THE TABERNACLE, KENSINGTON.
Kensington Tabernacle, in Horton-street, close to the High-street, is a very neat-looking modernised building, so far at least as its west front goes; all has been done for it that stucco can do, and its entrance arcade gives to it an uncommon appearance, unlike the usual arrangements applied to chapels.
The interior, with its large encircling gallery, good pulpit, harmonium, nice pewing, make up a very satisfactory whole; but the great charm of the interior consists in the quiet, excellent taste displayed in the coloured decoration and painting, very much to be admired, and worthy of imitation, and seeming to tell its own tale of the simplicity and the faith of the congregation that worship there.
The history of Hornton street Chapel has been various and chequered. The church connected with it has been successively Presbyterian, Congregational, and Baptist. The old Presbyterian cause in Kensington began to shape itself about the year 1790, when the few united together met in a plain barn-like building at a place called South-end, at the end of St. James’s-street, leading out of Kensington-square. The most remarkable part of the church’s history here was that it was right in the teeth of the noted local infidel of that day, Tom Taylor, who held near the same spot what he called his “Hell-fire Club,” in which, with his rough disciples, he used to meet, and rave against religion and society. From hence, we believe, the corner is vulgarly known by the awful nomenclature of “Hell-fire-corner.” From this scene the church removed to Hornton-street in 1793. Three of the members had joined their means and influence to procure this more eligible meeting-house. They were a Mr. Gray, a nurseryman, Mr. Broadwood, the founder of the great pianoforte firm, and Mr. Foreacre, the then coachman of King George III. Of these three worthies it is told that they built the chapel by bond-deeds, the amount of responsibility being equally divided among them. Some time after the opening there remained still due to each of them 600l., 1,800l. in all; and at a certain meeting of the deacons, one of them took up the poker from the grate and, winding his bond round the end of it, thrust it into the fire, the other two immediately following his example. By this noble act the chapel was freed from debt, there remaining only a ground-rent of 8l. 8s. per annum. It is also related that the royal coachman about this time dropped a handful of tracts into the coach one day, when about to take out his royal master, and the King, who it appears perused the tracts diligently, afterwards commanded his devout servant to get him a further supply. The Rev. Dr. Lake was the first minister, in whose time members of the Royal Family from Kensington Palace rented a pew in the chapel. He was succeeded in the pastorate by the Revs. John Clayton, Dr. Liefchild, Dr. Vaughn, and Dr. Stoughton, now of Allen-street Chapel, our account of which we should recommend to be read in connexion with this. In the time of the latter pastorate, Hornton-street Tabernacle became the parent of two other chapels—viz., Horbury and Allen-street, to the latter of which Dr. Stoughton attached himself with his church. The chapel was then closed for a considerable time, and used only as an appendage to Allen-street for school accommodation, &c. There was, however, a division of opinion in the matter, a few of the old members, contending that the chapel should still have been used for its original purpose, and that there was in the town abundant room for a second cause. To this Dr. Stoughton himself was decidedly opposed, and consequently it remained closed until it had been purchased by the Metropolitan Railway Company, who, needing the schools in the rear for the progress of their works, were compelled to take the whole property. 4,000l. was thus obtained, with which Dr. Stoughton was enabled to build his present superior schools in Allen-street. In the meantime, Mr. Orchard and a few others of the Baptist persuasion, had met in an office, now an auction and estate agency, adjoining the old chapel, and engaged the Rev. R. J. Mesquitta, of Mr. Spurgeon’s College, as pastor. That minister’s success was so great that they were shortly obliged to adjourn to the Avenue Assembly Rooms. Whilst here, the railway company put the old chapel into the market to be let. The church availed itself of the opportunity and returned to it, undertaking it at an annual rental of 115l. This was about a year and a half ago. 600l. was required to put it in order, build galleries, &c., which was promptly promised by members of the congregation. One would have thought that this was the beginning of better days; but, alas! through some evil fortune, it was the beginning of a new and distressing decline. In the settlement of the property now acquired in the chapel, the four persons who had transacted the business, it appears, did it all in their own names, without any legal reference to the church for which they were the intended trustees. This certainly was an error, from which one subsequently, when he discovered the effect, was honourably anxious to disentangle himself. The other three, however, held out against the remonstrances of the minister, Mr. Orchard, and others, who had made themselves responsible for the money to those whom they had looked upon as trustees. The natural ultimate consequence was, that the minister left in the midst of his usefulness, the members and congregation quitted their seats, and the church became again a wreck. To this state of things the present pastor, the Rev. Mr. Hawes, succeeded a short time since. He appears to be a minister of great earnestness of purpose. He is a good Evangelical preacher, and delivers himself mainly extempore, with considerable power and unction, and it can only be hoped that he will succeed in repairing the breaches of Zion, and building up this church anew. There are about 700 seats, 300 of which—all the galleries—are free. There is a small Sunday-school, having about 60 scholars of both sexes.
PALACE GARDEN CHAPEL, KENSINGTON.
Close to the Mall and the High-street, Notting-hill, is a large, gloomy-looking structure of the Classical School, not that it is by any means a good example of classical work; it is heavy and badly proportioned as regards its stucco-pediment cornice and columns, the latter engaged, and the spaces bricked in and filled with window and doors with stucco dressings. The interior we are not able to report upon, the chapel being without a congregation.
This chapel was built nine years ago by Mr. Robert Offord, of Kensington, for his brother, the Rev. John Offord, then of Plymouth. It appears to have been originally designed for a Baptist Chapel, being provided with a baptistry; but the Rev. Mr. Offord from the first gathered around him Christian people of all denominations, and formed what may be termed an open union church. Of this he was the minister about seven years, and won himself high esteem with all who could appreciate Christian learning and excellence of character. He was not in the general sense popular as a preacher, but drew around him a goodly number of admiring friends, and the congregation prospered. The chapel contains accommodation for 1,000 persons, and the average congregation in his time was between 600 and 700. The chapel, however, was the private property of Mr. Robert Offord, and it had never been settled upon trust for the benefit of the church, but had, in fact, been hired by the congregation of the owner, at a rental of 200l. a-year. The consequence was that, when the owner died, about two years ago, some confusion ensued in the affairs of the church. The minister and his friends, not feeling equal to the task of undertaking a chapel in no degree their own, were inaugurating arrangements to remove to some other place, when, in the providence of God, the minister himself—surviving his brother but by a little time—was called away by death. The chapel was then put into the market for sale, and was bought for 5,500l. by the late Dr. Schwartz, of well-known German Jewish origin, but converted to the Protestant faith and ultimately a Presbyterian minister. As a condition of concluding the purchase, the property was made freehold, which must be a great advantage to all subsequent owners. This was all in last year, and Dr. Schwartz entered upon his labours, but only for a short time. Six months after his commencement, and only six weeks after his formal induction by the presbytery to the pastorate, he, too, was called to his rest. And now, the chapel still having remained private property, the prospects of the church became as clouded and uncertain as ever. It was put again into the market by the executors of Dr. Schwartz, in the interests of his widow and family, and was brought to the hammer at the Mart, in Tokenhouse-yard, on the 14th of June last. The matter had now been taken in hand by the presbytery on behalf of the church, and they instructed their solicitor, Mr. Lewis, to attend the auction and bid for the church to the extent of 5,000l. He, however, found himself at the Mart, in presence of a powerful competitor unknown to him, but who seemed resolved to outbid him. He was induced to exceed his limit by 225l., but, being still pressed, declined to follow on his own responsibility, and, accordingly, the chapel was knocked down to the highest bidder, who turned out to be purchasing for the Swedenborgians. Mr. Finney, a wealthy merchant of Manchester, had made this body a present of 10,000l. for the purpose of establishing a cause in Kensington. Hence the sharp competition into which they entered for the edifice, which was obtained by them for the sum of 5,000 guineas. It is intended to build an organ, and make other improvements, and in four or five weeks to open it as the place of assembling for the “New Jerusalem Church,” or, in other words, the Swedenborgians. None appear to regret more than the friends of the Presbyterian cause themselves the passing entirely away from them, and from the use of Orthodox Protestant Christianity, of this well-situated and commodious structure. They would have given, and on the next day one of them offered a very considerable premium to the purchasers to relinquish their bargain; but, although remarking that had they known it was the congregation of the chapel itself bidding against them they would not have persevered, they nevertheless held to their purchase. The Congregational Church is at present meeting in the Mall Hall, where they hold Divine Service every Sunday, and are making inquiry for an eligible site, on which, as soon as secured, they are prepared at once to build.