Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Thursday 31 July 1856, page 2


THE NEW CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL IN

DAVEY-STREET.

The foundation stone of the new chapel intended

for the use of the church and congregation under the pastorate of the Rev. G. Clarke, now worshipping in Collins-street, was laid with the usual ceremonials yesterday, at noon. When completed it will be one of the handsomest edifices of the kind in Hobart Town. The design is from the studio of Messrs. Tiffin and Davidson, of Macquarie-stieet. The style selected is that of the early English of the days of King John, a style of architecture which prevailed for about two hundred years, and has been revived with considerable success. The facade, when finished, will present the distinguishing characteristics of the style, consisting of a tower and breach spire (95 feet in the clear), with an entrance by one deeply recessed doorway. This opens into a porch, whence springs a staircase turning right and left, giving access to the galleries, while entrance to the body of the building will be ob-tained by means of side doors leading out of the porch. The chapel will consist of a nave, two aisles, a chan-cel and vestry ; schoolrooms are designed to be built at the back. The roof will be what is called opentimbered, consisting entirely of hardwood boarded and slated ; and supported by nave piers formed of eight alternated clustered and octagonal columns. The pulpit, formed of cedar handsomely carved, will be placed at the junction of the nave and chancel, which last will be lighted by a three light pointed window filled with stained glass. The exterior will be relieved by projecting buttresses. The side lights will be plain, pointed, with splayed jambs. The building through-out will be built of freestone, from the quarry at Risdon, and indeed, so far as practicable, colonial material alone is to be used in its construction. The oontract has been taken by Mr. James Pretty, and it is expected that the building will be ready for the opening services about July next. The cost will be something under £5000. All the most modern im-provements have been adopted by the architects, and introduced. The new chapel will contain no pews, but open benches (cedar) only ; and will comprise sittings, in the body and galleries, for about 700 per-sons. This increased accommodation has long been necessary, the chapel in Collins-street being far too limited for the requirements of the rapidly-increasing congregation and church.

At noon precisely, although the weather was exceedingly unfavourable, a considerably numerous assemblage was in attendance, when praise having been sang and prayer offered, the Rev. G. Clarke addressed those present at considerable length, giving a plain exposition of the faith and order of congrega-tlonal churches. He also pointed out the distinctive differences between congregational and national denominational churches, and contended that no body of men, holding views adverse to each other, had any right to make laws for, or in any way to interfere with, the discipline or faith of Christian churches, and that truth and error should not be equally endowed by the State, nor should persons holding contrary views from each other be compelled to pay for the inculcation of opinions they could not conscientiously believe. The fact that they were about to raise that church for the accommodation of 700 per-sons was a proof that if religion was left to its own resources it would do much better than if interfered with by the State. The rev. gentleman concluded by requesting in the name of the Committee their esteemed friend, Mr. Hopkins, to lay the first stone of the building which is now to be erected to the honour and glory of God, and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom upon earth,

A scroll of vellum, inclosed in a bottle, and bearing the following inscription, was then deposited in the cavity underneath the stone :

THIS EDIFICE

Is raised by Voluntary Contributions

for the Public Worship of

ALMIGHTY GOD,

according to the faith and order of the

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES

Of

OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.

This stone is laid by H. Hopkins, Esq., on 30th July

in the Year of Our Lord,

1856.

GEO. CLARKE, Minister.

TIFFIN & DAVIDSON, Architects. JAMES PRETTY, Builder.

Mr. Hopkins, (who we believe, has generously promised to contribute £1500 if the committee raise within the year about £800, of which sum they are at present deficient) laid the stone in the usual manner, and afterwards addressed the spectators in affectionate terms, beseeching them to seek reconciliation with God through Christ Jesus, and assuring them it was only by acquaintance with God, as manifested in his Son, that true happiness could hu found.

The Rev. Mr. Poore, having offered a suitable prayer, the doxology was sung, and blessing having been pronounced by the Rev. F. Miller, the pro-ceedings, as far as the laying of the foundation stone was concerned, closed.

The Committee and their friends in number about 300, then adjourned to Mr. Butler's large, new and commodious store, in Salamanca-place, which had been kindly placed at their disposal by Messrs. Chapman and Thomas, and partook of a cold collation which had been laid in for the purpose.

The meeting was addressed by the Revds. Mr. Clarke, Poore, Wade, Waterfield and Miller, and after prayer by the Rev. W. Downes, the company separated, amply gratified at the fact, that they had so happily spent their holiday, in as appropriate a manner as by laying the Corner Stone of a temple dedicated to the worship of the PRINCE of PEACE.

Mr. W. J. T CLARKE, the lauded proprietor, is reported to have made the following proposition at a meeting of tim Melbourne Gas and Coke Company,I will agree to take the whole liabilities of the Gas Company, and to purchase the whole of the shares. In tho event of my not being able to purchase the whole, I will agree to take one-half, three-fourths, or four-fifths, and will guarantee the public gas at a less cost than that at which it is at present supplied by the Gas Company.

BUBOLARV.-About eleven o'clock last night Mr. Whytu's house in Oavey-stroet was broken iuto. Mr. Atkinson, who resides next door to Mr. Whyte, heard about that hour a window pane being broken, upon whioh he aroso, and ou approaching Mr. Whyte'« house he saw two men run away. On examining the window of the drawing-room, it was found that a pane of glass had boen broken to enable the robbers to unfasten the catch Having done this, they removed the wire screon, but they ware defeated iu their pur-pose by being disturbed. -

TiHOEtt IN RAILWAY WORK.-Mr. G. P. Bidder, tho Engineer-in-Chief of the Norfolk. Line, in reply to a recent report by Lieutenant-Colonel Wynne, to tho Board of Trade, on the condition of the works of this line, in connection with the Eastern Counties Railway, thus speaks of timber as a .safe material for Railway structures :-" Iron girders have occasionally

failed-brick arches have broken down-earth orabankraentB bavo settled-cuttings have slipped and turned trains off the line-tunnels have fallen in »-various accidents, from failure of brick-work, earth-work, and iron-work., havo occurred on railways;, but I believe that no one can point to an instance iu which an accident has been shown to arise from the simple failure of timber. But we also know that timber-works ure as safe as any othor class of works for railways, because they aro moro easily capable of inspection. Ia an iron casting, there may be a flaw which the most experienced person may bo unable to detoct ; an earth-work may be started by somo action of the elements, against which no one can provide ; no one can seo into brick-work ; but with timber, when it commences to decay-as it will, like every thing elso - that decay is easily detectable, Reason teaches, also, that timber is moro readily capable than any other material of simple, cheap, and perfect restoration. If a beam or sleeper proves unsound, all that is needful < ia, to replace that »ingle beam or «leeper. Hence, no doubt, the reaten why timber is so gen Hally adopted upon railways as the basia of the fabric. Nearly every railway nat« upon . timber foundation, inasmuch as the railarest on wooden sleepers. AU auch wooden sleeper» are liable to perisb, yet, as before observed, they are in all but universal use, The duration of unprepared timber, exposed to the action of the atmosphère, ii estimated at from twelve to fourteen yean. Those who dee timber for railway works anticipate that, during that period they will gradually decay, and that »t the end of that time they will have io perished at to require replacement EngimuM, therefore, can foresee, with comparative sertaiiitJjPue extent of the works which will be required on a'Uno each succeed-ing year, and tho times at which the timber that ,is used will require inspection and replacement.