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

In consequence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Priestley Riots <strong>of</strong> 1791, and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spirit <strong>of</strong>
hostility against dissenters at that time, <strong>the</strong> Lye lecture was for a short
while discontinued, only, however, to be resumed-though under inauspicious
circumstances-on 24 July, 1792, when also <strong>the</strong> Sunday School was revived.
James Scott, writing about this period, says :- WzYz cal71t res&7zation, I tmst
with fond expectation, I cherish <strong>the</strong> $basing thought that in a few years <strong>the</strong>
dissenters 7alill, ifz a great nzeaszrre, live down prgi~dice ; that ze<strong>the</strong>7z <strong>the</strong> lozuering
storm shall 6low over, which now casts a deep gloom over <strong>the</strong> afairs <strong>of</strong> churches
and empires; when He who stilleth <strong>the</strong> waves <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ocean shall still <strong>the</strong> tumults
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> peo$Ze, Christialzs <strong>of</strong> dzferent h7z0~1zinations forgetting <strong>the</strong> little dz3inctions
<strong>of</strong> sect or party, and chiepy ~zindfzitl <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir high or+i?z, <strong>the</strong>ir intimate reZatio7z
to each o<strong>the</strong>r, a d <strong>the</strong>ir glorious desti~zation, shall enzBrace each o<strong>the</strong>r i7z <strong>the</strong> bo7zds
<strong>of</strong> fraternal afection, and witlz <strong>the</strong> ardour <strong>of</strong> Christian benevolence.
The little society-
assembled in a private house till it increased from thirty to seventy stated
hearers, and, assuming a more regular and serious aspect, it was considered
highly desirable that a place <strong>of</strong> worship should be erected for its accom-
modation. *
The .scheme was carried into effect, Scott advancing <strong>the</strong> sum <strong>of</strong> ;G200
towards its erection, which amount his aunt, Mrs. Ann Scott (d. 8 January,
1813)~ liberally reimbursed to him, and <strong>the</strong> remaining sum <strong>of</strong> A63 8s. od.
was raised by himself and his friends. The little chapel was opened on
Sunday evening, 5 January, 1806, when Rev. Dan. Mercer, <strong>of</strong> Bilston, conducted
<strong>the</strong> devotional service, and Scott preached from Psalm xcvi., g :-
0 worship <strong>the</strong> Lord in <strong>the</strong> beauty <strong>of</strong> holiness.
Here, on Sunday evenings, and at o<strong>the</strong>r times, Scott continued preach-
ing <strong>the</strong> Gospel to <strong>the</strong> poor until <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> his life. In addition, he defrayed
<strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> purchase <strong>of</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>r land, and <strong>the</strong> expenses <strong>of</strong> repairing
<strong>the</strong> building, and bequea<strong>the</strong>d L200 for its future support. Shortly after
his death a stone tablet was placed in <strong>the</strong> chapel to his memory, by <strong>the</strong>
trustees appointed in 1820. The full inscription, stating this to be <strong>the</strong>-
first place ,<strong>of</strong> public worship ever erected in this village,
will be found in <strong>the</strong> Ch?istia?z Rdornzer, 1830, p. 408.
"Inq., 1861, p. 912, which quotes from " Memoir <strong>of</strong> Rev. James Scott."