The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-01 00:00:00

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I have been to a "watch-tight" service. I hat
often heard of them, often felt carious to sat what they
were like, but never attended one. Speaking of the
matt -r to an old friend, a churchman, lie said, " It is •
sensational service ;' another frienrlaeid, " I knoll;--it is
a religious free.andeasy." Having revoked, nevertheless,
to go, 1 selected a Weil( pan derive' in the west-central
district, and at ten o'clock found myself in • large
building, handsome un4 well appointed, which had been
erected. as 1 was informed, solely by the voluntary contri-
butions of the people. Ten seemed too early to begin a
service which was to last• until wiser twelve, and at
I that hour the attaill•Mee wen rather scanty ; MA persona
were all the while dropping in.. The officiating minister,
a gentleman of shout two-runbthirty,,gave out a hymn,
said a few words calculated to give the thoughts of the
congregation a direction suitable to the occasion, and then
having atierraoned them to prayer, called on one of the
Ini tai err down in the pews to hail their devotions. This
gentleman made a very impressive prayer—simple, earnest,
humble. fell of the spirit of the occasion, abounding in
thanksgiving fur past mercies, and fall of trust in God
I for the future. I was pleased to see the frank, hearty
Iway in which the minister supparted his unprofessional
brother, accumpanying his petitions with an "Amen,"
or borne other sustaining ejaculation, which
' might be supposed to assist the person praying.
as a cheer does a speaker. As the chapel tilled, and the
people were warmed by sympathy and devotion, support
lof that kiwi became lOU necessary. Hymns and prayers
now succeolerl rather rapidly, intermingled with the read-
ing of scripture. Accustomed to the dignified wor-
ship of the church of England, 1 felt hindered et first by
the familiar way in which sacred work was set about and
sacred things were handled ; hot the earnestness; of all
migagi FOOll overcame this feeling, and I perceived that
; the true spirit of reverence was there. About eleven
o'clock, or a little before, the minister gave an address.
Ire mentioned no text, though the Lade lay open la•fore
him, but spoke of the flight of time, the transitory
state of our mortal existence, the happiness of serving so
gracious a master as God, and the certainty of the reward of
his faithful servants. He spoke with much natural feeling
i of the trials of the past year, and the shortcomings of
which all must be conscious,nnd encouraged his hearers to
renew their beat resolutions, notwithstanding peat failures,
encouraging them to hope in the Divine assistance. I was
I much struck with his manner ; he spoke with • modest
but firm confidence, as one who feel formed clear viewa of
I life and tarty, and was happy in their possession. There
was nothing vague or indeterminate in what he said, and
certainly nu ..pproach to faratical violence. The "aplomb"
with which he conducted the long &nil varied service, struck
me 33 remarkable, considering that there was no programme
• or look ; all went off well, without hesitation or bitch,
the " business," as we should say in another place, being
managed perfectly. I noticed that every prayer and every
by hail ailistinct awl specific purport and intent. Further
I noticed that the members and hearers were prayed fur as
" this church and people." When the minister began his
address the large chapel was well filled ; when he had
done all present sing a few verses of the Pilgrim's Hymn:
seek a emmtry out .if slcht,
A country In the skies.
There ley haute sad poesioahtr.
My treasure and my heart are there,
And my ridding home.

A lay brother next appeared in the pulpit, and spoke
exceedingly well fur about twenty minutes on the send.
ment of the hymn. He concluded by repeating, very im•
preudvely, Tennyson's poem of "The wise and foolish
Virgins," with its solemn rdroin —" too Lae." The mid-
night hour was now at hand. At five minutes to twelve
the outer doors were fastened, in order to protect the
people from interruption, and then the minister in a
few solemn words invited them to silent secret prayer
the transition from the old to the new year. This
done all present fell on their knees, and although many
present hut at une time seemed to be troubled with bad
coughs, rich was now the stillness that prevailed, that not a
breath could be heard, and the chapel was as quiet as if it
had torn perfectly empty. After four or five minutes
t'ots spent, the minister addressed the people briefly and
cheerfully, wishing them a happy new year, and then
giving out the new year's hymn—

- -
t'.aue let us anew our Journey pursue—
in which the Christian life is celebrated as the service of
Christ.
t) tint each In the day of lIM COMI111( may say :
have futiglit my way through :
I hove dnanti.l the work thou W.l.:lore me to do."

The service then concluded with prayer and the apos-
tolic benediction. It was now a quarter past twelve; we had
peen in the chap.) two Lours and a gunnel by the clock ;
it seemed impossible ; a service of three-quarters of an
hour has often seemed longer. Such was my first watch
night. It is not likely that I shall ever attend another,
hut I shall remember this with satisfaction. I have been
among honest, earnest, God-fearing people—people who I
am sure would stand by one another in difficulty and trial,
and do good to others not of their number, and I wish
them well.

MR. BRIGHT, M.P., AND THE BoLTON CLERGY-
MAN. A short time ago the Rev. W. Chamberlain, incum-
bent of St. John's, Bolton, delivered a speech at a con-
servative gathering in that town, in the course of which
the rev. gentle.lloJl made some remarks strongly reelecting
on the political character of the lion. member for Binring-
ham. Observing that there was a vast amount of " hum-
bug" in the world, the rev. speaker :Laded, "but I never
did think that my fellow-countrymen could swallow all
the abominable trash that John Bright utter,. I look
Moon him as a meet ignorant, unfortunate man." A Bolton
ge tleman wrote to the hon. member, protesting, on behalf
of the penOu of Bolton, against the abusive language
used by the rev. politician. In reply, Mr. Bright sends
•lie following note i—" Rochdale, Dec. 17, 1800. Dear
Sir.-- I mutt write to you one line, to thank you for the
newspaper and fur your kind note. I hope that the result
of our labour may show that we have been in the right,
and that the abuse of our opponents has been undeserved.
I pity the congregation which is doomed to receive its
weekly supply o spiritual instruction from the ignorant
and vulgar minister whore speech has been recently re-
ported in your papers, He is a poor guide for this world,
and I know not how any one can trust him for the next.—
I am, truly yours, JOHN BRIGHT."
MEMORIAL TO LORD DERBY.—The Provost,
Rallies, and Coun'dl, and principal inhabitants—profes-
sional and mercantile—of Paisley have memorialised Earl
Derby, as First Lord of the Treasury, for an augmentation
of the grant from the royal bounty, awarded on the
death of her husband, "in recognition of her father's
service.," to Mary, second daughter of the late John
Wilson, professor of Moral l'hiloeophy in the
lbi-
versity of Edinburgh, and relict of John Thomson
Gordon, Sheriff of Mid-Lothian. The memorial is
signed by Mr. Ewing, M.P. for the burgh ; also by
Captain Spelt.. M.P. for Itentrewshire ; the Earl of
Glasgow • Sir M. R. S. Stewart, Bart. ; Mr. Spelt,. (con-
vener), Mr. Gordon of Aitkenhead, Colonel GrithaniSpeirs
and other oounty gentlemen ; and by Sir Archibald Alison
and Sheriff Bell, of Glasgow, as justices of peace for Rem
frewshire. Several gentlemen in Edinburgh, natives of
Paisley or of Itenfrewshire, members of the Scottish bar,
hare signed it ; and hi. Grate the Duke of Ituceleuch has
appended his name in token of his approval and concur-
rence in and support of its prayer. 'The Lonl Advocate
has kindly undertaken to transmit or present the memo.
rid to Lord Dee,' and all Sisatchmen, irrespective of
party, will cordially desire that it may be successful.—
s,,,rsvaan.
ADMIRALTY, DEC. 31.—APPOINTMENT.--Captallt
Ifeeiry Phelps, to the Orontes, to join on the 4th January,
when that ship will lie re-commissioned.
QUEr.NsTOWN, Den. 31.—The Cunard steamship
Heel., from New York, arrived here at 4.2.5 mm. with
1115 passengers, and 115,437 dots, in specie, for Eajdaad.
She landed 14 passengers, and proceeded for Liverpool at
4.40 a.m. All well. _ _ _

• —.-
PATENT OFTH'EMCSEVM, SOUTH KEYerNOTON.—
Numb.•r of wisitors for the week ending Deo. 29, 5,087 ;
total number since the opening of the Museum free duly
(12th Kay, 1858),1,101,1W.