CHATTERIS.

IT must be very gratifying to lovers of divine truth to hear of fresh ground being broken up and the Gospel proclaimed in different localities. It was laid upon the church at Zion, Chatteris, in the winter of 1881, to endeavour to extend its usefulness by opening two mission stations, one at Primrose Hill and the other at Horseway, both Fen districts, each about three miles from Chatteris, our pastor, Mr. A. B. Hall, and brethren from arong us going each week to open up the Word of Life. The services, by God's blessing, were highly successful; so much so, that the rooms we occupied became too small for us.

We have to record the great goodness of God toward us this winter as regards these mission stations. We now have two comfortable chapels in which we conduct our services. In the largeness of his heart, one of our esteemed deacons, Mr. J. C. Smith, who is well known to the leading ministers of our denomination for his affability and generosity towards the cause of God, has built for us, on his own ground at Primrose Hill, a neat, comfortable chapel, which will seat about 120, at a cost of over £100, leaving it for the friends to provide seats, lamps, &c. For this purpose the opening services took place on Wednesday, November 27th, 1882. In the afternoon a sermon was preached by our pastor from Zeph. iii. 17 (first sentence) to a good company, after which 130 friends partook of tea. Many had to be provided for in a cottage just by. A public meeting was held in the evening in chapel, which was crowded to excess; many were unable to obtain admittance. Chair was taken by Mr. J. C. Smith. Interesting and profitable addresses were delivered by our pastor, Brethren W. Smith, Wildspin, Payne, Pratt, and W. Fuller. The total proceeds of the day amounted to over £12, which about covered expenses of seating, &c., the chapel.

On the following Sabbath afternoon a

school was commenced, with between sixty and seventy scholars. There is every indication of the Lord's blessing resting upon us in that place.

At Horseway we have hired for week evening services a small chapel, which is in the hands of the Wesleyans, and we have been much encouraged by good congregations meeting together to hear the Word of Life.

This has been a year of mercy to us at Zion. Eighteen have made a public profession of faith in Christ Jesus, having testified at the church meeting of the power of sovereign grace in their hearts.

Our pastor at times feels as if the work of the Lord is almost too heavy for him, but he is surrounded by good workers, and sustained and maintained by the Lord; he is helped on to exalt a precious Christ and describe the footsteps of the flock.

"A LITTLE ONE IN ZION."

MOUNT ZION, CHADWELL STREET.

ON Thursday, November 30th, we were favoured to have a baptismal service. Four young believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, on a profession of their faith, were "buried with Him in baptism," in the Name of our Triune God. Our pastor, Mr. John Hazelton, offered prayer, and preached a very spiritual and instructive sermon from the words, "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth," and our brother, Mr. James Griffith, baptized, it not being deemed prudent for our minister to go into the water himself, not having quite recovered from his recent severe illness. A very large congregation was present to witness and join in the service, and by their serious and devout behaviour and attention to what was said and done, showed they were suitably impressed with the solemnity and Scriptural character of the service. May our young friends who thus, before many witnesses, put on Christ, never draw back from this their profession

of faith in Him and allegiance to Him, but cleave to Him and His ways with full purpose of heart all their life long, and be kept faithful unto death.

On Lord's-day, December 10th, and Tuesday, 12th, we held the twenty-ninth anniversary of the opening of the chapel, On the morning of the Lord's-day our brother Shepherd preached a very animated and encouraging sermon from Exod. xv. 13, and our pastor, Mr. Hazelton, in the evening discoursed to us very blessedly from Joel iii. 18, preaching, however, with very great difficulty to himself owing to the heavy fog that enveloped London all that day. On the Tuesday, which was a fine day, after the usual tea, a public meeting was held, opened with prayer by Mr. W. Hazelton, of College Park Chapel. Addresses were delivered by Brethren Anderson, Meeres, Shepherd, Styles, and Burrell respectively, on Believers as God's Children, Heavenly Citizens, Pilgrims, Vessels of Mercy, and Divine Jewels. It was a happy and hallowed opportunity. Friends will be gratified to be informed that our pastor, Mr. J. Hazelton, is now in his usual health.

SHEFFORD, BEDS.

Extract from letter.

WE were favoured to have a very happy little gathering here last evening, Decmber 6th, and, by the mercy of our God, permitted to be formed into a church. The five expelled from Clifton were thus united; others who are like minded will be received from time to time. We who met for the solemn occasion felt most happy in attending to it, having such full persuasion that we have the Scriptures on our side. "When they persecute you in one city, flee to another." May we so experience the holy influence of the Blessed Spirit that the truth may be adorned by us, and it will be if we are kept at the Saviour's feet, and take refuge in the fountain of His precious blood. We concluded our little service with a very sweet hymn, a favourite one with the beloved Septimus Sears.

Courage, brother, do not stumble,

Though thy path be dark as night,
There's a star to guide the humble;
Trust in God and do the right.

[May the blessing of Zion's covenant God be with thee, dear friends, and this small beginning be the nucleus of a cause of truth and righteousness, equalling in true spiritual prosperity that so long fed and nurtured instrumentally by the late godly and devoted Septimus Sears.-ED.]

POPLAR.

THE old chapel is now restored. The identity of the exterior is not lost, but certainly the interior has undergone such a radical change that it is hardly to be re"Old Bethel." The pulpit cognised as is gone (but not the truth, we are happy to say), and a respectable platform is substituted in its place; the body of the chapel is re-seated with close-back benches, and everything looks as it should, clean, neat, and becoming a place for worship. The restoration of the chapel has been carried out by Mr. James Lee, contractor, at a very reasonable sum. On December 12th special services were held, when Mr. Winters preached in the afternoon, after which a good company of friends drank tea in the school-room connected with the chapel. The evening service commenced with a hymn. Mr. Henry Lee, presiding, called upon Mr. Fowler to engage in prayer. Mr. H. F. Noyes read a very encouraging report of the progress of the cause under its new management; the report showed that £15 had been granted by the Metropolitan Association towards liquidating the building debt, and that £65 had been already paid off of the account incurred by the restoration of the chapel. A handsome Bible and Denham's hymnbook were presented, during the evening, for the pulpit by Mr. James Phillips, with an embossed card showing a list of the donors. Mr. W. Debnam also stepped forward, as an old scholar of Bethel School, and presented an elegantly bound Dr. Watts' hymn-book for the pulpit, which very much cheered the heart of our hardworking brother, Mr. H. F. Noyes, who for many years laboured in the Sabbathschool at Bethel, and having graduated in that school he has repeatedly ascended the platform, and we know no legitimate reason why he should not be regarded as pastor of Bethel, as was predicted would be the case years ago by the late Mrs. Davis. Speeches were delivered by Messrs. Box, Holden, Dearsley, Winters, Lee, and Steed. Many

thanks are due to Mr. H. Lee and Mr. J. Lee for valuable service rendered. We wish our brother, H. F. Noyes, long and godly success; and may love and peace abound in the church, for Christ's sake. So prays W. WINTERS.

REHOBOTH CHAPEL, BURY ST. EDMUNDS.

Harvest Thanksgiving.

THE friends did in the latter part of last year assemble together to ask the Lord to bless the seed that had been sown, and also at the beginning of harvest did again meet to ask the Lord to send suitable weather to gather in the corn, and, finding that our prayers were heard and answered, we felt much encouraged to meet together again to thank the Lord for His goodness on Tuesday, September 26th, when our much esteemed friend, Mr. Houghton, of Ipswich, preached to us in the afternoon from 1 John iii. 1. The Lord was pleased to favour our dear brother with much liberty in opening up such a blessed part of His sacred Word; if the writer may speak for others, and he can for some confidently, it was felt to be a blessed time. We had not so many to tea as we hoped, but we had a good company in the evening at the public meeting. After singing, and reading a part of God's Word, our beloved Brother Backhouse besought the Lord for us, after which the friends were addressed by the dear Brethren Houghton and Huxham. Both brethren were enabled to tell out some deep and blessed truths, which, by the Lord's blessing, were made sweet and precious to our souls. We thank our brethren for their kindness in coming to us, and trust the good things they were enabled to deliver may long remain in our remembrance.

Our good Brother Dixon, of Bradfield, concluded with prayer; the friends sung most heartily; we felt it to be a blessed opportunity; the speakers were solemn and savoury, and our glorious Lord was highly exalted.

both

May the Lord send many more such faithful labourers into His Vineyard. J. S. F.

ADDISON PARK, SHEPHERD'S BUSH. In this almost new neighbourhood is erected a very noble chapel, at which Mr. P. W. Williamson presides as pastor. On

The

December 5th two special services were held in this sanctuary. In the afternoon the pastor occupied the chair, and, after reading and prayer, called upon Mr. J. L. Meeres to address the meeting, the subject allotted him being the glorious Lord (Isa. xxxiii. 21). Mr. John Box treated in a masterly manner of the glorious arm of the Lord, and W. Winters spoke of the glorious hand of the Lord, and was followed by Mr. W. Hazelton, who expressed some excellent thoughts on the glorious apparel of Christ, after which, many of the friends partook of tea in the beautiful schoolroom adjoining the chapel. evening service was commenced with reading by the pastor, and prayer was offered fervently by Mr. J. Freshwater. Mr. Langford followed with an address on the glorious name of Jehovah, Mr. J. H. Lynn dwelt on the glorious work of the Lord, Mr. J. H. Dearsley enlarged with freedom on the glorious rest of the saints, and Mr. J. Clark unfolded beautifully the Scriptural nature of the glorious body of the believer as it shall appear when raised incorruptible, and like its glorious Head, Jesus Christ. A circular is just issued as an appeal for help to liquidate the debt of £380 on the chapel. This is a small amount compared with what has but recently been expended in the erection of this noble edifice. The circular is explicit and to the point, and which we offer for insertion in full. "Dear Christian friends-After meeting for many years in Johnson Street Chapel, Notting Hill, and bearing a heavy debt, repeated applications having been made for its purchase, the church passed a resolution that the building should be sold. This chapel (Addison Park) will seat about 600 people, being double the size of the former. There is now a liability of about £380. Will you kindly aid us by a donationto clear off that debt? For any help we shall be grateful. Success has attended our removal; the church has been increased, the Sundayschool, Band of Hope, and Dorcas Society are in good working order.-P. W. Williamson, Pastor; James Freshwater, Secretary; the Deacons and Committee. We hope Mr. Williamson and his friends will soon realise their hearty desire, and will excuse the liberty here taken in making public the newly issued circular. W. WINTERS.