"I have set my affections to the house of my God."—I. Chron. xxix. 3.
"Christ is the Foundation of the house we raise;
Be its walls salvation, and its gateways praise!
May its threshold lowly to the Lord be dear;
May the hearts be holy that worship here!"
BATTERSEA PARK TEMPORARY BAPTIST CHAPEL was erected in 1869, at a cost, including the purchase of freehold land, of £2,000. In 1872 a front gallery was added which cost £175. In 1876 a piece of ground was bought at the back of the Chapel for £105, and new class-rooms and vestries erected at an additional cost of £420. The grand object of the London Baptist Association next to the promotion of spiritual work, is the extension of their bounds by the erection of at least one new Chapel in each year. The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, the third President (1869), had the pleasure of seeing a chapel erected in this region where the poor would be gathered. He was able to purchase and give to the enterprise this fine freehold site in Battersea, and leaving the front portion thereof for a future chapel, he expended the grant of the Association in erecting a school-chapel, seating 630 persons, which was put in trust without incumbrance. The neighbourhood being too poor to bear the burden of debt, and no wealthy friends being forthcoming this was thought to be the wiser course. The Rev. W. J. Mayers commenced his pastorate in the beginning of the year 1870. Upon his resignation he was succeeded by the Rev. Alfred Bax, who for two years or more preached with much acceptance. On the 2nd of April, 1877, the Rev. T. Lardner became the officiating minister. Deacons of the Church—J. S. Oldham, William Weller, W. Chaplin.
In 1866, Mr. E. Carter shoemaker by trade, residing at 16, Henley Street, commenced holding a Sunday School in his own hired house.
One Sunday Afternoon, two young students from the Metropolitan Tabernacle, called at his residence to see if they could hold religious services there, but it does not appear that they at that time succeeded. Afterwards the School was removed to 32, Russell Street, then to 53, Arthur Street, where Mr. Rees, a young man from the Metropolitan Tabernacle conducted Morning and Evening Services regularly every Lord's day. Subsequently he was succeeded by Mr. William Wiggins of the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon's College who on account of the place "being too strait" made arrangements to open Norton Villas, Battersea Park Road, for Sunday School and regular Sunday Religious Services, and at stated times on Week Evenings. Norton Villa, was opened as a place of Worship, October 20th, 1867. In 1868, a Baptist Church was formed by the late Rev. I. M. Soule of Battersea Chapel and Mr. Wiggins was recognised as the Pastor, the Church consisted of forty members and a Congregation of about a hundred persons besides a Sunday School of one hundred and twenty Children; this place however, became too small to accommodate the persons desirous of attending. It was proposed therefore, to erect an Iron Chapel on a site near York Road Station. But those friends who made the proposition, on hearing that the Baptist Association had an intention to build a permanent Chapel in Battersea Park Road, abandoned the idea of purchasing and erecting an Iron Chapel so in 1870, when the present Chapel was completed, the Baptists who had met at Norton Villa for worship, (Mr. Wiggins, having resigned his pastorate there) united with the Church at Battersea Park Chapel, under the Pastoral care of the Rev. Walter J. Mayers.
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."—Hebrews x. 25.
"Great the joy when Christians meet,
Christian fellowship, how sweet!
When, their theme of praise the same
They exalt Jehovah's name."—Burder.
"Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."—I. John i. 3.