The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-28 00:00:00

IN MANCHESTER.

The autumnal meetings of the Congregational Union
of England and Wales have been holding in Manchester
this week, commencing with devotional meetings in Ito,-
holnae-road Chapel, and Hope Chapel, Salford. A public
meeting was held in Cavendish-street Chapel on Tuesday
evening, for the exposition and enforcement of congrega-
tional principles, and the advocacy of British misaions. The
meeting was addressed by Mr. Samuel Maley, of London
(who presided), the Rev. James Parsons, Mr. J. Buchanan,
of Whitby, the Rev. J. Baldwin Brown, of London, the
Kay. A. IL Henderson, .sr emit. the Row sum
the Rev. Dr. Massie, and the Rev. Thomas James; and re-
solutions were passed expressive of confidence in the prin-
ciples of indeiendent congregationalism. and of hope for
the continued and increased success of British missions.
The meeting was exceedingly crowded. On Thursday even-
ing a public meeting was held of the friends and promoters
of the English Chapel Building Society, in the Grosvenor-
street Chapel, Piccadilly. The meeting was addressed*, by
Mr. James Kershaw, M.P. (who presided), the 1t.,.
Dr. Vaughan, Rev. Mr. Frasier, of Blackburn, and
other gentlemen. The Secretary of the Association
read • paper. in which it was stated that the ob-
ject of the society was to give systematic and general
action to efforts which had hitherto been local and
isolated; and to extend to the whole kingdom the rent fits
which hail resulted from similar organisations in London
and Lancashire. The committee of management consisted
of 42 well known and highly respectable individuals, the
majority of whom were laymen; 31 of them residing in the
principal towns and cities of the provinces, end eight in
London. To secure a bona fide action of the committee as
far as possible, there would be meetings four times a year,
two at the same time and place as the Assemblies of the
Congregational Union, and the other two in different parts
of the country. No transactions, grants, or payments, were
valid which were not made by this committee. Earn con-
tributor was at liberty to specify the particular chaps' or
district to which his subscription was to he applied. It
was considered that the funds of the society would he use d
to much greater advantage, and the working of it would
be more in harmony with the views of pastors and mem-
bers of churches generally, to supplement local movements,
rather than by taking the first step, and incurring the entire
pecuniary responsibility of the erection of soy chapel. A series
of printed questions would be transmitted to applicants for
aid in the erection of chapels, as to the tenure of the land,
accommodation and style of building, cost, contributions
already oOtained and promised, population, existing ac-
commodation for public worship, provisions of the trust
deed, &c.; and grants would then be made according to the
answers, the funds of the society, and its existing liabilities.
On entering into a contract for the erection of a place of
worship, the committee would be bound to make a fixed
payment within a fixed time. It was proposed, if possible,
to erect fifty chapels in the first five years, and it would
be gratifying to the meeting to learn that between 10,0001.
sad 11,0001. had already been raised, so that the society
could depend on an annual income of 2,0001. for the five
years. To meet all the claims upon them they would re-
quire an income of 10,0001. • year, which, if it could be
realised, would enable them to erect one hundred chapels
in the period mentioned. Twenty chapels, in various parts
of the kingdom, had already applied for aid, and this had
been granted to about half of them. The sessions for busi-
ness lasted over Tuesday, Wednesday, sal Thursl.y, and
the proceedings were to conclude witn a public breaktast
this (Friday) morning.