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

WEST BR0MWICH.-LODGE ROAD.
I
Opened 26 April, 1875.
MINISTERS.
John Harrison . . . . . .
Edward William Lummis, M.A.
Frederick Augustus Homer . .
In July, 1859, <strong>the</strong> Rev. Henry McKean, <strong>of</strong> Oldbury, began to conduct
services in <strong>the</strong> Summit Schools, Spon Lane, where a Sunday school was
at once established. In 1868, <strong>the</strong> worshippers removed to <strong>the</strong> Assembly
Room, Lombard Street, which had, however, to be reliilquished it1 <strong>the</strong>
following year. For a time it seemed that this attempt to establish a con-
gregation here must collapse, but in March, 1874, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Midland</strong> Christian
Union, true to its missionary aim and spirit, invited <strong>the</strong> Rev. John Harri-
son to undertake <strong>the</strong> difficult task <strong>of</strong> establishing a permanent congregation.
Public worship was at once regularly resumed, this time in St. George's
Hall. Subscriptions were invited towards <strong>the</strong> erection <strong>of</strong> a permanent
building ; very soon <strong>the</strong> sum promised was sufficient to warrant a begin-
ning, and on Monday, 26 April, 1875, <strong>the</strong> present edifice in Lodge Road
was opened for DiGine worship, at a cost ~f &r,4oo. The sermon-a
memorable one on Unitarianism and free thought in religion-was preached
by <strong>the</strong> late Rev. Robert Rodolph Suffield, who, at <strong>the</strong> evening meeting,
spoke on his conversion from <strong>the</strong> Roman Catholic Church. The collection
at <strong>the</strong> opening service amounted to AII~.
A year later, in April, 1876, at a council meeting <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> M.C.U., held
at West Bromwich, it was reported that Mr. Harrison's services were no
longer retained by <strong>the</strong> Union, but that he hzd been appointed minister to
<strong>the</strong> Lodge Road society, it being considered that <strong>the</strong> vigorous congrega-
tion should be entrusted with <strong>the</strong> management <strong>of</strong> its own affairs. The
happy connection thus begun between Mr. Harrison and this society was
only ended in July, 1895, when, as stated on p. 8, he entered on his
duties as missionary and minister at large for <strong>the</strong> M.C.U.
His successor was <strong>the</strong> Rev. Edward William Lummis, M.A., who had,
during 1895, assisted <strong>the</strong> Rev. James C. Street at <strong>the</strong> Church <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>