Widnes Examiner. — 1883-02-03 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

CHURCH FOR MIDDLEWICH.  The ceremony of laying the foundation stones of a new Free Methodist Chapel at Middlewich was performed on Monday last. For a quarter of a century,. or thereabouts, this body has been dependent upon the society of Friends, who have a meeting house there called the Bank Chapel. This the Free Methodists have had for their religions services, and though it is far from modern in its appearance and internal arrangements, and requires much more heat to make it comfortable than is at their command, yet it has served them well, and been the scene of many happy services. But for years the society has been wishing and praying for a chapel of their own; and probably would have gone on so for a long time more had not one of its members, now no more, promised them £2OO. This caused the circuit to take the matter up, and the more so when to that another friend promised the land, and likewise the balance of £2OO when he saw the thing fairly moving. Plans were submitted, estimates sent in, and a chapel begun capable of meeting the growing wants of a thriving congregation in this old town. Being the centre of the Winsford and Sandbach circuit, it is the general meeting place of the societies, and will prove a great addition to the circuit in its future operations. The land will allow of extensions when required, so that as far as this society is concerned the best of prospects is before them. The morning fixed for laying the stones began most inauspiciously, but at noon the weather cleared up, and continued fine through the whole service. There came friends from all parts of the circuit, and when the hymn was given out by the superintendent, the Rev. W. T. Symons, there was a good gathering. The Rev. J. K. I Walker (Independent) offered up prayer, after which a chapter from the dedication of the Temple was read, and 6 stones were laid by Mrs. R. Atherton, Mrs. Robt. Stubbs, Mr. John Aspey, Mr. John Buckley, M.R.C.P., Mr. Wm. Dale, and Mr. Reuben Stubbs, for the aforesaid two friends. Mr. R. Atherton, and Mr. J. Dean, and other friends laid bricks, after which the Rev. N. Fysb (Northwich) delivered an address on points of history and worship among the Free Methodists, which, with the one by the Rev. A. Holliday, detailing.the polity, doctrines, and church government, rendered a complete resume of the whole matter, and added much to the interest of the ceremony. A public tea was partaken of in the Wesleyan School (kindly lent for the occasion), after which there was a public meeting in the Town Hall, under the presidency of Mr. R. Stubbs (Winsford), who was supported on the platform by the Revs. A. Holliday, N. Fysb, W. T. Svmoris, J. K. Walker, J. Wright, Mr. J. Buckley, F.R.G.S., Mr. W. Pool, 4lkc. The Chairman, in the course of the evening, detailed promises and gifts for the new chapel, as follows :—Two friends, each £200; E. H. Moss, Esq., J.P., £10; Mrs. R. Atherton, £lO 10s. ; Mr. John Aspey, £10; Mr. W. Dale, £10; Mr. C. Allen, £10; Mr. D. Harding, £5; Mr. S. Pickstock, £5; Mr. R. Stubbs, £5; Mr. J. Buckley, M.T.C.L.., X 5 ss; Mr. J. Latham, Li; Miss E. Smith, £2 55.; Mr. R. Atherton, £1; Mr. J. Dean, .£1 ; collections, £s` 16s. sp.  Two women named O'Neill, mother and daughter, have been arrested at Greenock, on the charge of murder of a boy two years old, the son of the latter. It is alleged that the women, while drinking heavily, had thrown the child down.  liHE