crowned our new chapel project. The scheme being fairly launched, other friends were invited to unite and lend their influence in bringing it to a successful issue. This brought out Messrs. Allen, Haigh, W. Roberts, C. Heaps, D. Taylor, J. Haigh, W. Roberts (currier), G. H. Robinson, J. Swallow, C. Fitton, E. Berry, H. Southworth, J. Arthington, T. Harrison, H. Garton, A. Taylor, Joe Mellor, J. Greenwood, J. Dyson, C. Billington, E. Kendall, and others, whose cheerful liberality, attendance at the meetings, and hearty co-operation, have entitled them to the highest praise. The sacrifices and toils of these estimable friends, and many others who might be named, would space allow, have rendered invaluable service in this great work, and their noble deeds will be remembered with deep and heartfelt gratitude by all the lovers of our Zion, and by none more so than by-Yours affectionately, WM. BAGGALY.

LINDLEY.-PROPOSED NEW
CHAPEL.

LINDLEY is a large and flourishing village, cresting one of our neighbouring hills, about two miles N.N.W. of Huddersfield. The situation, but specially its tenure of inheritance, forming a striking contrast to several other parts of this locality, has rendered it quite a favourite place of late. The population is said to have nearly doubled within a very short time. Factories and beautiful villas are now clustering around it, and ere long it will, no doubt, become a place of considerable importance. Dissent, also, has here free scope for action; and liberal principles are cherished as our birthright privileges.

In the great Methodistic struggle of 1797, Lindley friends declared in favour of what was then called "The New Itinerancy." We suppose a majority of the Society was in favour of our principles, and, therefore, took possession of the chapel. Thus favoured, they went on and prospered. At length the chapel was recovered by the Wesleyans, and our friends were driven out to seek a place for public worship elsewhere. The "LONG BALK," that is, a large upper room in Lidgetts-Fold, offered the best accommodation they could find. It was engaged; and there

they regularly met to call on the name of the Lord.

In 1812 they built "Zion," which soon obtained considerable notoriety. It was a good, plain, substantial chapel, and did real credit to the zealous and enterprising spirit of those days. In 1819 the chapel was enlarged; and about six years afterwards it was reported to Conference as enlarged again, when it no doubt resumed its present dimensions. Behind the chapel large schools were erected. "Zion Schools" have been rendered a great blessing to the neighbourhood. When first opened they were large enough, but of late they have not furnished accommodation for one half of the scholars. Thus, pent up in the old school, the Mechanics' Hall was engaged; and there more than one half of the children are now educated, though at great inconvenience, every Sabbath-day.

Lindley Society has always formed a prominent and important part of Huddersfield Circuit. The character and position of its friends naturally gave them a well-merited influence, which it is both wise and proper to maintain. Their Connexional attachment is well known; and so also are the prudence and vigilance exercised over their own local affairs. Sometime ago, wearied with a heavy debt on the chapel, estate they made a noble effort, and swept the whole away.

There are those who think "Old Zion," is one of the prettiest and most comfortable country chapels in the kingdom. Though not exactly prepared to endorse those views, we have no disposition to complain of them. Touching and time-honoured reminiscences cluster around "Zion." It has been the spiritual birthplace of many precious souls. There beloved friends first received spiritual life, and there they have been oft refreshed with visits from on high. No wonder, then, that they have such a strong attachment to the place in which they received the richest communications of grace. "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth." But, strong as were such preferences, they are evidently yielding to a clear and settled conviction that we ought to have a NEW CHAPEL at Lindley. There were those who wished to see that accomplished long ago, and

several good subscriptions were promised towards it; but there the matter rested, and it was needful to wait and see what would be done.

But had it been otherwise, and they had resolved to act at that time, it would have been difficult to determine where to fix the chapel. Connected with "Zion" there are extensive burial-grounds, which will take, in the ordinary course of things, years to fill up. But though there was so much land at command, the whole appeared to be in the wrong place for a chapel. It may be proper to remark, for the information of those who do not know Lindley, that one long street runs through the village northwards, intersected at the top by another narrow street, running east and west. present chapel fronts the last-named street. The ground runs backwards for upwards of two hundred yards. The whole stands parallel with the main street, but shut out from it by other property of, perhaps, twenty-eight yards deep. Two front houses near our side entrance were formerly thought to offer the best site for a chapel; but on inquiry they were found to be unattainable, and, had it been otherwise, there would not have been sufficient room for our purpose.

Our

At length another site was named. It was a valuable piece of property, with a noble frontage of about one hundred and ten feet to the main street, and intervening between that and the southern part of our land. It contains, on the whole, about nine hundred and sixty-two square yards. When first noticed I thought it looked well, even in the dark; but the question was, Could we get it ?

That property belonged to Joseph Sykes, Esq., J.P., brother to our generous and warm-hearted friend William Sykes, Esq., of Green Lea. Mr. William, deeming the site most eligible, and knowing we wished to have it, tried, in his own modest way, to beg the whole freehold land and buildings together for us. Failing in that, he effected a purchase on advantageous terms, which the trustees were glad to accept with great thankfulness.

The way being thus opened, it was agreed to begin a subscription-list, and take such steps as were necessary for the erection of a chapel.

A few days after this, Huddersfield -tees passed a resolution to build a and elegant chapel in High-street.

Fearing the two schemes, so near together, would somewhat interfere with each other, our Lindley friends were somewhat discouraged, and their project appeared to stand in abeyance.

At this juncture Providence appeared to reveal our duty respecting a new chapel, and thus stirred the friends up afresh. Joseph Sykes, Esq., was afflicted.. Whilst suffering at home, he so far changed his purpose of selling us the above-named property, even at a low rate, that he gave the whole lot to his brother William, with instructions to hand it over to our friends for a chapel. Great was our joy, and I may say, great was the joy of the whole neighbourhood, on receiving this intelligence. At the suggestion of the writer, the property was conveyed, in the most handsome and generous manner, DIRECT TO THE TRUSTEES, and IMMEDIATELY SETTLED

ON THE MODEL DEED.

The value of this gift must not be reckoned by any abstract rules of estimate. It was a noble gift in itself (upwards of £500), but specially so, as it materially increased the value of our back land by bringing it into direct proximity with the main street. The Trustees feelingly acknowledged their obligations to Mr. Joseph Sykes, and also to his brother William, for the deep interest they have so uniformly manifested on their behalf.

On Christmas Day the Trustees met again. Mr. Pilling, of Bolton, who is a native of Lindley, was present, and renewed his oft-repeated advice, to build a new chapel. The subject was seriously entertained, and the probable cost considered. The subscription-list was revised, and materially increased, and an estimate formed of the additional amount which might be reasonably expected if the work were undertaken. A noble sum was already on the books; and it was thought that if £200 more could be obtained by a general canvass, the way was quite plain to build a good chapel at Lindley, even though they were building a hundred cathedrals elsewhere.

Having thus cleared the way, it was then resolved unanimously to build a chapel which will seat one thousand, in addition to such accommodation as will be required for Sunday scholars. At the same time an architect was selected, and Mr. Pilling was directed to confer with him. A Building Committee was also appointed,

and arrangements made for entering on the work with as little delay as possible.

Christmas Day is no ordinary day at Lindley. It is the time at which the friends hold their Annual Tea-meeting, and this year it abated none of its usual interest. Tea was served in the schoolroom, and the meeting was held in the chapel. William Sykes, Esq., was called to the chair, and opened the business by a most appropriate and effective address. Brother John Aspinal was the first speaker, and made some touching allusions to "Old Zion." The Rev. William Baggaly followed. He spoke on chapels-their chapel-the proposed new chapel, and explained what had been done towards it, following up his remarks by an earnest appeal to that meeting for still further help. Slips of paper were then prepared and sent round for promises; and before that meeting closed £239 was added to the subscription-list, being £39 more than what the Trustees had ventured to calculate upon in the afternoon. Messrs. A. Pilling, J. R. Welham, Mr. Counsellor Brownill of Sheffield, S. Dean, F. Ellam, W. Radcliffe, W. Ellam, J. Hirst, W. Sykes, sen., and Joseph Crossland, rendered valuable assistance, and the meeting, never to be forgotten, closed about half-past nine o'clock.

The subscription-book contains promises exceeding TWO THOUSAND POUNDS, which we hope to see still further increased by many valuable additions.

The new chapel being erected, the old one will be converted into schoolrooms; and thus supply what has long been wanting--sufficient accommodation for convening the rising generation, and teaching them the fear of the Lord.

When these important projects are attained, Lindley will have the largest, the handsomest, and the most valuable village chapel in the whole Connexion. WM. BAGGALY,

Huddersfield, Jan., 1864.

DEWSBURY CIRCUIT.

BAZAAR IN AID OF THE NEW CHAPEL.

AMONGST the various means which the active benevolence of the present age has devised for raising the funds required to defray the cost of erecting charitable institutions, hospitals, schools, chapels, and churches, or for

I

reducing or liquidating debts upon them, bazaars occupy a very conspicuous place. Whatever differences of opinion may be held respecting them, or respecting the spirit which they call out and foster, it cannot be denied that they have often rendered valuable assistance to the cause of God. Perhaps it would not be too much to say that at least £100,000 have been raised in this country, during the last fifteen years, by means of bazaars in aid of charitable and religious institutions. Our own Connexion cannot have raised less during this period than £15,000 or £20,000 in aid of chapels, schools, and parsonages. In this district and the adjoining one- Halifax£10,000 have been thus raised during the above period. With such facts as these before us, it does not appear at all desirable to put bazaars down, but rather to encourage them; and to aim at having them got up and carried out under the influence of high Christian principle-as a service undertaken and performed for Christ; and to guard the chief actors in them against the influence of petty jealousy and unholy rivalry.

We have just held a bazaar in Dewsbury, in aid of our new chapel, which in its main object has been a great success; and from the time when it was first projected until the last day of the sale, as free from the evils incident to emulative and competitive efforts, as, upon a wide induction of all the circumstances, interests, and elements connected therewith, could have been reasonably expected or desired.

When urging our good friends here to arise and build a new chapel, we held out the hope of raising £500 towards the cost of it by a bazaar; and though we then hoped to realize a larger sum, we could not for a moment indulge the expectation of raising £1,000 in Dewsbury, by a bazaar. But we rejoice to be able to state that this has been done.

Early in the spring of last year, our friends definitely resolved upon the erection of a new chapel; and very soon afterwards the ladies connected with Salem Chapel were called together, and arrangements made to get up a bazaar in aid of the building fund. At this meeting of the ladies, the undernamed engaged to furnish stalls:

I. Mrs. Hirst, with the assistance of her two Daughters, Mrs. G. Hirst, Mrs. Spiking, and Mrs. Liddall.

II. Mrs. G. Ward, with the assistance of Mrs. Hardcastle, Mrs. France, Mrs. S. Hirst, Mrs. R. Hirst, and Mrs. J. Olroyd.

III. Mrs. Yeoman, and Mrs. Grandige, with the assistance of Mrs. Wholley and Miss Walker.

IV. Mrs. Turner, Mrs. Thackrale, Mrs. Roper, and Mrs. Wood.

V. Mrs. Lister, Mrs. Knowles, and Mrs. Guant.

VI. The Misses Wilman, Mrs. Gutteridge, and others; the Juvenile Stall.

No sooner had these ladies engaged to furnish stalls than they began to work for them with zeal and energy. Circulars were sent to distant friends, and hundreds of persons in Dewsbury and the immediate neighbourhood were personally applied to for help. For nine months the work of giving, begging, cutting out, sewing and knitting, was prosecuted with a daily increasing zeal and an ever-accumulating energy.

When the bazaar was first resolved upon, the hope was cherished that the new school-room would be finished in time to allow of our holding it therein. In this we were disappointed. But our Wesleyan friends, who have on various occasions manifested a very friendly feeling towards our people in Dewsbury, readily granted us the use of the lecture-room, adjoining Centenary Chapel, for the bazaar. The bazaar was opened on Tuesday, December 29th, and was kept open on that and the three following days. Had it been held in some large town, where our Connexion is strong and highly respectable, some merchant prince would most probably have opened it; but as it was held in a small town, in which our denomination has hitherto occupied but a subordinate position, we were not thus honoured. The following appropriate hymn was given out by the Rev. A. M. Curdy:

"Lord, when our offerings we present
Before thy gracious throne,
We but return what thou hast lent,
And give thee of thine own.

"The earth with all its wealth is thine, The heavens with all their host; Why should we then in want repine, Or in abundance boast ?

"The power and willingness to give
Alike proceed from thee;
We still are debtors, since we live
Only by thy decree.

"Ourselves, our all, to thee we owe, And, if we come behind

What others of their wealth bestow, Accept our willing mind."

The above hymn having been sung, the Rev. W. Reynolds offered prayer; after which the superintendent of the circuit delivered a short address, in which he briefly characterized the contents of the bazaar, commended the efforts of the ladies in getting it up, and concluded by declaring the bazaar to be duly opened.

The bazaar comprised a very large, varied, and valuable assortment of goods-the largest ever exhibited for sale at any bazaar held in Dewsbury, save one connected with the church, which was supported by the élite of the entire neighbourhood. There could not be much less than £1,200 worth of articles on the several stalls, which were presided over by the ladies named above, and such friends as they thought fit to associate with them.

The refreshment stall was very efficiently presided over by Mrs. W. Smith and Mrs. W. James; the confectionary stall, by Miss Hirst, Miss Olroyd, and Miss Ward.

A quadrille band was in attendance most of the time, the performances of which were highly appreciated.

During the first and following days we were favoured with the presence of various friends from Leeds, Halifax, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Bradford, Ashton-under-Lyne, and other places.

The

At the close of the fourth day's sale, Mr. G. Hirst read out to an excited and delighted audience the amounts taken at the several stalls, and announced that the gross receipts amounted to the sum of £926. Doxology was then sung; this was followed by votes of thanks to the Wesleyans for the loan of their room; to the ladies who had furnished and presided at the stalls; and to the musicians.

As we could not have the use of the Wesleyan lecture-room for a fifth day's sale, the bazaar had now to be closed, although there yet remained above £200 worth of articles unsold. A few of these have since been sold privately; and the following, up to this date, are the sums taken at the

Larger sums than the above have several times been raised by bazaars in our Connexion; but we feel assured that all who know our position in Dewsbury, and know, also, that previous to, and apart from, this bazaar effort, we had subscribed amongst ourselves £1,400 towards the new chapel, will agree with us in the statement that no effort has been put forth in the Connexion of late years, which has embodied a more ardent zeal, greater energy, or a more liberal spirit, than the one about which we now write. Great praise is due to the ladies. We have never seen ladies work more zealously in connexion with any similar effort. They have done a noble work, and have rendered the trustees of the new chapel very valuable assistance. May the Head of the Church reward them for their work of faith and labour of love. January 16th.

A. McC.

BATLEY CHAPEL. EXTINCTION OF THE DEBT.

DEWSBURY CIRCUIT.

MOST of the readers of the Magazine, and all who feel an interest in watching the rise and progress of the various efforts which are put forth by our circuits to enlarge old, or build new chapels, know that but a few years have passed away since a new chapel, school, and minister's house, were erected at Batley. The cost of these new buildings, with site, palisading, &c., &c., amounted to nearly £5,000. The Batley friends, animated by a spirit of independence, and a determination to carry out the principle of self-help to the utmost limits, resolved to raise the above sum amongst themselves. Many friends in and out of

Batley would have been happy to assist them; but, believing that a church should not ask others to help her to do that which she is able to do for herself, they made no formal canvass, beyond the pale of their own congregation, for subscriptions. A liberal subscription was soon raised towards the cost of the chapel, and this was nobly supplemented by the collections at the opening services. Since then, various efforts have been made to reduce the debt on the estate; and only a few years ago, the debt was reduced to £1,000. But having resolved to clear off the entire debt, the friends felt that the work was incomplete so long as £1,000 remained upon the estate.

Early in the spring of last year, and very soon after the Dewsbury friends had embarked in their new chapel project, the Batley friends resolved to pay off the remainder of their chapel debt. John Jubb, and Benjamin Senior, Esqs., took the initiative, and intimated that they would each give £250, if the Congregation would raise the other moiety of £500. This generous challenge was readily accepted, and arrangements were immediately made for giving it practical effect. In a comparatively

short time the sum of £940 was subscribed; and having reached this point, it was agreed to complete the effort at the Christmas of 1863. Accordingly a tea-meeting was arranged for on the Monday after Christmas, December 28th. A large number of trays were given, and an unusually large number of tickets sold, at prices ranging from 1s. to 20s. The sum realised by the teameeting, when added to the sums previously subscribed, made a total of more than £1,000; and Mr. Jubb, on taking the chair at the meeting held in the chapel, after tea, was privileged to announce to the congregation that the last farthing of the debt on the chapel had that evening been paid. The Revs. James Stacey, D. Sheldon, the ministers of the circuit, B. Senior, Esq., Messrs. J. Taylor, and R. Heppleston, subsequently addressed the meeting. The choir contributed much to the interest and pleasure of the meeting by several choice pieces of music, which were performed with much taste and feeling.

There was one thought, however, in the minds of many of the friends