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a tea-meeting, provided by the ladies of the congregation. The tables were decorated with a choice selection of flowers; and a varied assortment of viands added still further to the attractions of the room. The day was beautifully fine, and the rich and salubrious mountain air enabled the numerous friends to appreciate the ample provision made. After tea a meeting was held in the chapel. Mr. Councillor Hargrave, of Ripon, presided, and delivered an able and earnest address. The report, presented by Mr. F. Harrison, showed the total cost of the building to have been £118 6s. 9d., towards which subscriptions had been received amounting to £69 98. 6d., leaving a deficiency of £38 178. 3d., which was further reduced during the night. The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. R. Frankland, the Revs. Thos. Barker, J. L. Fox, and Mr. Steel. The addresses were interesting and profitable, and a pleasant meeting was brought to a close by singing the Doxology."

It may surprise some of our friends to learn that although twelve months ago not a shilling was in hand towards the cost of the building, the treasurer's account shows that, after paying all bills, he has actually a balance of two or three pounds.

The foundation-stones were laid in March last. The chief corner-stone would have been laid by our old and highly-esteemed friend Mrs. Yorke, late of Ripon, but that her advanced age made exposure to the inclement weather unsafe. A liberal donation from her, however, was laid upon the stone by the lady representing her, and the hearts of a dozen aged poor of Kirkby were gladdened by her hospitality.

The total cost of £118 6s. 9d., including all extras, would have been a much larger sum but for the energetic spirit of the friends themselves, who have not only given their money but their assistance in ways innumerable. The total receipts include items

as follows:-Collections and tea at stone-laying, including Mrs. Yorke's donation, £35 10s.; J. Kearsley, Esq... £5 5s.; A. A. Moss, Esq., £5; Mr. R. Frankland, £5; Mr. J. Ellis, £5; Mr. J. Thackray, £3; Mr. W. Steel and friend, £2 2s.; Mr. W. Watson, £2; Mr. T. Eden, £1; collected by Messrs. Frankland and Ellis, £11 17s. 11d.; Sunday-school Fund, 210; tea and collections at opening, £10 4s. 2d.; sale of work, £12 16s. 2d.; goods sold by Mrs. Frankland, £3; Mr. Councillor Hargrave, £1; Mr. B. Berry, £1; Major Kearsley, £1 1s.; Miss Jane Barker, £1; other sums, £5 11s.; total, £121 7s. 3d.

SHEFFIELD.

J. L. F.

AUTUMNAL DISTRICT MEETING.

ON Thursday, October 25, the representatives of the various circuits in the Sheffield district met in Andoverstreet Chapel to confer together on the work of the Lord. The meeting was presided over by the Rev. J. Ogden, chairman of the district, whose wisdom and pleasantry added much to the interest and edification of the meeting. During the afternoon session, which commenced at 2.30, a number of visitors occupied the gallery and back seats below. After singing and prayer, and a few necessary preliminaries, the Rev. T. Addyman read a masterly paper, entitled, "A Plea for the Ordinary Means of Grace." A very serious discussion followed. If Mr. Addyman accedes to the request of the meeting, the readersof this magazine, with the editor's permission, will have an opportunity of perusing his admirable paper. The Chairman next called upon the Rev. W. H. Alcock, who gave us a sensible and useful paper on "Personal Dealing with Men for Salvation." The discussion on the first paper was commenced by Mr. T. Maskell, on the second by Mr. J. Coe. Most of the ministers of the district, and many of

the laymen, spoke on one or both subjects. At five o'clock we retired to the school-room for tea, which the ladies of Andover-street served with their wonted tact and grace. The evening session, which commenced at six o'clock, took the form of a public meeting, as previously arranged. The various speakers had been selected beforehand, and subjects allotted to them. The Rev. H. L. Thompson addressed the meeting on "Practical Holiness; "Mr. Councillor Skelton, on "The Consecration of Money; Rev. T. Scowby, on "Woman's Service in the Church;" and Rev. W. Woodward, on "Service Young Men render to the Church of Christ." This, I believe, is the first district meeting of the kind w have held in Sheffield, but the impression produced will make it easy to convene another.

STAFFORD.

E. A.

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Ir will probably be gratifying to our readers to learn a few particulars as to our interest in this town. Those friends who make themselves familiar with the Missionary Report will have learned that a heavy debt on the Chapel premises has been a source of much embarrassment to our friends. The visit, however, of a deputation appointed by the annual committee to confer with our friends, served to inspire them with fresh hope and vigorous determination, with help kindly promised by the Conference, to reduce considerably their heavy liabilities. Already subscriptions are being paid, and efforts of various kinds are being carried out with this object in view, to clear off at least £150 by the time of the next Conference, and ultimately, in three or four years, to reduce the debt by £400 more, and thus render the working of the cause comparatively easy. Notwithstanding the special efforts that are being made in the direction indicated, the chapel anniversary, which

was held on Sunday, September 30, and the following day, was remarkably successful. The Rev. W. Longbottom, ex-President of the Conference, preached to large congregations on the Sabbath, and a famous com. pany assembled for tea, gratuitously and very bountifully supplied by the ladies of the congregation, on the following day. C. H. Dudley, Esq, Mayor of Stafford, presided on the occasion. Our good friend Mr. Crutchley, of Cheslyn Hay, gave a fine tone to the meeting in a stirring, warm-hearted address. The Rev. W. Longbottom also favoured us with an encouraging speech. The entire proceeds amounted to £22, which, for Stafford, is a very handsome amount.

Three weeks later, harvest thanksgiving services were held in the chapel, which was decorated with much taste by the ladies of the congregation. Fruit, flowers, and corn were freely provided, and the appearance presented by the beautiful grouping of these objects elicited the warm approval of everyone who saw the same. The resident minister, the Rev. S. Meldrum, conducted the services, and the choir rendered several anthems and special hymns very creditably. These services were brought to a close by a coffee supper on Tuesday evening, October 23, which proved also to be a very pleasant occasion. The proceeds of these services amounted to £10 10s. 9d., a sum largely in excess of what was anticipated, having so shortly before made the very special effort for the chapel anniversary. It should be stated that a large basket of fruit was sent to the Union Workhouse for the children and sick inmates of that institution, which, we have learned, afforded no small amount of gratification.

On Sunday last, November 4, our esteemed Mission Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Stacey, preached our Mission anniversary sermons, and, notwithstanding very heavy rain, gratifying congregations assembled, and were

greatly interested in the admirable discourses on the texts, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly;" and, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." The admirable sermons are not likely to be soon forgotten. At the Missionary meeting, on the following day, heavy rain again affected the attendance. Our good friend Dr. Stacey gave us a remarkably interesting address. Mr. Alderman Mycock presided on the occasion, and the Rev. G. G. S. Thomas, Wesleyan minister, and others took part in the proceedings. The proceeds of the anniversary are decidedly in advance of last year. These notices will serve to show that the cause here presents elements of life and hopefulness, and, with the blessing of the Lord, we are hoping to see brighter and better days. We do from time to time realise a baptism from on high, but we are looking and hoping for fuller manifestations of the Divine blessing. Should any friends in the connexion be disposed to render help in the endeavour to reduce our heavy liabilities it will be very gratefully received, and serve still more to encourage our friends. Meanwhile, we thank the Lord and take S. MELDRUM. courage.

Stafford, Nov. 6.

MANCHESTER DISTRICT.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONVENTION.

THE following report is taken almost wholly from the Stalybridge Reporter, the alterations and additions being few and slight :

The annual Sunday-school Convention of the Manchester district of the Methodist New Connexion was held on Saturday, October 27, in Grosvenor Square Chapel, Stalybridge. In the district there are stated to be 53 schools, 1,877 teachers, and 13,855 scholars. Business was commenced in the afternoon with a meeting, at

which the Rev. T. Rider, President of the Conference, occupied the chair. There was a very good attendance.

After prayer by the Rev. J. B. Armstrong, Oldham, and a brief address by the Chairman, a paper on "Discipline" was read by Mr. E. R. Noall, of Oldham. The writer dealt with the question of school management, and urged that discipline in the sense of chastisement, which is unhappily sometimes needful, should be applied with kindness, mixed with firmness. An interesting discussion followed, amongst those taking part being the Revs. G. S. Hornby, H. Dolamore, W. J. Townsend, T. B. Bullen, Messrs. J. Flather, J. Lawton, and C. Shaw. Some advocated a gentle treatment of the children, while others suggested that stern methods should sometimes be followed, but the view of the essayist was generally accepted.

A second paper was read by the Rev. J. F. Goodall, Manchester North Circuit, the subject of which was "A Model Sunday-school Teacher." Discussion on this subject was introduced by the Rev. J. Gibson, Hurst, and Mr. J. Talent, Ashton, and was continued until the hour for adjournment.

A vote of thanks to the President and to the readers of papers was moved by the Rev. T. D. Crothers, seconded by the Rev. J. B. Armstrong, and carried unanimously. The literary and other excellencies of Mr. Goodall's paper received much praise, and a strong and general desire was shown for its publication.

Tea was afterwards served in Bennett Street school.

In the evening a well-attended public meeting was held in the chapel, under the presidency of Mr. W. Tipping, of Ashton. After the usual devotional exercises, including prayer by the Rev. S. T. Nicholson, of Lees, the Chairman delivered an address, in the course of which he said the beginning of the Sunday-school could not pos

sibly have been humbler, and its first performance could not have been more modest. It never entered into the minds of the founders of the Sundayschool that it would be the great institution that it had become. That gathering was for the purpose of increasing their attachment to it, and stimulating them in the work. The institution had on the whole been a very successful one. No other could show greater results, and the success they had achieved in the past encouraged them to go forth to still greater and better work. Looking at all the aspects of the Sunday-school, it seemed to him that its claims were not second to those of any institution in the world. He should like to see the intelligent, well-educated members of their congregations working in the Sunday-schools, but at the same time he would not discourage the humblest or least educated Christian worker.

The Rev. J. E. Walsh, Rochdale, delivered an address on the "Connection between the Teacher's own Character and his teaching." Religion, he said, could not be rightly taught, could not even be understood, without religious experience. The sum of the Divine nature was holy love, but love only could interpret love.

Mr. Charles Shaw, Lees, next spoke on "The Growth of General Intelligence." He felt, after listening to the able and spiritual address of Mr. Walsh, as if his subject was brusquely secular, but it had close relations with all that was distinctively religious. When, a few weeks since, he looked

on the crumbling walls of some of the old colleges of Oxford, he reflected that, in spite of their wealth and learning, Hodge had lived without intelligence for centuries. How was it that in those bygone times nothing had been done for general education, although millions of money had been subscribed to advance it? General intelligence was not the gift of their social superiors. No success in spreading knowledge had been achieved till the Sunday-school rose and asserted its power over the entire land.

The Rev. W. J. Townsend, Stockport, pointed out the advantages of "Examinations in Scriptural Knowledge." He thought scholars should be tested every week at the close of the lessons by wise and searching questions; that there should be quarterly examinations on the basis of the International Lessons; and that the annual competitive examinations which had wrought much benefit should be maintained.

Mr. G. C. Barlow, Bolton, next spoke on "The Importanceof Doctrinal Teaching in Schools," and was followed by the Rev. R. C. Turner, Bolton, who pleaded for efforts to gather in fresh scholars from neglected districts. Votes of thanks were given to the ladies and others for providing tea; to the speakers and choir; to the committee of arrangements, especially to the Rev. T. D. Crothers, and Messrs. S. M'Quire and Birman, the joint secretaries; and with a similar compliment to the Chairman, the proceedings ended.

UNWIN BROTHERS, PRINTERS, LONDON AND CHILWORTH.

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