The usual times of service on Sundays are, 11 o'clock in the morning, and 6.30 in the evening. There are also Weekly Prayer Meetings on Sunday mornings at 7 a.m.; and on Monday evenings at 7 p.m.; and a Week-night service on Tuesday evenings at the same hour.
In 1870, in view of the growing Educational necessities of the Wesleyan Body, the General Wesleyan Education Committee decided on the establishment of another Training College, in addition to that which they had in Westminster. Circumstances led to the placing of this on the Southlands estate, near the Battersea High Street Railway Station. It furnishes accommodation for 110 female Students, who are under training for the Office of Teachers; and who in due time are employed in all parts of the kingdom in Schools under Inspection. They constitute, it need hardly be said a very interesting portion of the congregation. The Rev. G. W. Olver, B.A., is the Principal, and Mr. James Bailey the Headmaster of the College.
A Sunday School with 280 Scholars in average attendance meets twice on each Sunday, and is conducted with more than the usual efficiency. There are also the customary benevolent and religious agencies maintained by the Wesleyan Church here; and Day Schools for Girls and Infants are connected with Southlands Training College.[1]—W.S.
[1] In olden time this place was called the "Retreat," a spacious mansion, stuccoed, situated in the midst of an extensive pleasure ground and shrubbery it belonged to Valentine Morris, Esq.—but when Sir George Pollock became the occupier he changed the name to that of Southlands, jocosely punning at the same time upon its former name by saying that he never made a retreat. Afterwards Sir George Pollock removed to Clapham Common. Near it stood Manor House the seat of Richard Morris Esq. Son of Valentine Morris Esq. a large brick edifice in the style of George the First's reign.
O happy souls that pray
Where God delights to hear!
O happy men that pay
Their constant service there!
They praise thee still; and happy they
Who love the way to Sion's hill.
They go from strength to strength,
Through this dark vale of tears,
Till each o'ercomes at length,
Till each in heaven appears:
O glorious seat! Thou God, our King,
Shall thither bring our willing feet.
We know for certain Battersea on one occasion was honoured with the preaching of the Rev. John Wesley as recorded in one of his Journals, dated November 4, 1766, wherein this indefatigable servant of Christ states, "I preached at Brentford, Battersea, Deptford and Welling, and examined the several societies." His Journals state that he preached repeatedly at Wandsworth, as the following extracts will show. Wednesday, November 16, 1748. "In the afternoon I preached to a little company at Wandsworth who had just begun to seek God; but they had a rough setting-out, the rabble gathering from every side, whenever they met together throwing dirt and stones, and abusing both men and women in the grossest manner. They complained of this to a neighbouring Magistrate, and he promised to do them justice; but Mr. C. walked over to his house, and spoke so much in favour of the rioters, that they were all discharged. It is strange, that a mild, humane man could be persuaded by speaking quite contrary to the truth, (means as bad as the end) to encourage a merciless rabble in outraging the innocent! A few days after, Mr. C., walking over the same field, dropped down and spoke no more! Surely the mercy of God would not suffer a well-meaning man to be any longer a fool to persecutors."
Tuesday, January 17, 1758, "I preached at Wandsworth, a gentleman come from America, has again opened a door in this desolate place. In the morning I preached in Mr Gilbert's house. Two Negro servants of his, and a Mulatto, appear to be much awakened. Shall not his (God's) saving health be made known to all nations?"
Thursday, 8th February, 1770, the Rev. John Wesley writes, "I went to Wandsworth. What a proof we have here that 'God's thoughts are not our thoughts!' Every one thought that no good could be done here; we had tried for above twenty years, very few would even give us the hearing, and the few that did seemed little the better for it. But all of a sudden crowds flocked to hear; many are cut to the heart; many filled with peace and joy in believing; many long for the whole image of God. In the evening, though it was a sharp frost, the room was as hot as a stove, and they drank in the word with all greediness, and also at five in the morning, while I applied 'Jesus put forth his hand and touched him, saying I will: be thou clean!'"
Previously to the erection of the present commodious Wesleyan Chapel in Bridge Road West, the friends of the Wesleyan Communion met for worship in a large upper room over a carpenter's shop in King Street. Subsequently they removed to premises now belonging to Mr. G. King, Ironmonger, in the vicinity of Surrey Lane.
John Cullum, an artist by profession, who resided in Battersea, was connected with the Wesleyan-Methodists. He was a zealous Open-air Preacher and Temperance Advocate. It is said that he was the first person who introduced Teetotalism in Battersea and held meetings for that object. He died in 1852, aged 51 years.