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MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Miscellaneous Correspondence.
MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE .
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Devonport Chapel . To the Editor . Sir , August 6 , 1829 . . I chanced to be at Devonport a few Sundays ago , and I took an opportunity of visiting the Unitarian chapel lately erected there . A more interesting scene , a more interesting service , I never witnessed . It was encouraging , instructive , delightful , and worthy of all commendation .
The congregation consists , I believe , without an exception , of members in the lower walks of life , and much of the neat ( the almost tasteful ) structure , where they meet to worship " the One God , the Father , " has been reared by the labours of their own honest hands . Their preacher is one of themselves—a sensible , strong-minded man , with
energy of thought and boldness of utterance . The worship had in it all the unction of strong conviction and devout zeal . I thought the hymns of the worshipers were sung by voices of more than common sweetness . The atmosphere of the place was fraternal , and piety and charity seemed to have descended there . The Unitarian cause had drooped and
decayed at Devonport , though it had endowments and patronage , and when it declined , a large sum of money , the proceeds of the chapel , ( it now amounts to j £ 15 D 0 , ) was paid over to some members of the Plymouth congregation 3 and a deed was prepared , as I am informed , placing the amount wholly beyond the reach of the Devon port Unitarians , eveu should the cause revive . Certain it is
that only one old man , who belonged to the former congregation , « a member of the present . The rest are , for the most part , converts , intelligent men , reading and thinking for themselves , exploring and cherishing " the pearl of great price , " which has rewarded their inquiries . As they strengthened in numbers ,
they set about building . They were their own architects , and the wood-work of the chapel was , 1 believe , wholly completed by themselves . I have before me a list of names , the memory of which ought not to pass away . Preserve jit , Sir , and their children and their phildren ' s children may point to your pages with pride , and say , *« 'lire name of my
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ancestor is recorded there * To the completion of the building , William Rundell a « d Abraham Matthews , each contributed 74 days * labour ; John Merchant , 69 ; John Matthews , 62 ; James Potter , 51 ; James Netherton , 48 ; William Brooking , 44 ; Philip Beard , 41 ; Joseph
Willcocks and Robert Weunicott , each 24 ; Joseph Gioyn , 23 ; Richard Perry , 21 ; Nicholas Rundell , 19 J ; William Gloyn and Jacob Turpin , each 18 ; John Sloggett , 13 ; James Boolds , 11 ; and William Turpin , 8 . Nor with common praise shall I mention the services and sacrifices of the excellent man who
conducts the worship , Mr . Silvanus Gibbs . The government of the congregation is , as it should be , in the hands of its members , all of whom vote at the election of a committee of five annually chosen . The chapel will accommodate 245 persons , aud 215 sittings are at this moment taken , for each of which from 4 * . to Is . per year are paid .
The total cost of the ground and buildings is £ 5 S 6 ; the sums subscribed amount to ^ 320 . The present deficit is £ 266 . It will be to the honour of our body that this balance should be very speedily discharged , in order that no pecuniary difficulties may overshadow prospects so bright as these . I beg earnestly to recommend the case to our
Societies , Fellowship Funds , and to individual consideration . Mr , Wforsley , I am aware , has done much , and h . is " , ( Ioings" are gratefully owned . But the work of benevolence , so well begun , ought now to be completed ; and I venture confidently to leave it in the hands and in the hearts of your readers . JOHN BOWRING .
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Umtananism in France , To the Editor . Sir , Bristol , Aug . 12 , 1829 . My residence in fraoce during the two last months of 1826 and the first six of 1827 , enabled me to gain some
information , respecting the prospects of Christianity ia t ^ at country , and to form a friendly acquaintance with two intelligent men , not of the Protestant profession , who are well disposed to what I deem the simple truths of the gospel , —
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1829, page 666, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2576/page/66/
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