Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

public tea-meeting was held in the school-room, after which a public meeting was held in the church, and addresses were delivered by Revs. R. Storry, T. L. Marsden, P. Ramage, and W. O'Mant, and by Messrs. R. H. Armitage, R. Gunton, and E. J. Broadfield, B.A.

All these services were well attended, and seemed to interest the people assembled. A short report was given in the Huddersfield Examiner of Mr. Storry's lecture and of the tea party which concluded the services. From this report we make the following extract :

"The proceedings in celebration of the jubilee of this chapel were concluded yesterday afternoon and evening, with a tea and public meeting. The tea was served in the school-room, and was partaken of by about 110 persons. At the meeting in the evening, which was held in the chapel, and was very well attended, the Rev. E. Whitehead, the pastor, presided. After singing and prayer, "Mr. R. H. ARMITAGE, the Secretary of the Society, gave a short history of the commencement and progress of the Society up to the present time. He said that the New Church teaching in that neighbourhood was begun by the late Mr. George Senior, who assembled a few friends regularly, and preached to them in a cottage house at Colne Bridge, and continued attending those meetings for about twenty years. The time at which Mr. Senior commenced at Colne Bridge was about the year 1797 or 1798. Mr. Senior was the regular preacher to these few people, who were constant in their attendance in that cottage house. On the completion of a small chapel built at Upper Heaton by Mr. Senior's then partner, Mr. Joseph Beaumont, they removed from Colne Bridge, and commenced their services at Upper Heaton. The chapel there was opened on the 19th of March 1818, and Mr. Senior continued to officiate as its minister. He remained there for about seven years and a half, when he erected the chapel in which they were now assembled, which was opened on the 21st of August 1825. The preacher in the morning was the late Rev. Richard Jones, then minister of the Society in Peter Street, Manchester; the afternoon service was conducted by the Rev. John Parry of Leeds; and in the evening Mr. Senior himself preached. There were

Mr.

very large congregations on the day of opening, in the afternoon the congregation numbering at least one thousand people, more than one-half of whom could not get inside, but remained outside, so great was the interest excited in this locality by the opening of this church. A most noticeable fact, which they would have been very glad to see continue, was that immediately the day was announced that the sittings would be let, there was such a rush that the whole of the sittings were let on the first day, and a considerable number of appiicants could not be accommodated. Senior, soon after the erection of the chapel, engaged the Rev. John Parry of Leeds to join with him in conducting the services, and they conjointly were the ministers for a number of years. Mr. Parry had been, prior to being introduced to the New Church, a preacher to the Methodist New Connexion, a position he resigned in 1818, and he was appointed to the Leeds Society at the opening of their place of worship in November the same year. When Mr. Parry resigned at Grove Place, he was succeeded by Mr. Margetson, who also had been a Methodist preacher. He was a connection of Mr. Senior's family. He left the Society here in 1847, and he was succeeded by the Rev. R. Storry, who remained minister till Easter 1861. At the close of Mr. Storry's ministry, Mr. T. L. Marsden. then resident in Leeds, was appointed to take charge of the Society, and he

as

commenced his leadership in the year 1861, and remained leader and minister combined for six years, his engagement closing in 1867. They were then left for some time without a minister, the state of the finances being such that the Society felt they could not keep a regular minister. The ministerial office was then filled up occasionally by one of their ordained ministers, and by the aid of the Missionary Association of Manchester, aud they tided over the twelve months. The Society then felt that, notwithstanding they had been supplied, they were somewhat like sheep without a shepherd, and determined to make another effort in order to obtain the services of a regular minister; and this led to the appointment of their present minister, Mr. Whitehead, who commenced his ministry in 1868, and had been there now

seven years. During all this time the was crowded to excess, many people not congregation had fluctuated very con- being able to gain admittance. After siderably. Their first connection with the usual service was gone through, the the Conference was in 1826. The num- Doctor took for his subject in the ber of members had varied from thirty- afternoon "The Queen of Sheba's visit five to 121, the largest number being 121 to Solomon," and in the evening "Life, in 1852, about the middle of the Rev. Death, and Resurrection, according to R. Storry's ministrations. The smallest the Scriptures," based upon the words number had been thirty-five, and he was in Psalm lvi. 13; "For Thou hast dethankful to say they had now a few more livered my soul from death; wilt not than that, and trusted that they were Thou deliver my feet from falling, that going on in the right direction. The I may walk before God in the light of first representative who attended the the living?" Mr. J. Eddington preConference on behalf of the Society was sided at the organ, and was assisted by a the Rev. John Parry. Since 1831 they highly-trained choir, who sang anthems had had a Sunday-school in connection during the day with much taste, and with them; for the first six years they with admirable expression. The collechad no Sunday-school. Mr. Armitage tions amounted to £23, 7s. 10d. The then dwelt upon the large number of sum of £22, 10s. was previously conyoung people who must have passed tributed by private subscription, thus through the Sunday-school since its making a total of £45, 17s. 10d. commencement, and remarked that although many had passed away to the spiritual world, still many were now living, who did not attend there regularly, and he impressed upon those present the necessity of trying to bring in those who, if asked where they be longed, would say Grove Place, but who did not attend regularly. Appropriate addresses followed by Revs. R. Storry, T. L. Marsden, W. O'Mant, and P. Ramage, and by Messrs. R. Gunton and E. J. Broadfield. The meeting was also enlivened by the performance of selections of sacred music."

EMBSAY.-The Church at this place, which has been built for upwards of forty years, had begun to show signs of dilapidation, and the congregation determined to make an effort to restore it and rearrange its interior, so as to present a more modern appearance. A new pulpit has been erected, which consists of a very light railed structure of polished pitch pine. The old choir apartment has been replaced by a new one, which is built of the same material, and the floor, previously flagged, has been relaid with wood. The whole place has been repainted and recoloured, and many other improvements have been carried out; until the church is one of the neatest places of worship in the district. The organ, which is well built, is plain in structure, but sweet in tone, and well adapted to lead the praise of the congregation. The chapel was reopened with two impressive sermons by the Rev. Dr. Bayley, of London, when the church

RAMSBOTTOM. -The new place of worship lately erected in this town was opened and consecrated on Wednesday afternoon, August 4th, when, as stated in last number, the Rev. Dr. Bayley preached in the afternoon, and the Rev. R. Storry in the evening. At the latter service the sacred song, "Angels ever bright and fair," was sung to the edification of the congregation by Miss Lowe, of Manchester, grand-daughter of the Rev. Thomas Pilkington of Haslingden, who, forty-four years ago, opened the former place of worship. The congregations were as numerous as might be expected at a week-day service, and the collections of the day, which far surpassed the expectations of the members of the Society, amounted to £188. On Sunday, August 8th, the Rev. Dr. Tafel preached in the morning from Matthew vi. 34. His discourse in the evening was founded upon John xvii. 24; and he expounded and illustrated the glorification of the Lord's Humanity in such a clear and interesting manner as to give great delight to persons who were previously unacquainted with this important doctrine. In the afternoon the Rev. W. Westall preached from Haggai i. 7, 8, to a congregation consisting in great part of persons belonging to various denominations in the town, who, by their close attention, appeared to be well pleased with the explanation of this passage. The collections of this day amounted to £51. On Sunday, August 15th, the Rev. Dr. Bayley preached with his usual eloquence and intense earnest

ness;

his text in the morning was Psalm lvi. 13, and in the afternoon Isa. lx. 16, 17. The latter service was attended by a crowded congregation, and many were unable to gain admission. The Rev. Chauncey Giles preached in the evening, when the church was again crowded in every part. The prayers at this service, by the request of the resident minister, were led by the Rev. W. Bruce, and the Lesson was read by Mr. E. J. Broadfield, B.A. While a hymn was being sung the Rev. Mr. Giles ascended the pulpit and delivered a most fervent and impressive discourse on Rev. xx. 12. The collections of this day reached the sum of £110. On Sunday, August 22d, Mr. R. Gunton preached in the morning and evening to attentive and appreciative audiences. The afternoon service was conducted by Mr. Jonathan Robinson of Manchester, who preached a very appropriate and powerful sermon from Rev. xxi. 3. This day's collections amounted to a little over £50. At the close of the evening service it was announced, to the great surprise and delight of all present, that the total sum realized by collections at all the opening services was £400, 0s. 11d. It had been expected by the members of the Society that as much as £250 might be reached by what they intended to give amongst themselves, but the actual amount has so far exceeded their most sanguine expectations that they feel how greatly they are indebted to the substantial help which has been rendered them by the neighbouring New Church Societies, and by many friends of the Church in various parts of the kingdom as well as in their own town, to all of whom they beg to take this opportunity of returning their most sincere and hearty thanks.

Obituary.

Mr. William Killingbeck, of Black burn, departed this life June 18th, 1875, aged 58 years. From his childhood he had been connected with the Blackburn Society of the New Church, and was for a long time an active member of it; closely walking in the footsteps of his devoted father. His manner was very unassuming; but his desire for the Church's welfare was none the less earnest and constant. Through life he

had enjoyed good health, until a short time previous to his death, when pains occasionally came upon him, which indicated a diseased heart. With a view to improvement, he sought change and rest by visiting his late minister, Mr. Bates, at Melbourne, Derbyshire, with whom he looked forward to spend a few happy days, which, alas! proved only a few hours. He attended the morning service at the New Church, and expressed himself delighted, with the singing especially; but during the afternoon he was suddenly taken ill, which continued until the next morning, when he became much worse and expired in the arms of Mr. Bates, immediately after waving his hand and saying "There is rest above."

At Brixton, London, August 7th, Mr. John W. Wilkins, in his 81st year. For the first half of his life the deceased was a consistent member of the Particular Baptist denomination, but careful study of the Divine Word led him to gradually abandon ordinary orthodox teachings, and to be convinced that the fundamental doctrine of True Christianity is the recognition of the supreme Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. When he ventured to publicly proclaim his new views, he was summarily expelled for heresy by his religious associates, whereupon he issued a tract entitled: A Dialogue, intended to set forth in a plain and scriptural manner the true doctrine of Divine Worship, by a late member of the Church at Gower Street Chapel, London, which was favourably reviewed in the Intellectual Repository for 1840. The publisher of this treatise, the late Mr. W. Newbery, at once introduced the Writings of the New Church to Mr. Wilkins, and as his mind was in a receptive state the latter soon avowed himself an affectionate receiver of them. For many years our friend was connected with the Argyle Square Society, but on the formation of the South London Society in 1863, he gladly identified himself with it; and none who worshipped at the Newington Causeway room can forget the zeal and punctu ality with which he discharged the duties of the office entrusted to him. His removal to the spiritual world was sudden, but his life had indicated his desire to be ready for the solemn message, and he passed away amidst the universal respect of all who knew him.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

"PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM." 1

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee."-PSALM cxxii. 6.

No doubt the minds of many here present will revert to the last occasion on which they heard these words. They form the concluding portion of the telegram received during the Social Meeting, held on the Wednesday evening of the recent Conference, from our dear and honoured friend, Mr. Hyde-his last message to the congregation he loved so well and the Church he served so loyally. When I accepted from his nearest relatives, and from the Committee of your Society, the onerous, the painful, and yet the precious charge of speaking to you this morning in his memory, I could find no language more appropriate for the occasion, nor any that, upon examination, linked itself more naturally with his work and character.

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." To the devout Jew, Jerusalem was indeed the holiest, dearest spot the world contained; "beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth;" whither, thrice each year, the tribes of his countrymen went up to render homage to their fathers' God; with which was inseparably associated all that was most glorious in his nation's annals,

1 A Discourse in memory of the late Rev. John Hyde: preached at Manchester, August 22nd, and at Argyle Square, London, August 29th, 1875, by the Rev. John Presland. Having been necessarily preached from notes, and not reported, this sermon is only substantially the same as that delivered.

all that was most cherished in his own hopes and aspirations. Remembering, therefore, that Jerusalem, like every other part of the Jewish system, had "a shadow of good things to come” (Heb. x. 1), we are prepared to expect, in the substance of which she was the type, a dignity and blessedness commensurate with the importance anciently attaching to the symbol. Nor need we look far for an explanation of its meaning. Intuitively the mind rises from that "Jerusalem which now is, which is in bondage with her children," to the "Jerusalem above, which is free, and the mother of us all" (Gal. iv. 25, 26); even to that "Holy City, New Jerusalem," which John beheld, in apocalyptic vision, "coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. xxi. 2). Jerusa lem is, in fact, an emblem of the Church, the Lord's heaven upon earth; whether regarded in its entirety, to which the Apostle refers when he says (Heb. xii. 22, 23), "Ye are come to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, who are written in heaven;" or whether viewed in that particular individual sense, the possibility of which is promised in the declaration that "the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose Name is Holy," dwells not alone "in the high and holy place," but also "with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit" (Isa. lvii. 15). The mental states and qualities which thus constitute the soul a temple of the Lord, every individual man or woman characterized by their attainment, and the aggregate of those who honestly strive after them as their heart's desire, thus combine to form that true and living church which, under the representative system of the Jews, was foreshadowed by Jerusalem.

And for this Jerusalem our text teaches us to pray; echoing in other words the pathetic ejaculation elsewhere expressed by the Psalmist (cxxxvii. 5), "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget." But what is prayer? Not merely or chiefly oral petition. This, however useful and necessary—and that it is both, and, in the case of every devout and humble soul, an indispensable essential of all happiness and satisfaction, who can question ?—is yet neither the only nor the highest mode of prayer. For prayer is a state rather than an act; a life rather than a form of words, even though the truest and most earnest. Prayer is the constant habit of communion with the Divine; the scarcely conscious spontaneous reference of every question to the Divine decision; the determination of every

« PredošláPokračovať »