42 PHIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH.
THE PEEIOD OF CIRCUIT PREDOMINANCE AND ENTERPRISE. 43 at Oldham, of which Peter Macdonald and F. Mannock were put in charge. Peter Macdonald graduated for the position of first leader through Roman Catholicism and Methodism. If Jonathan Ireland had, for his soul's good, rung the church bells ; Peter Macdonald had, as an acolyte, tinkled the bells at the celebration f mass, in his native county of Carlow. But he got his mind enlightened when he came to England to follow his trade, abjured the errors of Romanism, and, like others hereabout, passed through Methodism to join the new revival movement, which both suited him well and, as he thought, needed what help he could give. His life, culminating in a triumphant death in 1835, was written by Samuel Atterby, and might profitably be reprinted by Oldham <strong>Primitive</strong>s. Besides the officials of the first generation already named, mention may be made of James Taylor, a convert of Thomas Aspinall in 1823, "one of the first and fastest friends of <strong>Primitive</strong> Methodism in the town"; J. Kent, Circuit Steward from 1829 to 1838; and W. Winterbottom, of Shore Edge, who was present at the first camp-meeting, and a local preacher from 1828 until his death about 1880. It was in 1862 that Oldham was divided into Oldham First and Second Circuits, the latter with Lees Road as its head, including also Lees, Bardsley, Waterhead, Elliott Street, Delph, and Hollinwood. Regarding this as our goal for the time being, two lines of development as leading up to it are distinctly traceable as early as 1821. These are set before us in the entry in the first Minute Book of the Manchester Circuit: "Mumps and Oldham 160 members." The Oldham line is comparatively is as simple and direct; the other, starting from Mumps and ending in Lees Road, zig-zag as pictured lightning. Oldham's first humble domicile was a stable in Duke Street ; the next, a room in Grosvenor Street, which, becoming too small, was vacated for a small chapel in the same street, built about 1826 ; then in 1832, during the superintendency of William Taylor, a much larger building was erected in Boardman Street, which for a good many years was Oldham's principal chapel. As for the other society, like Moab, it seems to have been emptied from vessel to vessel and not allowed to settle on its lees. From whatever causes, it had to shift its quarters several times before it acquired a location with anything like fixity of tenure. This was in a measure accomplished when, in 1830, a room in Vineyard Street was acquired, which for ten years served for public worship and Sabbath School teaching. 1825 and 1826 "those years the locust hath eaten" seem to have been at Oldham, as they were elsewhere, a time of trial and waste. There are eight preaching-places fewer on the plan than before, and the number of local preachers is reduced by six. But under the vigorous and methodical ministry of F. N. Jersey and his colleagues, the aspect of things somewhat brightened, and the two years 1829-31 John Garner spent in the circuit were remarkable for their prosperity. He was then in the bloom and vigour of his manhood, and at the zenith of his ministerial power. James Garner was called out as an additional preacher. MR. j. LONGLEY. Not only was Vineyard Street acquired, but in 1831 a chapel Oldham Second Circuit. j , TT ,-,. j -r J.T j. JM. j was opened at Hollinwood. Just thirty years alter, a second