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.