With a view to the further liquidation of the debt upon the building, special services were engaged in on the following Sunday, and a sum of £22 was realised. Nor were the Robertson street church idle, a sum of £15 being the result of the days services for the same object, thus making £37 the proceeds of that Sunday's efforts.
The Memorial Chapel. The ceremony of laying the chief corner stone of a new edifice of this name was performed on Thursday, Nov. 3rd at Hastings in a formal and interesting manner. The event was further celebrated in the evening by a tea meeting and addresses in the temporary preaching room in the rear of the Castle Hotel. Mr. Elworthy was the architect of the new building, and Mr. Howell was the contractor.
A Remarkably Busy year, as thus shewn, was that of 1864, as connected with the enlargements, improvements, erections, reopenings and other specialities of churches and chapels, and if space were no object it could be here also shewn that there were much friendliness and assistance afforded by one religious community to another. Meekness and Christian charity will break down the strong partition which divides sects, and give birth to love and unity of action among professing Christians of every denomination. Mighty work has been effected by the evangelical Alliance towards this consummation, and let us hope that the days of disruption and rancorous feelings in the church militant are now or soon to be at an end. In this hope we are encouraged by what passes before our eyes. When one congregation has a difficulty to overcome, and needs the countenance and support of the public, how willingly in a general way it is given! The main barrier in the way of almost every church or chapel is the expense of building, and few they are in number that are wholly free of debt. The simple knowledge of this creates a sympathetic feeling among various classes, and this is shewn by the encouragement given to members of congregation when they set their faces towards the said barrier and devise honourable means to remove it. Amongst the most popular methods are those of special services, tea-meetings, bazaars &c, which give an opportunity to each and all of contributing either by money or service from the smiling child of sx or seven summers to the hoary headed grandsire of three score years and ten. Ladies are more particularly in their element here, and in this as in other spheres of life, are indispensable. If proof were wanting they may be found in the foregoing references to churches and chapels of our own neighbourhood. (see preceding page) *
Curiosities from Japan.
We have been favoured (remarks the St. Leonard Gazette of Dec. 10th), with an opportunity of inspecting a variety of Japanese articles of beautiful design an workmanship, just received by Mr. Davis, of Lavatoria, St Leonards, from his son, who is serving with the British forces in that country. They -
