Thirty years' history of the church and congregation in Prince's Street Chapel, NorwichAlexander, John
History
Thirty years' history of the church and congregation in Prince's Street Chapel, Norwich
Alexander, John
Prince's Street Chapel (Norwich, England) -- History
Since that period we have made several alterations and improvements in
our place of worship; and on one of these occasions, in 1842, we
worshipped in the Dutch Church for the space of two months. Our own
service was in the morning and evening; and the service of the Church of
England, conducted by the clergyman of the place, was in the afternoon.
On one of the afternoons, the service was conducted by the venerable and
excellent Bishop of the Diocese, who preached from the same pulpit that
had been occupied in the morning by the Dissenting minister; and during
our stay there, we had sermons from ministers belonging to almost every
evangelical denomination of the Christian church. In our own place of
worship too, it has often been our privilege to contribute, in some
degree, to the general communion of saints; especially at the Lord’s
table, the first place at which Christians should meet, and the last at
which they should separate. There we have been joined by Episcopalians,
Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists, who have eaten with us of the
same bread, and who have drank of the same cup, in devout remembrance of
Him, who purchased the church with his precious blood.
One of the objects to which we directed our attention, soon after the
opening of the chapel, was the formation of a _Sunday School_. Several
young persons, of piety and zeal, offered themselves as teachers, some of
whom continue to the present day, honourably and usefully employed in the
beneficial work. We began in July 1820, with eighty-one scholars. The
pastor advised the teachers to form the committee out of their own body;
to have no more rules for the regulation of the school than circumstances
rendered necessary; to conduct all their affairs religiously; and to
apply to their minister, whenever they needed help or encouragement.
This undertaking, which has been pursued with unabating ardour and vigour
to the present day, has been abundantly prospered by the divine blessing.
Not less than three thousand children have, from time to time, received
from it some degree or other of religious instruction. Many of these
children have become teachers; some of them have died in the Lord; and at
our Sunday School anniversaries, we have listened to many affecting and
spirit-stirring details of the resignation and the joyful hope, which
they have expressed in the prospect of death and heaven. The school too,
has been a fruitful nursery for the church. For many years past, we have
seldom had a church meeting without receiving some one as a member, whose
religious impressions were either derived or deepened from his education,
or from his employment, in the school. At this time, in addition to
twenty-three youths in the monitorial class, preparing to become
teachers, there are no less than a hundred and twenty, chiefly young
persons, belonging to the church and congregation, who are actually
engaged as Sunday School Teachers in Prince’s Street, and in our other
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