"Who are the Presbyterians?" we can imagine many curious, quietly-
inquisitive people asking; and we can further imagine numbers of the
same class coming to various solemn and inaccurate conclusions as to
what the belief of the Presbyterians is. Shortly and sweetly, we may
say that they believe in Calvinism, and profess to be the last sound
link in the chain of olden Puritanism. They do not believe in
knocking down May poles, nor in breaking off the finger and nose
ends of sacred statues, nor in condemning as wicked the eating of
mince pies, nor in having their hair cropped so that no man can get
hold of it, like the ancient members of the Roundhead family; but in
spiritual matters they have a distinct regard for the plain,
unceremonious tenets of ancient Puritanism--for the simplicity,
definitiveness, and absolutism of Calvinism. Some persons fond of
spiritual christenings and mystic gossip have supposed that the
Presbyterians who, during the past few years, have endeavoured to
obtain a local habitation and a name in Preston, were connected with
the Unitarians; others have classed them as a species of
Independents; and many have come to the conclusion that their creed
has much Scotch blood in it--has some affinity to the U.P. style of
theology, and has a moderate amount of the "Holy Fair" business to
it. The most ignorant are generally the most critically audacious;
and men knowing no more about the peculiarities of creeds than of
the capillary action of woolly horses are often the first to run the
gauntlet of opinionism concerning them. The fact of the matter is,
the Preston Presbyterians are no more and no less, in doctrine, than
Calvinists. In discipline and doctrine they are on a par with the
members of the Free Church of Scotland; but they are not connected
with that church, and don't want to be, unless they can get
something worth looking at and taking home.
Historically, the Presbyterians worshipping in Preston don't pretend
to date as far back as some religious sects, but they do start
ancestrally from the first epoch of British Presbyterianism. Their
spiritual forefathers had a stern beginning in this country; they
were cradled in fierce tomes, said their prayers often amid the
smoke of cannons and the tumult of armies; and maintained their
vitality through one of the sternest and most revolutionary periods
of modern history. In the 17th century they were, for a few moments,
paramount in England; in 1648 nearly all the parishes in the land
were declared to be under their form of church government; but the
tide of fortune eventually set in against them; at the Restoration
Episcopacy superseded their faith; and since then they have had to
fight up their way through a long, a circuitous, and an uneven
track. Their creed, as before intimated, is Calvinistic, and that is
a sufficient definition of it. They believe in a sort of universal
suffrage, so far as the election of their pastors is concerned; and
if they have grievances on hand they nurse them for a short time,
then appeal to "the presbytery." and in case they can't get
consolation from that body they go to "the synod." We could give the
history of this sect, but in doing so we should have to quote many
"figures" and numerous "facts"--things which, according to one
British statesman, can never be relied upon--and on that account we
shall avoid the dilemma into which we might be drifted. It will be
sufficient for our purpose to state that in 1866 a few persons in
Preston with a predilection for the ancient form of Presbyterianism
held a consultation, and decided to start a "church." They had a
sprinkling of serious blood in their arteries--a tincture of well-
balanced, modernised Puritanism in their veins--and they honestly
thought that if any balm had to come out of Gilead, it would first
have to pass through Presbyterianism, and that if any physician had
to appear he would have to be a Calvinistic preacher.
They, at first, met privately, and then engaged the theatre of
Avenham Institution--a place which had previously been the nursery
of Fishergate Baptism and Lancaster-road Congregationalism. From the
early part of January, 1866, till September, 1867, they were regaled
with "supplies" from different parts of the kingdom. When they met
on the second Sunday--it would be unfair to criticise the first
Curtian plunge they made--14 persons, including the preacher, put in
an appearance; but the number gradually extended; courage slowly
accumulated, and eventually--in September, 1867--the Rev. A. Bell, a
gentleman young in years, and fresh from the green isle, who pleased
the Preston Presbyterians considerably, was requested to stop with
them and endeavour to make them comfortable. Mr. Bell thought out
the question briefly, got a knowledge of the duties required, &c.,
and then consented to stay with the brethren. And he is still with
them; hoping that they may multiply and replenish the earth, and
spread Presbyterianism muchly. From the period of their
denominational birth up to now the Preston Presbyterians have
worshipped in the theatre of the Institution, Avenham--a place which
everybody knows and which we need not describe. There is nothing
ecclesiastical about it; the place is fit for the operations of
either lecturers, or preachers, or conjurors; and it will do for the
inculcation of Presbyterianism as well as for anything else. The
leaders of the Presbyterian body are looking out for a site upon
which a new chapel may be erected, but they have not yet found one.
By-and-bye we hope they will see a site which will suit their
vision, will come up to their ideal, and, in the words of Butler, be
"Presbyterian true blue."
The members of "the church" number at present about 112; and the
average congregation will be about 200. It includes Scotchmen, Irish
Presbyterians, people who have turned over from Baptism,
Independency, Catholicism, and several other creeds, and all of them
seem to be theologically satisfied. There ought to be elders at the
place; but the denomination seems too young for them; as it
progresses and gets older it will get into the elder stage. There is
no pulpit in the building, and the preacher gets on very well is the
absence of one. If he has no pulpit he has at least this consolation
that he can never fall over such a contrivance, as the South
Staffordshire Methodist once did, when in a fit of fury, and nearly
killed some of the singers below. The congregation consists
principally of middle and working class people. Their demeanour is
calm, their music moderate, and in neither mind nor body do they
appear to be much agitated, like some people, during their moments
of devotion.
The preacher, who has been about six years in the ministry, and gets
250 pounds a year for his duties here, is a dark-complexioned sharp-
featured man--slender, serious-looking, energetic, earnest, with a
sanguine-bilious temperament. He is a ready and rather eloquent
preacher; is fervid, emphatic, determined; has moderate action;
never damages his coat near the armpits by holding his arms too
high; has a touch of the "ould Ireland" brogue in his talk; never
loudly blows his own trumpet, but sometimes rings his own bell a
little; means what he says; is pretty liberal towards other creeds,
but is certain that his own views are by far the best; is a steady
thinker, a sincere minister, a tolerably good scholar, and a warm-
hearted man, who wouldn't torture an enemy if he could avoid it, but
would struggle hard if "put to it." Like the rest of preachers he
has his admirers as well as those who do not think him altogether
immaculate; but taking him in toto--mind, body, and clothes--he is a
fervent, candid, medium-sized, respectable-looking man, worth
listening to as a speaker of the serious school, and calculated, if
regularly heard, to distinctly inoculate you with Presbyterianism.
It is as "clear as a bell" that he is advancing considerably the
cause he is connected with, and that his "church" is making
satisfactory progress. There is a Sabbath school attached to the
denomination. The scholars meet every Sunday afternoon in the
Institution; and their average attendance is about 90. As a
denomination the Presbyterians are pushing onwards vigorously,
though quietly, and their prospects are good.
To the Free Gospel people we next come. They don't occupy very
fashionable quarters; Ashmoor-street, a long way down Adelphi-
street, is the thoroughfare wherein their spiritual refuge is
situated. If they were in a better locality, the probability is they
would be denominationally stronger. In religion, as in everything
else, "respectability" is the charm. We have heard many a laugh at
the expense of these "Free Gospel" folk, but there is more in their
creed, although it may have only Ashmoor-street for its blossoming
ground, than the multitude of people think of. They were brought
into existence through a dispute with a Primitive Methodist preacher
at Saul-street chapel; although previously, men holding opinions
somewhat similar to theirs, were in the town, and built, but through
adverse circumstances had to give up, Vauxhall-road chapel. In the
early stages of their existence the Free Gospellers were called
Quaker Methodists, because they dressed somewhat like Quakers, and
had ways of thinking rather like the followers of George Fox. In
some places they are known as Christian Brethren; in other parts
they are recognised as a kind of independent Ranters.
About ten years ago, the Preston Free Gospel people got Mr. James
Toulmin to build a chapel for them in Ashmoor-street; they having
worshipped up to that time, first at a place on Snow-Hill and then
in Gorst-street. He did not give them the chapel; never said that he
would; couldn't afford to be guilty of an act so curious; but he
erected a place of worship for their pleasure, and they have paid
him something in the shape of rent for it ever since. The chapel is
a plain, small, humble-looking building--a rather respectably
developed cottage, with only one apartment--and we should think that
those who attend it must be in earnest. The place seems to have been
arranged to hold 95 persons--a rather strange number; but upon a
pinch, and by the aid of a few forms planted near the foot of the
pulpit, perhaps 120 could be accommodated in it. There are just
fourteen pews in the chapel, and they run up backwards to the end of
the building, the highest altitude obtained being perhaps four
yards. A good view can be obtained from the pulpit. Not only can the
preacher eye instantaneously every member of his congregation, but
he can get serene glimpses through the windows of eight chimney
pots, five house roofs, and portions of two backyards. In a season
of doubt and difficulty a scene like this must relieve him.
There are about 30 "members" of the chapel. The average attendance
on a Sunday, including all ranks, will be about 50. The worshippers
are humble people--artisans, operatives, small shopkeepers, &c. A
few of the hottest original partisans were the first to leave the
chapel after its opening. There is a Sunday school connected with
the body, and between 40 and 50 children and youths attend it on the
average. Voluntaryism in its most absolute form, is the predominant
principle of the denomination. The sect is, in reality, a "free
community." Their standard is the bible; they believe in both faith
and good works, but place more reliance upon the latter than the
former; they recognise a progressive Christianity, "harmonising," as
we have been told, "with science and common sense;" they object to
the Trinitarian dogma, as commonly accepted by the various churches,
maintaining that both the Bible and reason teach the existence of
but one God; they have no eucharistic sacrament, believing that as
often as they eat and drink they should be imbued with a spirit of
Christian remembrance and thankfulness; they argue that ministers
should not be paid; they dispense with pew-rents; repudiate all
money tests of membership--class-pence, &c.; make voluntary weekly
contributions towards the general expenses, each giving according to
his means; and all have a voice in the regulation of affairs, but
direct executive work is done by a president and a committee. The
independent volition of Quakerism is one of their prime
peculiarities. If they have even a tea-party, no fixed charge for
admission is made; the price paid for demolishing the tea and
currant bread, and crackers being left to the individual ability and
feelings of the participants.
Service is held in the chapel morning and evening every Sunday, and
the business of religious edification is very peacefully conducted.
There is a moderate choir in the chapel, and a small harmonium: The
singing is conducted on the tonic sol fa principle, and it seems to
suit Mr. William Toulmin, brother of the owner of the chapel,
preaches every Sunday, and has done so, more or less, from its
opening. He gets nothing for the job, contributes his share towards
the church expenses as well, and is satisfied. Others going to the
place might preach if they could, but they can't, so the lot
constantly falls upon Jonah, who gives homely practical sermons, and
is well thought of by his hearers. He is a quaint, cold, generous
man; is original, humble, honest; cares little for appearances;
wears neither white bands nor morocco shoes; looks sad, rough and
ready, and unapproachable; works regularly as a shopkeeper on week
days, and earnestly as a preacher on Sundays; passes his life away
in a mild struggle with eggs, bacon, butter, and theology; isn't
learned, nor classical, nor rhetorical, but possesses common sense;
expresses himself so as to be understood--a thing which some regular
parsons have a difficulty in doing; and has laboured Sunday after
Sunday for years all for nothing--a thing which no regular parson
ever did or ever will do. We somewhat respect a man who can preach
for years without pocketing a single dime, and contribute regularly
towards a church which gives him no salary, and never intends doing.
The homilies of the preacher at Ashmoor-street Chapel may neither be
luminous nor eloquent, neither pythonic in utterance nor refined in
diction, but they are at least worth as much as he gets for them.
Any man able to sermonise better, or rhapsodise more cheaply, or
beat the bush of divinity more energetically, can occupy the pulpit
tomorrow. It is open to all England, and possession of it can be
obtained without a struggle. Who bids?