SILVER-STREET BAPTIST CHAPEL, NOTTING-HILL.
The place known by this name is situated in Kensington-place, near its junction with Silver-street, a poor unsightly edifice, within two or three minutes’ walk of the Johnson-street Chapel, and is the meeting-place of the separated portion of its former congregation. The building is in a dilapidated state, the plaster broken away, and the woodwork the worse for lack of paint. The congregation was celebrating its sixth anniversary, and from all appearances there was great need of replenishing the exchequer. However, the event did not seem to have aroused much enthusiasm, for scattered over a rather larger area there was even a smaller congregation than in the former place. The chapel will apparently hold about 350, and there must have been less than 100 present. There is a gallery at one end, and all the other sittings are on the ground floor. The present minister is the Rev. D. Crumpton, whose voice, in its general tone, was indicative of discouragement, assuredly with every apparent reason. The two congregations together might make up an appearance in the smaller of the two chapels; but separately they appear weak and helpless in the extreme, a sight to make a good man mourn over strife and division. It will be next to a miracle if ever these churches rise to a position of influence and power in the neighbourhood. The locality is low and in great need of evangelistic efforts; and if anything could be done to bring the noisy, idle people who fill those narrow streets, or stand at their wretched little open shop-doors, waiting for stray customers, who steal out to market in the hours of Divine Worship, it would be a great boon. There is a Sunday-school attached to the chapel, in which some of the poor children around are collected together, and in this circumstance there may linger hope. The order of services is: Sunday, prayer-meeting at 7 a.m.; preaching at 11.0 a.m. and 6.30 p.m., and prayer-meeting at 3.0 p.m. The school is held at 9.30 a.m. and 3.0 p.m. On week-days there is prayer-meeting on Monday evening at 7.30, and preaching on Thursday evening. The prayer-meeting at 7.0 a.m. on Sunday morning may be noted as a rarity in these days, and if tolerably well attended, shows that there is life, amidst all existing discouragements.