cluded an earnest speech by saying that Nottingham was alive to the necessity of building sanctuaries for the wor ship of that God who liveth for ever, and it was no small honour to be allowed to be a doorkeeper in the house of God. He had experienced great pleasure in being there that afternoon, and he would not only help them by his presence, but his purse also. He would never make an offering of that which cost him nothing. He trusted they were all saying with him-the Lord should be their God, and Him only would they serve, and that God's blessing would be with them this day and evermore.

Another hymn was then sung, com. mencing

"This stone to Thee in faith we lay."

Rev. J. Guttridge, (president of the Connexion), said he saw the police were on the spot, which reminded him that if he had been engaged two hundred years ago doing what he was doing that day, they would have been there for a very different purpose; not to take care of him, but to take him into custody. The times were changed, they were not now living under the reign of Charles I. and Charles II., but under the auspicious reign of Queen Victoria. He remembered, in one of the most sagacious books he had ever read, the author said man will worship, he alone had the capacity to adore; there was not that capacity in the brute. If they got a sagacious elephant and tried to get a hallelujah out of it they could not. Man was made to love, serve, and enjoy God. God was therefore the great necessity and great want of man. The second proposition laid down was, that as man would worship, if he did not worship the right he would worship the wrong. As this was a place of worship they were erecting, it might be asked what kind it was. Egypt was called the land of the temples, so might England, but the temples they raised were widely different to those scattered over the land of Egypt. In England they had nearly forty thousand now; time was when they had not one, and they were the source of our truest, noblest security. He believed in our soldiers, in our garrisons, the sailors in our fleet, the guns bristling on our

were

coasts, the police in our streets, as securities to a great extent, but they were only secondary guardians. The mainstay and security of England was in her Bible, her Christ, and her God. If he wanted to show a young man what constituted the fortress of our fatherland, he would build a building like to the one the stone of which they now assembled to lay. The speaker then proceeded to give an out. line of what kind of worship would there be rendered. He was no bigot, but he loved his own Denomination better than any other because he believed there was no other like it. The building they were about to erect would be protestant in lieu of papal, acknowledging the sufficiency of Holy Scriptures, apart from tradition, and the right of private judgment in reading the Sacred Book. It would be Dissenting in lieu of Episcopalian, but, as in connection with dissenting churches there were differences, he might say that it would be denominationally known as a United Methodist Free Church. After tracing the dif ferences that existed in the church government, between their body and that of the Wesleyan Methodists, he said he believed there was no assembly in England, or the world, that had the spirit of New Testament liberality on s larger scale than the United Methodist Free Churches; if they went further, liberty would get light-headed and rave again. It was likely, when this place of worship was built, that it would allure to its service men who were now leading lives contributing to the poverty and distress of the masses with which they were associated. He trusted that it would be a chapel, not only for respectable folks, but for the roughs. The rev. gentlemen concluded by giving some interesting anecdotes of some of that class who had been drawn to the new chapel they had erected at Sheffield, and who were now earnest Christians, and hoped the like good result would arise through the building the foundation stone of which they were that day met to lay.

The offerings of the assembly were then laid upon the stone, which amounted to the munificent sum of £180.

The hymn commencing-
"God bless our native land,"

was then sung by the choir, and the proceedings terminated.

The following is a description of the new edifice, of which Mr. Simpson, of Nottingham, is the architect.

The building, which is of brick and stone, having a dressed Bulwell stone basement story, forming a plinth to the superstructure, is about sixty-two feet long by forty-six feet wide in external dimensions, has three tiers of windows at either side, and two in front. The pewing of galleries and ground floor, which is disposed in the horse-shoe form, slopes amphitheatrically, concentrating upon the forum under the gallery at the rear.

The basement story is occupied in the centre by a spacious school room, having separate ingress and egress, while the back and front are divided into a suite of class rooms for week day communion. Contiguous to the school room is also a kitchen with teacoppers and apparatus for the convenience of social gatherings.

Abutting upon the kitchen at the rear is a minister's vestry with a private approach, and a flight of steps leading from thence to the pulpit above.

The chapel, with gallery, when com. plete, will afford ample accommodation for between six or seven hundred worshippers.

The principal front to Great Alfred Street is ascended by a flight of eight steps, twenty-two feet wide, leading on to a recessed portico, supported by columns in four complete, forming an open lobby leading right and left to the entrances of ground floor and galleries, embraced by projecting angular towers, surmounted by mansard roofs with enriched crestings. The principal cornice of the centre and wings is mounted by enriched vases resting upon corbled projectures. The sides, as also the front, stand back from the boundary lines within wide

areas

guarded by an ornamental palisading. The style of the building is modern Italian of Venetian treatment, and will cost, including the ground, nearly £2,000, and will be an ornament to the town.

TEA MEETING.

After the ceremony of laying the stone was concluded, a tea meeting was

held in the school-room, Shakespeare Street. About four hundred persons sat down to tea. Trays had been kindly provided by the ladies, and the proceeds were given to the building fund. After tea, a public meeting was held in Shakespeare Street Chapel. The chair was occupied by Mr. John Leighton. Several exceedingly interesting addresses were de livered by the Revs. W. Eltringham, of Mansfield; J. Guttridge, of Sheffield; W. Francis, of Long Eaton ;-Skinner, of Grantham; Ackrill, of Leicester; Rendell, of Ilkestone; T. Newton, superintendent of the Circuit; and W. Trevail. Selections of sacred music were most effectively rendered by the choir in the intervals between the speeches. A collection at the close of the meeting made the whole of the day's receipts amount to about £200.

The Quarterly Meeting of the Nottingham Circuit was held on Monday, June 27th, the Rev. T. Newton in the chair. At the Preachers' Meeting, which commenced at eleven o'clock, a.m., amongst other important and interesting business, was the examination of a young man, who was received as an accredited local preacher. Several subjects came before the afternoon meeting for discussion, and were disposed of as follows:-The statement of accounts showed a balance in hand of about £11. Brother Lewis, a local preacher of great promise, was recom. mended to the Annual Assembly for the itinerant ministry. The Rev. T. Newton and Mr. Joseph Spray were chosen to represent the Circuit at the next Assembly. In prospect of the removal of our esteemed superinten dent minister to another Circuit, it was resolved:

"That the Rev. T. Newton having laboured here for three years with great success, and in harmony with his brethren, this meeting hereby expresses its high esteem for him, and earnestly prays that he may be made increasingly useful and happy in his future Circuits, and that he and his family may be had in the Divine care and keeping."

Through the Divine blessing on the united labours of ministers and people, the Circuit generally is in a prosperous and healthy state. In some places

there is a loud call for more help, especially in the new part of Nottingham, where many thousands of people are collected together without any adequate means for the promotion of their moral and spiritual interests. It was therefore resolved,

"That application be made to the next Annual Assembly for the appointment of a missionary, whose labours are to be devoted to that part of the town; and it is hoped that he, together with the labours of a female missionary already at work with good success, will, through the Spirit's help, be the means of benefiting the people, and filling the new Chapel now in course of erection."

The state of the Circuit generally will be seen from the following statistics, which were presented to the meeting:

:

1863. 1864. 790 873

1861. 1862. Full Memb. 589 705 On Trial 18 150

Miss. Mny. 519/3 566/7 667/5 1200/ Increase 116 85 Total increase of members in three years, 284. Increase in this quarter, 19, with 100 in trial.

SEVENTH LONDON CIRCUIT.

A NEW school-room has been erected and an addition made to the Chapel at Miles Street, Vauxhall.

The opening services were conducted on Sunday, July 3rd, by the Rev. R. Bushell, Mr. Green, and Dr. Thomas, editor of the Homilist. A Public

Meeting was held on the Monday, at which it was announced that the total cost of £405 had been realised.

PENTON STREET, WALWORTH.

We erected a new school-room at the back of the Chapel, a few months since, at a cost of £225, towards which we had realized £185. Last night we had a meeting of the friends, at which the Rev. R. Bushell presided.

The £40 due to the Treasurer, and £22 for forms and fittings were raised. This makes the second erection and enlargement in this Circuit in nine months, and both are out of debt.

July 12th, 1864.

MILE'S STREET, VAUXHALL.

It is with pleasure we record the erection of a new school-room, and extension of the Chapel-at Vauxhall. The Chapel will now seat two hundred adults and children, while the school will hold two hundred and fifty, and are both so situate with large, high, and wide doors between, that a speaker could be heard by all, if required. The cost will be about £450. The expenses incurred were all pledged at the opening, and promises and expectations will no doubt supply the fittings. It is opened free of debt, and it is hoped that others will be the same; so good an example cannot be too often fol lowed. Though money-giving and numbers do not always progress together, yet it has here; for the members have doubled from twenty to forty while the extension was proceeding, and several conversions have shown God's presence and blessing on the new building.

In December and January Public Meetings were held, and on Tuesday, April 26th, the stone was laid by F. Doulton, Esq., M.P. for Lambeth. Upwards of £60 was given or promised that day. It was opened by the Rev. R. Bushell, the superintendent of the Circuit, on Sunday, July 3rd. Dr. Thomas, of Stockwell, and Mr. Green, of Hackney, also preached. Collections £5 6s.

At the prayer meeting souls found mercy. On Monday, July 4th, John Doulton, Esq., took the Chair. Two hundred persons took tea, and the school-room was filled to overflowing. Revs. J. Baldwin Brown, Luke Wiseman, R. Bushell, T. Anthony, Messrs. Cuthbertson, McCurry, Bryon, and Symons, took part in the meeting. A hymn of rejoicing, and other appropriate pieces, were sung pleasantly by the young people, and upwards of £40 promised or paid down, so that the buildings were opened free of debt, and all that is to be done will be paid down for, su event unknown to Free Methodism in the London Circuits before.

W. M. S.

SHEFFIELD,-MOUNT TABOR

OIRCUIT.

SHREWSBURY ROAD SOCIETY.

MR. EDITOR,-You will perhaps not

object to insert a few lines in your Magazine about our little Chapel in Shrewsbury Road, Sheffield. We are not able to boast our antiquity, our Chapel having been erected since the year 1860. A band of earnest Christian men and women before that time had been wor

shipping and holding a Sabbath-school in two rooms not far from the place where the Chapel now stands. The number of members then on the class register was about ninety-one, and the number of scholars on the books was one hundred and fifty. These Christian brethren finding that the rooms they occupied were too small to hold all that were desirous of worshipping God with them, determined upon the erection of a Chapel, and for this purpose a site of land was obtained, which was no less than thirty-five feet below the level of the road; the situation appeared to almost every one (except the trustees) to be a most ridiculous place. But the trustees were not acting without thought; their plans were deliberately laid, and well digested; they did not begin to build without first counting the cost. The position decided upon had in the eyes of the "many" but one redeeming feature, and that was, that "if" the project was successful, it could be approached from seven public roads (this fact was worthy of consideration). The trustees made applications for contractors, but tenders were sent in very reluctantly, builders being afraid lest the undertaking might prove a failure. The trustees never entertained any doubts upon that question; they felt that God was with them, and knew that He was able to see to the execution of their designs; so their plans were left to Him to conduct. Our friends will long remember the day on which the foundation stone was laid; some few men and women, headed by the gentleman who kindly laid the stone for them, were to be seen walking in a band to the place where the stone was to be laid; and though laughed at, and reproached as being almost religious fanatics, they carried out their purpose. The stone was laid. Up went the building, stone by stone; persons who before had been opposed to the building being erected on such an "unbecoming" spot, and had done all in their power to frustrate the designs of the trustees, now became its friends, the topstone was almost

being laid on with rejoicing, when, ah! that most memorable night which caused many an English home to be bereft of its sailor father or its sailor son, and which will long remain on the memory of many an English marinerthe hurricane of 1860;-never before had the faith of the trustees wavered, but the fearful disasters both on land and sea, which were recorded in the newspapers of the following morning, made them to tremble for the ark of the Lord; they feared lest their Zion should be a heap of ruins, and some of them with a trembling step ventured to see the result, and it was to find that the Lord holdeth the winds in the hollow of His hand, and that Christ has power even now to rule the storm. There stood our little Zion raising its proud head, not only bidding defiance to the winds of heaven, but also to the assaults of despotic Methodism. The Chapel was soon completed, and will now comfortably seat four hundred and fifty persons. There is also a spacious school-room beneath, in which there are taught about three hundred scholars; the number of members on our class books now, is upwards of two hundred, and the number of scholars on the books is five hundred. I think we may raise our Ebenezer and say, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." But I have

not quite finished. When our Chapel was in course of building, and the walls were getting nearly as high as they were required to be, when the scoffers were giving up their scoffings, the ques tion next raised by them was, "How do you intend to fill it?" "Do you think people will ever worship in such a Chapel as that ?" "You'll be seven years before you get anybody to attend." These, with many others of a similar sort, were the sarcasms thrown out at them. But these "seven year's" prophets have proved themselves, in less than four years, to be false prophets. The Chapel is now well attended, and only a few weeks ago we held a bazaar in the school-room, the object of which was to raise funds for the extension of the premises, by the erection of a gallery to hold three hundred and fifty persons, and to open two more school-rooms. The receipts at the close of the bazaar amounted to nearly £50 and the subscriptions amounts to upwards of £100, so that the treasurer has now in hand,

con

DURING the past year the gregation in this town has consider. ably increased, until the Chapel has become too small. The trustees therefore, to secure more room, have had erected an end and two side galleries capable of seating nearly two-hundred people, which are a decided improvement, and add much to the comfort of the place. The chapel was re-opened on Sunday, the 12th inst., by the minister of the place. The Rev. J. Kennard preached morning and evening to large congregations, the Chapel in the evening being crowded; many were unable to gain admission. On Sunday, the 19th, the re-opening services were continued, when Mr. Silas Henn preached three times. The congregations were larger, if possible, than on the former Sunday. On Monday afternoon nearly two-hun. dred people sat down to a very excellent tea in the school room, and all seemed to enjoy themselves. The public meeting in the Chapel followed; the chair, which is a new one, in connec tion with a newly-erected pulpit platform, was ably filled for the first time at a public meeting, by Mr. John Carter, who did justice to his position by giving an excellent speech. Mr. W. Johns rejoiced to see such an improvement in the place. The Rev. J. Kennard then addressed the meeting, and spoke of the necessity there was for such an alteration, the way and manner in which it was brought about, and its successful issue; and expressed a hope that the whole would result in the salvation of sinners and the glory of God. Mr. Straker (Independent) said he was not prepared to see such a change; he was well acquainted with the old place and most of the faces he often saw there; but this was altogether a new place, such as he did not expect to see. He congratulated the friends

upon their enlargement and increased beauty and comfort. Mr. Silas Henn was then listened to with marked attention while he delivered a telling speech on the subject of Salvation. The col lections were quite equal to anticipation, and several souls were saved during the services.

WORKSOP CIRCUIT, CLOWNE, ON Sunday, June 26th, two sermons were preached in the United Methodist Chapel at Clowne, by the Rev. John Stokes, congregational minister of Worksop, and collections made on behalf of the above place of worship. On the Tuesday following, a tea meeting, respectably and well attended, was held in the Chapel; after which a meeting was held, presided over most admirably by Councillor Blake, of Chesterfield, and addressed efficiently by the Revs. John Stokes, T. Divine (of the Church of England, from Barrow Hill, near Havely), John Tyerman, of Chester. field, B. Glazebrook, of Worksop, and Messrs. Harrison and Walton, of Chesterfield; James Caudwell, of Work Bop; Wm. Clarkson, of Welbeck; and G. and H. Hickling, of Clowne. This was considered the best of all the meetings ever held in the Chapel, and presented a fine exhibition of real Christian union. The fine Christian-toned speeches of Messrs. Divine and Stokes were highly appreciated, whilst Mr. Tyerman was listened to with much interest, it being understood that it was probably the last time he would be heard at Clowne.

At the close Mr. Glazebrook feelingly and fervently commended him to God in his prospective mission to New Zealand, as one whom they loved, and whose face they would probably see no more. All felt it to be a solemn and important occasion. The Chapel was most tastefully decorated; the tea was all that could be desired; and after the usual thanks to the ladies, chairman, and speakers, the interesting meeting broke up.

WORLE CIRCUIT,-CLEVEDON. ON Sunday, the 20th inst., this enter prising and increasing section of the Methodist Church opened the room