The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-10 00:00:00

RAILWAY BILLS.

Yesterday Mr. FRERE, the examiner, declared
that the standing orders were not complied with in
respect of the North Staffordshire and the Metro-
politan (Abandonment) Railway Bills. Hitherto,
it has been the practice to refer all bills, in the
first instance, to select committees of the House of
Commons, and in some cases, where great interests
are concerned, and the bills are opposed, months
pass away before they arrive at their final stages in
the House of Commons. Of course, time will not
permit them to receive that attention in the House
of Lords which they require. With a view to avoid
that state of things, and more nearly to equalise
the work of these preliminary inquiries, it has been
determined by the Standing Orders Committee
that, in the first instance, 54 of these bills shall
be considered by Committees of the House of
Lords.

THE CENTENARY OF WELLS-STREET

CONGREGATION.

A meeting of the friends of this congregation was
held last evening in the chapel, to promote the
subscription to the Centenary Fund. At half-past
6 o'clock the chair was taken by W. S. Lindsay,
Eq., M.P., who proceeded to deliver the prizes
awarded to the children of the Sunday School, with
a word of commendation and advice suitable to the
age and performances of the successful scholars.
The CHAIRMAN then opened the business of the
meeting, the object of which was twofold, namely,
to celebrate the centenary, and to call their
attention to circumstances which, he was sorry to
say, called for special and extraordinary 'exertions
amongst their friends, both in the metropolis and
in Scotland. They were many of them aware that
the lease of the chapel expired in 1862, and the
owners of the property refused to renew the lease
without the payment of a much larger sum than it
was possible for the congregation to raise. (Hear.)
They were, therefore, called upon to contemplate
the necessity of leaving the edifice which was asso-
ciated in their minds with so many hallowed me-
mories, or of exerting themselves to the utmost,
both amongst their friends in London and else-
where, to meet the demand upon them. They had
determined upon a united effort, and he must say
the result was most creditable to them, for in money
and promises they had raised amongst themselves
nearly £1,500. (Cheers.) He had never known
men ruined by liberality in the cause of the Gospel.
He need not remind them of the works of charity and
laboars of love of the former pastors of that chapel,
and especially of the revered predecessor of their
present pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Waugh, who for
fifty years, both " in season and out of season,"
ceased not to teach and to preach the whole counsel
of God. (Cheers.) They wished to retain these
walls, sacred as they were to his memory, and in
conclusion he earnestly pressed them to rally round
their excellent clergyman, Mr. Redpath, and the
managers, and aid them in that good cause. (Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. REDPATH, who was very warmly
received, proceeded to detail at some length the
position of the Church at that moment. He had
laboured under the deepest solicitude as to the
future of that congregation, and it was with a feel-
ing of intense gratitude that he felt his mind some-
what relieved by the success of the beginning of the
effort they were now called upoi to make. (Cheers.)
He had no fears for the future, if the congregation
would only exert themselves as they had already
done. And now having taxed themselves to the
utmost, he thought they might fairly claim the aid
of their friends at a distance. There were one or
two points which he thought gave them a claim
upon their friends in Scotland. There were at
the present moment five students for the mi-
nistry from that congregation who were main-
tained without any, aid from the Church. Young
Scotsmen, upon their arrival in London, with gene-
rally very little of this world's goods, were cor-
dially received and fostered by the congregation,
which could only look for anything like steady
support from them when they were halfway on in
the world, and too often by that time they wore
called to distant parts of the country or of the
world. (Hear, hear.) Then there were interesting
associations connected with the chapel. His pre-
decessor, Dr. Waugh, in conjunction with Mr.
wino, Of Tottenham-court-road Tabernacle, used
to put their shoulders to the wheel, and they had
been greatly instrumental in establishing the Lon-
don Missionary Society and other institutions, the
benefits of which were felt all over the world—
(hear)—and both he himself, and the present
esteemed minister of the Tabernacle, whom he had
the happiness to see present—(cheers)—had aided
for many years, each according to his several
ability, in laying the foundations of the City Mission
and other Christian institutions which, even in
their own day and generation, were proving exten-
sively useful. They had now about £7OO in hand,
also promises of several hundred pounds more ; and
the moment they got £2,000 he should consider
the congregation perfectly safe. They were not
far from it ; he trusted their Christian fronds, both
in London and Scotland, would aid them, and that
they would make strenuous efforts to accomplish
the object in view. (Cheers.) The rev. gentleman
concluded by expressing his deep gratitude to those
of the congregation who had so successfully exerted
themselves.
Resolutions in furtherance of the object were then
agreed to.
The Rev. Dr. ARCHER took a retrospective view
of the labours to promote the Christian religion
during the last century, and spoke of the impulse
which had been given to the State Church by the
zeal and energetic exertions of Dissenters. He
believed that there never was a time when
generally, of all denominations, were Co_
abroad,
briast
more
in spreading the Gospel, both at
home aid
ht that the
congregation of Wells-street had than at the present time. He
good reason to take
courage, for whenever liberol
wasforuenqudisrietaed,
ready to
tY
Christian community were always
meet the demand.
The Rev. W. C"LmERS said he thought it was
now time they should
e remark of of Johnthe Bi
word
ig‘lTt's Dissenter,"
Bentreard:
faonrdd,rselifeorwreillgtoarn
the influence which the so-called
Dissenting bodies of England had upon the welfare
and prosperity of the country and the world uni-
versally. He (Mr. Chalmers) would ask, Who are
the Dissenters ?
Were they not the church of
the people—the free and untrammelled church of
England ? Let them, then, lay aside the name by
which they have in times past been known, and
hoist their banner, " The Free Church of England."
He felt confident that there was no lack of Christian
sympathy and liberality in Wells-street congrega-
tion. They had only to say what must be done,
unite together, set their shoulders to the work,
and their efforts would be crowned with success.
Addresses were also delivered by the Rev. W.
Richardson, Rev. Mr. Ritchie, and Mr. Thompson,
encouraging to the pastor, and stimulating the
congregation to prosecute the good cause.
A number of beautiful anthems were sung at
intervals by the choir; and after the announce-
ment of a liberal subscription, a vote of thanks was
passed to the chairman, and the meeting separated.