Congregationalism in the Court Suburb

. DR. L

8–1

ined the overture, when the former replied, "That reminds me of young men setting up in business before they have served their apprenticeship." [37] Just before that evening service, the minister of Surrey Chapel had written to Mr. Wilson, Treasurer of Hoxton Academy, saying, "I hear much of a young man of the name of Leifchild. It was supposed that he was going to settle (a bad word for a young recruiting spiritual officer) at Kensington; but that there is a set of formal stupid Presbyterians there, who by no means suit his taste, and that he is consequently still waiting for the further directing hand of Providence, to know where he is to go." [38a

d man. He had been a gardener on a nobleman's estate, and now lived on a small income, respected for his piety and integrity. He was my best help, but died after a long and lingering illness." "During that period I never found him otherwise than pious, resigned, and cheerful. He always had a guinea to spare for any religious object of importance, although his income did not exceed ￡50 per annum. One of the managers was worth at

of the Kensingtonians, who were familiar with his face and figure, as he dashed along in his coach and four, attended by his body guard, through the Court suburb. The cry of his approach, and the distant sight of the soldiers and outriders brought people to the front, lifting their hats as he passed by. With Dissenters he was esp

militia service, and urged that there should be put upon grants of licence certain restrictions which Dissenters did not approve. The deputies of the three denominations rose in determined opposition to this intermeddling with religious liberty, and petitions against it poured into the Houses of Parliam

d's pastorate, two in particular may be mentioned, noteworthy on t

is eminently true of Mrs. Talfourd; and there she used to sit and listen to her pastor in one of the square green pews at Hornton Street, with her "children about her"; one of whom, when a matron and mother, was, during my own ministry, a comfort and a joy. The most distinguished of her sons-others became distinguished in other ways-was Mr. Justice Talfourd, who for some time not only adorned the judicial bench, but before doing so made a mark on literature and politics, by authorship and

t as intense a consciousness of the world to come as he has of the visible objects

xplain his expressions, or give all his qualifications to his doctrines which he might think requisite in a confession of faith, but gives full vent to the predominant feeling, and allows no other to check its course, which in every kind of oratory is wise. He thu

hen well-known orator of the law courts had relaxed and refreshed himself by referring to the old Kensington days, and the old chapel, and singularly enough,

vey the won

e Prince of

gain I co

ntempt on a

w heartily we used to

ole realm of

present fa

mazing, s

oul, my life

e down many of his pastor's sermons, chiefly from memory. He carefully preserved two quarto volumes filled with a course of lectures on "The Acts," which I read when I was young, and they gave me a good idea of the preaching then heard at Hornton Street. A younger son, Samuel, entered the ministry during Dr. Vaughan's pastorate, and with him, as well as his brother John, I enjoyed a lifelong friendship most intimate, most endeared. He became well known as pastor of the Poultry Chapel, and as Secretary of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

h not I believe members of the Church, as w

alter his mode of life. Another, and the elder son, was then in India, where, being laid on a sick bed, he remembered the psalms which his father, Viscount Molesworth, had read and expounded when he was a child at home, showing their reference to the Messiah, and thus confirming the truth of Scripture. I believe he came home, and it was then that he also attended the ministry at Hornton Street Chapel. He now became devoted and useful; and having obtained an appointment in Ceylon, he repaired thither, and there continued his usefulness by distributing religious publications. His father dying, he succeeded to the title, and having acquired property in Ceylon, he determined to return home, assist at the chapel, and spend the remainder

r right, into the thick of the traffic in the high road, and was so crushed under a cart wheel, that it was a wonder he survived the accident. He had mixed with dissolute company, and been accustomed, as he loitered about the end of an alley opposite the church, to insult those who passed by on the way to worship. His habits did not improve when he became a married man, and his notoriety for evil was a village scandal. But two of his children went to the Sunday school, and they persuaded their father to come to chapel. Dr. Leifchild preached from the words of St. Jude: "Preserved in Jesus Christ, and called," and spoke of the remarkable preservation of sinful people before they were called and converted. He happened to relate an anecdote of

ce! how swee

d a wretc

lost, but n

d, but n

ist; and that minister relates: "Whenever he heard that I was about to re-visit the town, which I had subsequently left for another sphere of labour, he caused his little carriage to be wheeled out to meet m

e common talk, and reached the ears

cted his learning, oratorical power, and zeal for God according to his knowledge. He was comparatively young, but with a magnanimous mind he had early determined to appreciate truth and goodness wherever they were to be found, and to follow them whithersoever they might lead. Soon afterwards he fell into a decline, and one evening while we were holding a prayer-meeting, news was brought us of his da

il 2

an manner in which, during a very critical period of my illness, you were pleased to direct the prayers

have been my advances, insomuch that even now I am totally incapable of the ordinary exertions of life; but I trust that a good Provid

ble fact must n

prepared on the day before; and, what was most strange, I could not even remember the text of the prepared sermon. I was perplexed, and walked out before breakfast in Kensington Gardens. While there a particular text occ

a night, but joy cometh in the morning.' I preached with grea

perate steps!

orrow-will hav

er disturbed him while on the brink, and he returned to Kensington, intending to drown himself in the dusk of the evening. On passing my chapel he saw a number of people crowding into it, and thought he would join t

ident deser

him as one of the two young men who had behaved rudely the Sabbath evening preceding; but he had been cut to the heart

to whom he had been useful, and under each nam

he Dissenting pastor, though he had no affection for Dissenters. "He laughed at them and liked him. He was a staunch churchman, but came occas

, but bore it with equanimity, saying, when he came home and was asked by his wife how he was, "Pretty well, my love, for a ruined man." Dr. Leifchild, through the medium of rich neighbours, befriended him in his trouble, for which he was ever afterwards grateful; and in subsequent years I enjoyed the friendship of one of his daughters

with curious chara

morning she said to him, looking over the garden wal

ogether in my father's parlour, when the following convers

ld, I wan

exclaimed her neigh

ade!' was t

our garden is alw

you know w

nd the servant ro

ou know I do

-, I really do not

ifty years of age, and I am now forty-nine. And then you spoke of the diligent husbandma

too. We have abundance of work, and shal

eem to have been frequent debates in the vestry about the state of the exchequer as regards paying for the gallery, and defraying other incidental expenses. Music created more serious strife. Mr. Broadwood, naturally enough, wished for an instrument to help the singing, and liberally offered to place an organ in the chapel, which Mr. Grey, a more true blue Presbyterian, did not approve. Correspondence arose and vestry meetings were held, in all of which Mr. Br

ful. "He abhorred all figures, but those of speech, and the latter were too unsubstantial for the support of a household. He would prefer any book to his bank book (a figure of speech, for in truth he never required one); and though not to be accused of extravagance, he certainly was chargeable with some thoughtlessness." [52] "She was a shrewd, discerning woman, with a keen insight into character-a quality of priceless value in a minister's wife. She was generally correct in her opinions of people, and her boldly pronounced forecasts of merits and demerits in the circle of her acquaintance made a deep impression on her family, whatever might be t

let u

urney

nd with

still till the

nces of his preaching, and also tell how she liked to accompany him to village services, and visit cottages in the neighbourhood, beating up recruits for the rustic congregation. Once, after a sermon in a little country chapel, I saw her go into the

the possibility of his removing. He did not approve of the management scheme, and the managers immediately retired. Their letter of resignation was accepted at a

inution in the affections of the people; nor from any pecuniary motives, as the salary proposed at Bristol was the same which he received here, ￡350 per annum, and that he had no prospect of its increase there which he had not here. But his chief motives were the state of his health, which he hoped might be improved by a residence at a greater distance from the metropolis;

wonderful effects at public meetings, the pulpit was his throne, where he ruled his audience with a kind of imperial sway. His skill in the introduction of religious topics into common conversation was very remarkable, and he abounded in anecdotes illustrative of scripture truth and spiritual experience. On his death bed he fancied himself entering within the everlasting doors, and exclaim