BRADFORD.-The laying of the foundation-stone | preaching stations, a tract society, and an open-air of a new chapel, which is about to be built by the mission are sustained by the members of the congregation assembling at present in Sion Chapel, church. The treasurer's report stated that the Bradford, under the pastorate of the Rev. J. P. erection of the new chapel and the freehold site Chown, took place on Thursday, June 26th. The had cost £2,036, towards which £930 had been connew building will consist of a chapel capable of tributed, leaving a debt of £1,106 to be provided seating 1,000 persons ; a school-room, for 350 chil for. The meeting was then addressed by the Revs. dren in classes ; a lecture-room, for 130 persons ; F. Tucker, B.A., Wm. Barker, J. H. Millard, B.A., a class-room, with gallery, for 80 infants ; two class S. Cowdy, W. A. Essery, J. H. Hitchens, and rooms; a tea-room or class-room; a room for W. H. Watson, Esq. On Wednesday, July 2nd, & school library, minister's vestry, ladies' vestry, fraternal meeting of the neighbouring churches deacons' large vestry, cellar, kitchen, and other was beld, the kindly feeling displayed at which, as apartments. The style adopted will be generally also on the opening day, by the neighbouring pas. called Gothic. The total cost of the chapel, including tors, was of a most delightful character. On heating apparatus, gas, and chapel and school Thursday evening the Rev. W. Brock, of Bloomsfurniture, will be about £6,500. The service con bury, preached to a large audience, and at the nected with the laying of the foundation-stone of close remarked that the chapel was a marvel of the chapel commenced on the ground about half. cheapness considering its beauty, convenience, and past three o'clock. There was a very large assem. solidity, and the church well deserved the help of blage. The Rev. J. P. Chown gave out a hymn. all Christians in endeavouring to liquidate the The Rev. Henry Dowson, of Westgate Chapel, debt. On the following Lord's-day the pastor offered the introductory prayer. The Rev. Dr. God. preached in the morning from Psalm cxviii. 25, and win, who was the first pastor of Sion Chapel, then in the evening the Rev. Dr. Angus, of Regent'sdelivered an interesting address with reference to park College, from Acts ii. 46. The chapel was the service and work in which they were engaged. well filled on both occasions, and there is every A bottle, containing copies of the local papers, a prospect of a good congregation being statedly copy of The Freeman, a coin of the realm, and gathered here. The amounts contributed and two written documents, was then deposited in a promised during the opening services were £200, carity in the foundation-stone. One of the written leaving a debt on the chapel of £906. documents gave a brief account of the pastors,

BAPTIST COLLEGE, BRISTOL.-On Wednesday and the history of the church assembling in Sion

morning, June 25th, the annual meeting of the Chapel, with the names of the deacons. Mr, Stead,

subscribers to the Bristol Baptist College was as the senior acting deacon of the church assembling in Sion Chapel, tendered to Sir S. M. Peto

held. The proceedings were inaugurated by

Divine service, which commenced in the chapel,' in the thanks of the members for his having kindly

Broadmead, at eleven o'clock. Hymns having acceded to their invitation to lay the first stone of the new chapel, and then presented to him a

been sung and prayer offered, and a portion of beautiful silver trowel, with which to perform his

Scripture read by the Rev. F. Trestrail, two of the

students of the college, Messrs. Aldis and task. Sir S. M. Peto, on accepting the trowel, delivered an interesting and appropriate ad

Etherington, respectively ascended the pulpit and dress, and performed the necessary masonic opera

read an essay, the former on “The Human Nature tions. The Rev. J. Acworth, LL.D., President of

of our Lord," and the latter on “The Attractive. Rawdon College.then offered the dedicatory prayer,

ness of Missionary Life." Both essays were well

written, and equally well delivered, and reflected and the impressive service was closed by the as. sembly singing the doxology, and by the Rev.J. P.

great credit apon both. The Rev. C. Stanford, of Chown pronouncing the benediction. At a tea-meet

Camberwell, then delivered the address to the ing, which was held in the evening, the Rev. J.

students. He selected as his text the words,“ His

bow shall abide in strength, and from these words P. Chown, the pastor of Sion Chapel, made a short statement of the causes which had induced the

delivered an eminently beautiful and instructive

address. The benediction was then pronounced by members of the church assembling there to resolve upon erecting another place of worship. He said

the Rev. R. G. Moses, of Lymington, and the conthe subscriptions already promised amounted to

gregation dispersed. The annual meeting of the about £4,000. Mr. J. Wilcock laid before the meet.

subscribers was then held in the vestry, W. D.

Horsey, Esq., of Wellington, in the chair. Mr. ing a financial statement.

Ashmead, the secretary, read the minutes of the

last meeting, and the Rev. Dr. Gotch read the PARK-ROAD, PECKHAM.-The commodious free

report. The report stated that nine students had hold sanctuary erected for the use of the church

been admitted for the present session, making the meeting in Hill.street, Peckham, under the pastor

number twenty-two. There were five students in ate of the Rev. T. J. Cole, was opened on Tuesday,

their fourth year at the beginning of the session. July 1st, when the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached

Three of these had very lately entered on stations, at twelve o'clock to a crowded audience, upwards

to which, after supplying for some weeks, they were Of 800 persons being inside the building. Dinner

each unanimously invited. Eight candidates had and tea were provided in the old chapel, and in the

been accepted by the committee for the usual evening the new house was again crowded, when

term of probation, making the present number an interesting meeting was held, presided over by

twenty-five. The committee reported most favour. James Low, Esq. After singing and prayer the pastor presented a brief historical statement, from

ably of the diligence and general habits of the

students during the session. The reports of the which it appears that the church was formed in

examination were also very satisfactory. The 1853 in an upper room; in December, 1856, Mr.

Revs. F. Trestrail, E. Probert, S. Shoobridge, W. Cole commenced his ministry; and the following

Evans, N. Haycroft, with Messrs. Sherring, April the chapel in Hill-street was built ; in 1856 a

Leonard, Whittuck, Morcom, &c., &c., spoke to gallery was added, and in June, 1860, the freehold site of the new chapel was purchased, and on the

the various resolutions. 1st of July, 1861, the foundation stone was laid by COLLEGE, REGENT'S-PARK.-The usual meeting Sir S. M. Peto. Bart., M.P. In December, 1956, at the close of the session 1961-2 was held at the the church numbered only twelve members; there college, Regent's-park, on Wednesday, July 9th. are now 169 in fellowship. 103 of whom have been The chair was taken by S. R. Pattison, Esq., and haptized by Mr. Cole; three Sabbath schools, two | the meeting was addressed by the Rev. H. S.

PARK-BOAD, PECK

for the use of

the pastor

This

used the summas large,

tnali.£200.

nd congregavonel was openersHis

Brown and Pasteur Napoleon Roussel. After the minister, presided. In the course of a few in. singing and prayer by the Rev. E. White, the troductory remarks he stated that the expenses in. examiners' reports were read by the Rev. W. curred in the improvement they had effected in Webster, M.A., Dr. Biggs, and by the tutors. their chapel, amounted to £83 143., towards which They were, on the whole, very satisfactory. Forty they had received by promises and the collections six students have enjoyed the advantages of the on the previous Lord's-day £60, leaving a debt of institution during the session or part of it; thirty £23 14s., which he hoped would be met before the four ministerial students, and twelve lay. Ten meeting closed. The Rev. E. W. Shalders, W. ministerial students are leaving, of whom Mr. G. Lewis, of Bayswater, G. L. Kennion, and w. Hawkes has accepted an invitation from the G. Lewis, of Cheltenham, addressed the meeting. Baptist Church in Greenock, Mr. Payne from The last speaker inviting the persons present at Presteign, Mr. J. Williams, B.A., from Narberth, once to liquidate the remaining debt, bis appeal Mr. Lambert from Milton. Oxfordshire, and Mr. was responded to, and the whole of the expenses J. Waldock has been accepted as a missionary for were defrayed. Ceylon. The remaining five students are about to

SWAFFHAM, NORFOLK,-The third anniversary visit destitute churches with a view to settle. The

in connection with the new Baptist Chapel in number of religious services conducted during the

this place was held on Wednesday, June 18th. year is about 1,200. Four students have taken the

An early prayer-meeting was held before break. degree of B.A. in the University of London, three

fast, at which, and during the day, nearly one with honours, and one of these, Mr. T. G. Rooke,

hundred little bags, containing sums amounting was declared to be entitled to the Logic Scholar

to £176 128. 5d., were presented as free-will offership. One, Mr. Mendes, matriculated with

ings to God. In the afternoon and evening two honours at Christmas. Six are going up for matri.

excellent sermons were preached by the Rev. J.P. culation, and four for B.A. To supply vacancies,

Chown, of Bradford. The attendance was large, nineteen applications have been received, and

and the collections raised the sum obtained to these will be considered and decided during the

nearly £200. This effort leaves the chapel vir. month. It is hoped that the financial year will

tually free from debt, as now there only remaids close without debt. Twenty-two collections have

a loan of £200 to be repaid witbout interest to been received, and twenty-two new subscriptions,

the Baptist Building Fund in half-yearly instal. also a legacy from the late Rev. W. Nichols, of

ments in ten years. The chapel and school Collingham, and a donation of £50 from an old

rooms were erected only about three years ago, subscriber, given towards founding a Fuller Scholarship. Other donations during the year

BARNSTAPLE.-The Rev. Samuel Newnam has

been compelled to resign the pastorate of the amounted to upwards of £100.

Baptist Church in this town, in consequence of LLANVIHANGEL CRUCORNEY.-A meeting of a

ill-health necessitating his leaving the ministry highly interesting cbaracter was recently held in the

for some years. During his ministrations both the Baptist Chapel, the occasion being the public dedi.

church and congregation have largely increased, cation of the Rev. E. Edwards, the pastor, as a mis

and last year a new chapel was opened which will sionary to India. The chapel was filled by a bighly

accommodate upwards of 1,000 bearers. His itrespectable audience. Suitable addresses were

moval is regretted by Christians of all denominadelivered by the Rev. T. French, of Hereford, and

tions, but especially by the members of te the Rev. P. Prees, of Cinderford, after which Mr.

church, of which for thirteen and a-half years De James Jacob (in behalf of the members of the

has been the pastor, during which time they have church) presented the Rev. E. Edwards with

happily been blessed with peace, harmony, and “Cruden's Concordance," and "Alford's Greek

prosperity. Testament,” in four volumes, as a small proof of their appreciation of his labours during a pastorate

MINISTERIAL CHANGES. --The Rev. Samuel of nearly four years. The rev. gentleman suitably Chapman, of Rawdon College, has accepted the acknowledged the gift, and after prayer by the unanimous invitation of the Baptist Church, Rev, S. Young, the Rev. F. Trestrai), the secretary

Heneage.street, Birmingham (formerly under the of the Missionary Society, gave a graphic account

care of the Rev. C. H. Roe and the Rer. James of India as a field for missionary labour. Mr.

Taylor), to become its pastor, and intends to come Trestrail concluded by impressively commending mence his ministry early in October.-The Ret:It the missionary to the work before him.

J. C. Brown has resigned the pastorate of HIGHBURY-HILL, LONDON.--The above tem

church in Anstruther, and accepted the corum porary place of worship was opened for Divine

and unanimous invitation of the church in Perth worship on Tuesday, July 8th. The Rev. C. H.

-The Rev. John Aldis, jun., of Bristol College Spurgeon preached in the morning to a deeply at

has accepted the cordial invitation of the chance tentive auditory, who thronged the building in

in London-road, Lowestoft, and commenced his every part. The evening sermon was preached by

labours on the last Sunday in July.-The Rer. the Rev. Henry Allon. The collections amounted to

Bamber, of Wainsgate, near Hebden-bridge, or nearly £25. On the following Sunday the opening

shire, has given notice that he intends to termina services were continued. The Rev. s. J. Davis

his labours there in October next.-The Rev.J. preached in the morning, and the Rev. A. C.

Butterworth, M.A., in consequence of illones Thomas in the evening. The congregations were

has resigned the oversight of the first Bap N larger than had been anticipated; and the few

Church, Abergavenny, and the Rev. Jam friends with whom the movement originated feel

Bullock, M.A., Jate of Wallingford, has accept much encouraged.

a cordial and unanimous invitation to succeed

in the pastoral office. The Rev. T. D. Jones ZION CHAPEL, CHATHAM.This place of wore resigned the pastorate of the Baptist Chur ship having been closed for the purpose of repair

Cirencester.The Rev. E. Davis has removed in ing, painting, &c., was re-opened on Lord's-day, Longhope, Gloucestershire, to Spaldwiek, Hub June 29th, when two very impressive sermons were donshire, having accepted the charge of the chur preached by the Rev. W.G. Lewis, of Cheltenham. at the latter place. - The Rev. G. West base On the following Tuesday evening a tea-meeting moved from Aylesbury, having accepted tac was held, at which a large number assembled in torate of the church in Buckingham. He the school-room, and afterwards adjourned to the menced his labours at the latter place on Sun chapel for a public meeting. The Rev. John Lewis, | July 6th.

Sundays

THE CHURCH.

"Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the

chief corner-stone,"

SEPTEMBER, 1862.

THE ST. BARTHOLOMEW EJECTMENT.

CHAP. VIII.—THE CLOUDS RETURN AFTER THE RAIN. _MORE than two thousand ministers were silenced by the Act of Uniformity. Ejected from their pulpits, they yet hoped that they might do God service by teaching the children of their former parishioners, and by going from house to house privately speaking the word. Deprived of their income, many of them, doubtless, hoped that they might find some alleviation of their distress in the considerate kindness of the members of their former congregations. But these hopes were soon to make them ashamed. The clouds returned after the rain, and discharged a torrent beneath which they were well-nigh over, whelmed. The Conventicle and Five-mile Acts completed the work which the Act of Uniformity began.

THE CONVENTICLE Act, passed in 1664, was aimed at the ministers through their congregations. Undeterred by the threats of bishop and magistrate, or even by the frequent imprisonments inflicted on them for ministering the Word, they continued to declare the tidings of good wherever willing hearers could be found. The bishops grew indignant at their audacity and their success, for multitudes resorted to them. These Fathers of the Church gave vent to their indignation in an Act which inflicted fines, imprisonment, and even banishment, on all who'were guilty of attending any religious service, other than that of the parish church, at which five or more persons besides the household were present. The first offence was to be punished either with three months' imprisonment, or a fine of five pounds; the second, with six months' imprisonment, or a fine of ten pounds; the third, with seven years' banishment to the plantations; and, with a refinement of cruelty of which only priests could be guilty, it was enacted that those who incurred this penalty should not be transported to the New : England plantations, because there they would be likely to find friends among the Puritan colonists. To our modern conceptions there is something startling and horrible in the thought that a peaceful Christian citizen should be transported a8 a convict for seven years for the sole offence of thrice attending a religious service; something still more startling and horrible in the thought that this iniquitous punishment should have been meted out, and actually inflicted, at the instigation of the successors of the apostles. But even this is not the most damning blot on the Episcopal escutcheon. It is a fact which Nonconformists should hold in remembrance, that, within the last two hundred years, an Englishman might be condemned to death for no other crime than worshipping God according to his conscience. The Conventicle Act, among other provisions indicating the regard in which the bishops held their Puritan brethren, had also this : That if the convict banished to the plantations for his third attend. ance at the meeting-house returned to England before.completing his sentence,

M

he should be liable to capital punishment. The doom awarded by this infamous Act was, death by sentence of a single justice of the peace, acting without jury, on the oath of a single informer. Cruel and tyrannical as the Act was, it utterly failed. Beggared, imprisoned, transported, the Paritan Nonconformists still met for united worship.' Congregations were found who risked all that they might hear the word they loved, and preachers whom nothing could daunt from the exercise of their ministry. Nay--and it is a relief to turn to the lighter aspects of the case—they developed an ingenuity in baffling the informers who worked the Act which at times provokes a smile.

“ Some fussy Dogberry of a mayor or sheriff would come with informers and constables, and burst open the doors of the meeting-house, and rush in. Lo! every avenue to the interior, every foot-breadth of passage or staircase, is occupied by women and sisters.' A siik handkerchief, it is said, will stay a musket-bullet, and these ladies prove more formidable to Dogberry and Co. than a troop of armed men. Can ministers of justice trample down unoffending women? Can gentlemen of the law refuse them time to rise and to make way at their leisure P The ladies are in no hurry to rise; they may, in fact, require explanations, and take to parleying a little ; so that Dogberry, however painful it may be to his feelings, has to push and scramble in as he best can. What does he find ?, No one is preaching ; no one is reading or praying; the assembly, without so much as a discernible precentor, are engaged in the innocent exercise of singing. Some one, let us hope, offers the magistrate a hymn-book. He is not, however, exactly in the mood for singing, and as this form of service seems destined to prevail as long as he remains, he composes his features and files out. The ladies follow in his rear, and again take rank on stair and in passage; the minister mounts the pulpit, and worship is resumed. If the preacher happens to be caught in the act, and is thrown into prison, the people carry on the service by themselves, reading the Word and praying by turns." * The records of the Baptist Church, Broadmead, Bristol, contain very graphic descriptions of the means employed in many Nonconforming congregations to evade the stringent provisions of the Act, and baffle the malice of informers. We can give only a few excerpts :

.“Now three of our ministers being imprisoned, some of each congregation of the brethren met together to consult how to carry on our meetings, that we might keep to our duty, and edify one another, now our pastors were gone. Some even were ready of thinking to give off-viz., of the Presbyterians; that they could not carry it on, because of their principle, (which) was not to hear a man not bred up at the university, and not ordained. But the Lord appeared, and helped us to prevail with them to hold on, and keep up their meetings. And for the first, and for some time, we concluded this : to come and assemble together, and for one to pray and read a chapter, and then conclude with prayer; and so two brethren to carry on the meeting one day, and two another, for a while to try what they would do with us. So we did, and ordered one of the doors of our meeting place to be made fast, and all to come in at one, but open it when we go forth; and to appoint some youth, or two of them, to be out at the door every meeting, to watch when Hellier, or other informers or officers, were coming; and so to come in, one of them, and give us notice thereof." Also, some of the hearers, women and sisters, would sit and crowd on the stairs when we did begin the meeting with any exercise, that 80 the informers might not too suddenly come in upon us; by reason of which they were prevented divers times.

I "To prevent spies that might come into the room as hearers, and yet that no strangersi or persons we knew not be hindered from coming into our meeting, whether good or bad, to hear the Gospel, we contrived a curtain, to