Midland Churches: A History of the Congregations on - General ...

The school numbered 200 ; divine service was conducted every Sunday
by laymen, and on 14 December, 1834, John Palmer, B.A., minister at
Dudley, preached <strong>the</strong> first anniversary sermons in aid <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> funds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
institution. This temporary chapel accommodated 300 persons. The
teachers early established a library <strong>of</strong> 200 volumes.
They began by each person bringing any book or books which he was
willing to spare from his own stock, and such as he could induce his friends
to give.
By degrees <strong>the</strong> fund for building <strong>the</strong> new church was accumulated, in
1831 it had reached ;G2j0, and on May Day, 1839, <strong>the</strong> foundation stone <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> present buildings on Newhall Hill was laid by Mr. Thomas- Gibson-
with a silver trowel, which had been purchased by <strong>the</strong> penny subscriptions
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pupils.
I
Mr. Gibson gavg <strong>the</strong> committee L~ooo towards its building, consideringtha<strong>the</strong>
was giving it for <strong>the</strong> e.ducation <strong>of</strong> 1000 poor children, and for that <strong>of</strong>
thousands after <strong>the</strong>m, and that to educate <strong>the</strong> people is <strong>the</strong> most effectual
good which can be done for <strong>the</strong>m.
The church was opened for public worship on Friday morning, 10 July,
1840, when <strong>the</strong> first service within its walls was conducted by George
Harris, minister at Glasgow. '
At <strong>the</strong> subsequent luncheon many toasts were given, amongst <strong>the</strong>m-
The prosperity <strong>of</strong> this society, and may <strong>the</strong> confidence reposed in it by <strong>the</strong>
late Tholnas Gibson Esquire, in making it <strong>the</strong> repository <strong>of</strong> his munificence,
be religiously redeemed by its future labourers.
To this sentiment Mr. John Green responded.
It is <strong>of</strong> interest to note that on this occasion T. M. McDonnell, Roman
Catholic priest, responded to <strong>the</strong> toast <strong>of</strong>-
Civil and religious liberty all over <strong>the</strong> world, and may our elder Unitarian
brethren, <strong>the</strong> Jews, be speedily relieved from all disabilities endured for
conscience sake.
By <strong>the</strong> deed <strong>of</strong> settlement it is agreed that <strong>the</strong> property be vested in
15 trustees, who are to hold it in trz~st for <strong>the</strong> Society or Co~zg~egaatiox <strong>of</strong>
Protestant Dissenters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Unitarian de?zomination as n place for <strong>the</strong> worsh$
<strong>of</strong> God in <strong>the</strong> princ$Zes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Chrzj-tian reZzgio?z, as pr<strong>of</strong>essed by <strong>the</strong> said Society,
that is to say, ' That <strong>the</strong>re is but one God <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r, and one Ailediator between
God and man, <strong>the</strong> man, Christ Jesus, 8y which <strong>the</strong>y understand that Jeszls Christ
was nu'opted by God as such A~cldiator from <strong>the</strong> huvzan fanzi@, and is not a payf
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Godhead
The first trustees were James Gargory, John Green (chairman), Josiah
Green, Matthias Green, William Hill, John Hughes, William Ireland, John
Lloyd, Thomas Prime, Joseph Scott, Robert Stokes, William Taylor, George
Tombs, Thornas Towers, and Thomas Wright.
The architect was Mr. D. R. Hill ; <strong>the</strong> builder, Mr. Turner, <strong>of</strong> Bir-
mingham.
An interesting feature in <strong>the</strong> early history <strong>of</strong> this society is that <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> publication, in 1846, in a thin volume <strong>of</strong> Eforts at Christian Cz~lture,
being ten discourses preached in <strong>the</strong> Cambridge Street and Newhall Hill
Chapels by Matthias Green, including <strong>the</strong> funeral sermons for Edward
Corn and Thomas Gibson. A copy, with Green's autograph, is in <strong>the</strong>
author's library.
In 1856 extensive restoration was carried out in <strong>the</strong> church at a cost
<strong>of</strong> 6224 16s. 4d., and after being closed for some months it was re-opened
by services conducted by John Relly Beard, D.D.
In 1878-9 fur<strong>the</strong>r improvements were effected at a heavy cost, and, in
celebration <strong>of</strong> its jubilee, in July, 1890, a congregational room was added
to <strong>the</strong> church.
In 1896 <strong>the</strong> church was again closed for some months for <strong>the</strong> erection
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> apse and o<strong>the</strong>r structural improvements, which wonderfully transformed
and beautified <strong>the</strong> original building. The coloured window-Christ
blessing little children-is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> happiest designs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> late Mr. John
Powell, and executed by Messrs. Hardman & Co. It is inscribed :-To <strong>the</strong>
Glory <strong>of</strong> God, and in loving memory <strong>of</strong> fihn and Sarah Cro~s, this window is
dedicated by thcir children, September 13th, A.D., 1856.
Underneath this window is <strong>the</strong> communion table in carved oak (with
ruby velvet cloth embroidered in gold and silver), inscribed :-To <strong>the</strong> Glory
<strong>of</strong> God, and in loving ~rzertzory <strong>of</strong> Thomas Cross, born February 7th) i829 ; died
March 8th, 1881. The reredos, also 5n oak, is Erected to <strong>the</strong> Glory <strong>of</strong> God,
alzd in Zovi/zg melitzory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir uncle, Samz~el Szrter, a devoted member <strong>of</strong> this chzrrch
for many years, died January r6th, 1891, aged 75, by Samuel S. and Sarah M.,
Woollaston. This and <strong>the</strong> communion table are <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> Messrs. Jones
and Willis, who also designed and executed <strong>the</strong> carved oak case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
organ, now placed on <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> communion table, <strong>the</strong> pulpit being
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