery is a good organ with ornamental pipes, played by Mr. Brocklehurst, and a numerous choir of young persons of both sexes, whose singing is lively and animating, the tunes being such as the congregation can join in, and which it does with remarkable freedom and spirit. The chapel has recently been repainted, and decorated very tastefully by Mr. Hearne of London, at a cost of 450l. The occasion of our visit, Sunday, September 10, 1871, was also the occasion of the re-opening after a closing of five weeks for this purpose. The work is done in white and gold, and the gilt on the columns, gallery fronts, and pulpit, which is a wide platform structure, is ample, and, together with the light blue and white and buff of the ceiling, contributes to make up one of the prettiest and most effective interiors we have yet seen. The original cost of the chapel was 4,500l., and it affords accommodation for 950 persons, 300 of the sittings being free. After retiring from their former chapel in Queen’s-road, and securing the present site, the Wesleyans, resolved not to build until secure of funds to complete the work undertaken, first worshipped in a large room. Next, proceeding by degrees, they erected their walls and put the roof on, and used the body of the chapel in an unfinished state, and finally they built their galleries, and completed the furniture, both of the chapel and schoolroom; and, what is most gratifying to add, possessed themselves of their beautiful sanctuary in its completeness entirely free from debt. The Rev. W. M. Punshon, M.A., now President of the Canadian Conference, was the first resident minister appointed to take charge of this new and important enterprise. Under his popular ministry the congregation rapidly increased and reached its full dimensions, which it retained to the end of the three years itinerant term, every sitting being let and occupied, and the aisles also generally being crowded. The Revs. J. Rattenbury, George Maunder, J. D. Brocklehurst, who followed Mr. Punshon in succession, were also highly popular and useful ministers, so that the Denbigh-road congregation has enjoyed all the influence and advantage that Methodism could supply, for raising up and consolidating a prosperous church.
The able ministry with which it has been uniformly supplied is well maintained in the present appointments, if we may judge from our own hearing. The Rev. T. M. Albrighton, the superintendent minister of the circuit, and especially attached by residence to that chapel, occupied the pulpit; and after an impressive reading of the Church prayers, as used by the Wesleyans at the morning service, preached an eloquent and powerful discourse founded on Zech. vi. 12 and 13, “And speak unto him saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying, Behold the man whose name is the Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord; even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel of truth shall be between them both.” This fine text of Scripture was treated in a manner indicative of its importance. The sermon was delivered extempore, but well studied, and, we should say, previously thought out to the last sentence. The discourse was replete with theological intelligence, and threw much Evangelical light upon the text with which it had to do. It was delivered too, with feeling, and evident intention of doing good; but this paramount purpose, kept steadily in view, did not, as is too often the case, disturb in any degree the order, method, and effect of the sermon as such. If a sermon to be really good should have method, then this sermon was quite an example. There was a suitable introduction, the divisions naturally rose out of the words of the text, and the peroration, delivered with deep feeling, brought it to a close, the whole occupying three-quarters of an hour. The colleagues of Mr. Albrighton upon the Bayswater Circuit are the Revs. J. S. Banks and Nehemiah Curnock, who interchange pulpits with him and each other, but are more particularly attached respectively to the congregations worshipping in the Warwick-gardens and Bassin-park Chapels.
There is a present membership of 430—i.e., recognised members of the Wesleyan body, by virtue of meeting in class—attached to the Denbigh-road Chapel. Every department of Christian work appears to be in fair activity. There is a good Sunday-school, having 450 children under religious instruction. This school has an important feature in a young men’s Bible-class, numbering about 100, under the conductorship of Mr. Walter Heal. From this fact it is not difficult to conjecture the cause of the presence of so many young men in the congregation as are to be seen on the Sunday. There is also a Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society in full operation during the winter months. Associations for visiting the sick, ministering to the destitute, distributing tracts, &c., afford occupation to all willing to work; and these, we are informed, are not few at Denbigh-road. The general efforts through the year in aid of foreign missions are supplemented by the activity of a “Juvenile Missionary Association,” who use their youthful influence as occasion offers to advance the great work of the world’s conversion with pleasing results.
THE WESTBOURNE GROVE CHAPEL.
A somewhat heavy-looking, but substantial structure in the main-thoroughfare attracts the attention of every passer-by at the west-end of Westbourne-grove, occupying also the corner of the Ledbury-road, where it intersects the Grove. It was intended to be in early English style, and so we presume it must be considered, although it does not strike one as realising the ideal in a very impressive degree. It is, however, slightly decorated, and has something of the details of early work. It is solidly built of Kentish rag, with Bath-stone facings, having two flanking towers, surmounted with stone spires. In addition to the principal entrance, over a flight of steps in the front, these towers afford access to the galleries, to which, also, there are two other approaches from without, at the north end of the chapel, one on each side. This is the largest chapel we have yet seen in West London; and the space within is economised to the utmost extent by gallery accommodation, there being double galleries on three sides, two having nine rows of seats. These, with the pewing completely covering the ground floor, give accommodation for 2,000 persons. The great feature of the interior is massiveness, which is only slightly relieved by an ornamental panelling on the gallery fronts, and a modern platform pulpit. When pretty well filled, as we saw it on the morning of Sunday, the 17th of September, 1871, the place has an imposing effect. On the north side, behind the pulpit, there is an apse, with an organ and a few singers, answering well the purpose of leading the large congregation, which joins heartily in the musical parts of the service. There are also behind the chapel proper, six spacious rooms for Bible-classes, committees, &c., which is a noticeable feature, affording great facility to the several societies attached.
The Baptist Church now worshipping at this chapel was originally formed at a small chapel or meeting-place in Silver-street, Kensington Gravel-pits, in the year 1823. Its first settled pastor was the Rev. W. Southwood, who laboured with it from 1826 to 1830. The Rev. John Broad succeeded in 1831, who occupied the post for ten years; and was followed by the Rev. John Berg in 1841, the Rev. F. Wills in 1843, and by the Rev. W. G. Lewis, the present pastor, in 1847. Mr. Lewis preached his first sermon April 11 in that year, and was formally ordained in the following September. The progress made through these years—and especially under the latter pastorate—is sufficiently told by the fact that the first list of members appearing in the church book in 1826 included only seventeen names, whilst the list in December of last year (1870), numbered as many as 725. The small chapel in Silver-street becoming too strait for the growing cause—after considerable research—the prominent and important site of the present chapel was obtained and built upon in 1853, at an entire original cost of 5,500l. Since then galleries were added in 1859, at a cost of 579l., and in 1866 a considerable enlargement took place, at a further grand outlay of 5,895l., so that the chapel as it now stands represents an expenditure of about 12,000l. Thus, apparently by a course of uninterrupted progress, within the last quarter of a century has grown up a very large and powerful church, which takes rank with the first of West London churches for numbers, for wealth, for influence, and for its multifarious Christian labours. There are few finer instances of the effect of the Voluntary principle in religion to be found, whether we look for them in the Established Church or in Nonconformity. In the year 1870, 668l. 5s. 6d. was received for pew-rents, and the weekly offerings amounted to 198l. 16s.; collections at the Lord’s Supper, 106l. 2s. 8d. There are large Sunday-schools, with 632 scholars of both sexes and all ages, and a capital school library of 500 volumes, to which 371 of the scholars subscribe. Towards the expenses of the school the church contributed 32l. 2s. 5d., and from this and its other sources of income, after paying its expenses, the school contributed 53l. 6s. 7d. to the Baptist Missionary Society, in addition to 100 dresses which were made and sent to a mission station in Western Africa. An “Evangelical Mission,” the object being tract distribution, sick visitation, &c., obtained from the congregation to assist its work 24l. 3s.; the London City Mission, 88l.; Baptist Missionary Society, 165l. 8s. 2d.; a Soup Kitchen, coals and bread, 23l. 10s.; Children’s Friend Society, 10l. 5s. 4d.; Maternity Society, 4l. 1s. 10d.; a “Ladies’ Working Society” produced 27l. 9s. 7d.; a “Mother’s Meeting,” by which nearly 200 poor women were assisted in providing clothes for themselves and families, 115l.; and a “Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Society” raised 84l. 2s. 7d. Besides all these, and independently of them, the congregation contributed 524l. 5s. 1d. towards the reduction of a debt still remaining upon the chapel, the whole representing an income and an appropriation of 2,469l. 19s. 11d. In connexion with the Children’s Friend Society there is a penny-bank, which received in the year 224l. 3s. 8d. deposits. It must be evident to all, that great and sustained effort, and some self-denial in the moving spirits of these various operations, can alone account for such results. The Rev. W. G. Lewis might well be congratulated upon the health and energy he has been enabled to bring to bear on this work, and upon the most efficient aid he has found ready to his hands in the numerous and zealous church and congregation over which he presides. As to the general character of his pastorate and ministry, their abundant acceptableness and usefulness are sufficiently manifest from their duration, and from the present aspect of affairs at Westbourne-grove. Twenty-five years’ continuous ministry to the same church, and things all round still healthy, vigorous, and flourishing, places a minister almost beyond criticism, if any were disposed to indulge it. Mr. Lewis appears to be an earnest and affectionate pastor, and calculated to govern a church without destroying it, and to its building up in the unity of faith and love. He is undoubtedly an able and gifted minister of the New Testament, discerning the spiritual requirements of his charge, and skilful in meeting them by bringing out of the treasury “things new and old.” Speaking from our own observations and information, the whole of his service, from beginning to end, is religiously profitable and instructive in a very high degree. Having a good voice, capable of elocutionary effect, under the control of a well-furnished mind, his sermons are refreshing in their originality of conception and their terseness, yet completeness of expression and illustration, so that the hearer, at the close, feels that he has neither had too much or too little, but has been fed with intellectual and spiritual food “convenient for him.” Mr. Lewis is well known as Editor of the Baptist Magazine, which has been for twelve years under his management. The subject of discourse was Mary of Bethany and the alabaster box of ointment (Matt. xxvi. 13). The force of the Divine love working in the human heart, and illustrating the effects of the Saviour’s love to the world, was appropriately set forth. Its power, its freedom, its breadth, inventiveness and self-sacrifice in devotion and doing good, were set out in vivid contrast to the narrow bonds of worldly conventionality and of a cold-hearted time serving religious profession. The good work which Mary did against the Saviour’s burial was symbolical of his own “good work” which he did by giving himself for us. “Very costly, and embodying all that he could give.” The hours and order of service at this chapel are: Sundays, 7 a.m., prayer-meeting; 11 a.m., public worship; afternoon: 3 p.m., Bible classes; 6½ p.m., public worship; 8 p.m., prayer-meeting. Monday evening at 6, prayer-meeting for females only; 7, general prayer-meeting. Baptism by immersion administered as occasion arises. The Lord’s Supper on the evening of the first Sabbath in each month at 8. Church meetings on the Friday before the first Sunday in the month, at 7 p.m.
The deacons are Messrs. Fenn, W. B. Head, Rabbeth, W. Dearle, J. R. Philips, G. Lindup. The city missionary attached is Mr. J. Browne.