After the above appeared in the Suburban Press a letter of explanation was received by the Editor from one of the brethren, which will be found among the supplementary notes. The latter appears to have been written upon reflection, whilst the preceding conversation was doubtless conducted upon the feeling of the moment. Yet, it faithfully reflected the peculiarities of the members, who appear to have no faith in anything but what is strictly identified with their own belief and practice; altogether too narrow for the expanding evangelistic tendencies of the age.
JOHNSON-STREET BAPTIST CHAPEL, NOTTING-HILL.
This is one of the plainest of buildings for religious purposes, low and uncommanding, and almost lost even among the humble dwellings amidst which it stands—a simple meeting-house, with a stuccoed front, but looking neat and clean, having been recently repaired and painted, and the walls newly coloured within, giving it a fresh and healthy look. The pewing is of a humble character and unvarnished, and the pulpit plain and high. There is a gallery in the west end, which, added to the accommodation on the ground-floor, gives about 250 sittings, the ordinary congregation being at present about 100. The church and people are Strict Baptist in persuasion. Upon the corner-stone we find the following inscription: “This stone was laid by Messrs. Foreman and Wells, Oct. 13, 1851. The chapel is for the use of the Particular Baptists. P. W. Williamson, Pastor. J. Cook and T. Rowley, Deacons.” The chapel has thus been in existence twenty years. The church—never very vigorous or flourishing—has had a chequered history, disputes having arisen among its members from time to time upon subjects relating to its internal affairs, and which resulted six years ago in a division, further weakening its situation and diminishing its few members. From this blow it appears never to have recovered, there being now no more than between fifty and sixty acknowledged members. The present minister is the Rev. C. W. Banks, who has been there one year, and the cause is supported by pew-rents and voluntary weekly offerings. A “Free-will Offering” box is fixed on the inside of each entrance to the aisles, and on every succeeding Sunday the amount so collected is placed in large figures against the side walls. On the occasion of our visit, the account for the previous Sabbath stood thus: “Loose money, 3s. 8d.; in thirteen envelopes, 10s. 3d.” The preacher had a strong voice, and exerted it even beyond the natural requirements of his small audience; but at times it would be almost impossible to hear him if he did not, in consequence of the noisy costermongers, who shout one against the other in the narrow street and immediately in front of the chapel, without any regard to its presence or the service proceeding within. This is certainly a crying evil, and should attract the attention of the police. We had no idea that vegetable and other carts (hand and donkey drawn) were so numerous and noisy during the hours of Divine Service, as we witnessed them in Johnson-street, and other adjacent back streets and ways in the rear of High-street, Notting-hill. Surely there is yet need for a “Suppression of Sunday Trading Society.” There is a small Sunday-school, attended by a few self-denying teachers, and the public services are—Sunday at eleven and half-past six; prayer meeting at three p.m. Wednesdays, preaching at half-past seven; and on Monday evenings, prayer-meeting; and a special monthly prayer-meeting every first Friday evening in the month. There is manifest care under difficulties for the Christian work.
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.
SLOANE-PLACE CHAPEL.
This is the smallest place of worship we have yet had to notice, being apparently intended for the sole use of the occupants of that obscure court in North-street, called Sloane-place. North-street branches out of Sloane-street, and runs through a very low neighbourhood; and in about the lowest part of it, densely populated, is the court down which one passes to reach the chapel. It is at the extreme end of the parish eastward. The chapel has an aspect in every way in keeping with the humble class of tenements among which it stands, and of course has nothing architecturally to notice. It has a lamp over the low front door, which may serve in the stead of a parish lamp, to illumine the gloomy alley on dark evenings. The building has a dwarfed and dingy appearance; was from the first, is, and perhaps ever will be private property, lent for its present purpose by the proprietor. It will hold at the utmost only 100 persons. There is no settled pastorate; but it is supplied with preaching on the Sunday evening only, under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Alexander, of the Belgrave-square Presbyterian Church. The preacher is usually Dr. Stewart, of Grosvenor-street, a medical gentleman belonging to Dr. Alexander’s church. This Christian doctor is regularly at his post on Sunday evenings, except an extraordinary professional engagement hinder, holding forth the Word of Life to the few poor people who assemble beneath the humble roof. There are no regular ordinances and no other public services, except a prayer-meeting on Sunday morning and on Thursday evening. All the sittings are free. A Sunday-school is a notable feature. Sixty or seventy poor children come together in the chapel from 3 to 4.30 on Sunday afternoons, and are attended to by a few zealous teachers who enter heartily into this work. Poor and humble as the building is in itself and all its surroundings, it is thus undoubtedly a light shining in a dark place. The self-denial and devotion of those kind persons who attend to Christian work in this place is quite exemplary, and will certainly meet with its reward.
ST. MICHAEL’S AND ALL ANGELS’ CHURCH, NOTTING-HILL.
The new Church of “St. Michael and All Angels” embraces the northern part of the District of All Saints’, Notting-hill, in its new extension towards Kensal-green, in the Ladbroke-grove-road. No doubt, just at this spot, there will, in time, be a middle-class population sufficient to fill the church. But at present the property is new, and, therefore, it would seem St. Michael’s must for some time to come draw from a distance. The Vicar Designate, the Rev. Edward Ker Gray, was formerly curate to Dr. Robbins, of St. Peter’s, Kensington-park, and has family connexions in the neighbourhood, who have largely contributed to his present enterprise; and the plot of land on which the edifice stands, and that on which a parsonage is yet to be built, are the gift of Messrs. Blake and Parsons, who are freeholders in that part. The style of architecture adopted differs from that of most churches, being what is professionally known as the “Romanesque of the Rhine,” and is executed chiefly in terra cotta and ornamental bricks, by Mr. Cowland, of Notting-hill, under a contract (exclusive of tower and fittings) for 4,300l. The architects are Messrs. Edmeston of Crown-court, Old Broad-street; and the plan consists of a nave ninety-nine feet long, exclusive of chancel and western apse, by forty-three feet wide, roofed in one span, with an eastern, western, and southern apse, leaving a northern apse to be added at some future time. On the north side the church is hidden by houses, and it is seen to best advantage at the south-west angle, where it will form rather a picturesque object, when the grouping of tower, turret, apse, and gable are added to the view. The interior is yet unfurnished, and only sufficiently fitted up for the performance of worship. The pulpit, desk, organ, and chancel furniture are all temporary. The contract for the decoration is given to Messrs. Howland and Fisher, who decorated St. Peter’s, Bayswater, which is considered one of the handsomest church interiors in London. About 1,000 sittings are provided, applications for which are requested. The occasion of our visit was the service of consecration, in May, 1871, conducted by the Right Hon. and Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London. There was a good congregation present; and immediately after the entrance of the Bishop, Mr. Shephard, the Registrar of his Lordship’s diocese, read the petition of the Vicar, Churchwardens and parishioners praying for the consecration of the church. The Bishop having replied, “I am ready to consecrate this church, according to the prayer of the petition,” a procession was as once formed, headed by the parish beadles with their staves, followed by the churchwardens, Bishop, and clergy, who slowly walked round the church, the Bishop repeating the usual service. On returning to the Communion Table, the deed of conveyance was formally received and laid upon the table by the Bishop. The prayers for the ordinary morning service were read by the Rev. Mr. Gray, the Psalms, Te Deum, and hymns being chanted by a choir of good voices, male and female, blending well together, under the direction of Mr. Sydney Naylor, organist. On ascending the pulpit the Bishop took for his text, John xvii. 6, “I have manifested thy name to the men which thou gavest me out of the world,” &c. The subject was divided into three parts: 1. What name he manifested. 2. How he manifested it. 3. The character of the persons to whom he manifested the name of his Father. These topics were worked out with great clearness of thought and felicity of utterance; the Bishop steering delicately through the difficult problem of Divine predestination and human free will, and rendering the point as satisfactory as it ever can become to mortal reflection. A very feeling individual application of the subject to the congregation concluded the discourse. It is about twelve years since we had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Jackson at a confirmation service in a small town in Lincolnshire, and it is gratifying to observe the same doctrinal safety and thorough practical bearing in his ministry which struck us at that time. He also bears his increased years well, displaying a freshness in his appearance and a vigour equal to if not superior to himself more than a decade since. A collection was made after sermon from pew to pew towards the organ and church expenses, and the remainder of the Communion Service and the benediction concluded the whole. It ought to be noticed that a number of the local clergy were present, and that the Rev. Dr. Robbins read the first lesson—the consecration of the Temple by Solomon—in a most impressive manner, and the Rev. J. S. Gell the few verses which compose the second lesson. The Bishop’s chaplain, the Rev. Mr. Fisher, also assisted in the service within the chancel rail.
Mr. Gray’s ministry is reported Evangelical in its character, and his service lively and devotional, without Ritualistic features. The congregation gradually increases, and it is hoped that ere long the furnishing will be completed, and that the church will answer all the purposes for which it was built in that rising population. The Churchwardens are Captain N. W. Boyce and J. D. Cowland, Esq., and the services are: Sundays at 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Weekdays, Wednesday and Friday at 11 a.m., the Litany, Holy Communion, at 9 a.m. every Sunday, and after the 11 a.m. service the last Sunday in every month. Baptisms at 2.30 first Sunday in the month, and at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday.