Chapter V: Section 4: Commercial Street Chapel

The Independent Chapel in Commercial Street, Northampton, presents a pleasing memorial of the Christian zeal and liberality of the late Thomas Wilson, Esq., of Highbury Place, London--a gentleman who devoted his time, his energies, and his property to the promotion of the cause of Christ, more immediately among Protestant Dissenters of the Independent denomination.

Mr. Wilson's attention was directed to the town of Northampton as a place which, on account of its increasing population, required some additional efforts for promoting the kingdom of the Redeemer. After many inquiries had been made for ground that would present an eligible site on which to erect a Chapel, a purchase was made in Commercial Street for L600; and a neat and respectable Chapel, sixty-two feet by forty-two, was there erected, at a cost of L2,000, besides L100 for alterations. This was at a considerable distance from other places of worship.

The Chapel was opened for public service on the 9th of April, 1829. The Rev. J. A. James, of Birmingham, preached a very excellent sermon in the morning, on sanctification, from John xvii. 17--"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."

Rev. J. Stratten, of Paddington, preached with much energy in the evening, from 2 Thess. iii. 1--"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified."

The Chapel was for some time supplied by the Rev. Messrs. Blackburn and J. Clayton, of London; Adkins, of Southampton; Gear, of Harborough; Johnson, of Farnham; and Prust, of Highbury College.

After the Rev. Edmund Thornton Prust had finished his studies at Highbury, he was invited by the congregation, no Church having then been formed, to supply for six months.

On the 1st of December, 1829, a Christian Church was formed in the presence of Mr. Walter Scott, late of Rowell, now of Airdale, and the late J. Pinkerton, of Weedon.

Mr. Prust was afterwards chosen to the pastoral office by the Church and congregation unitedly, and was ordained on the 21st of April, 1830, when the following ministers were engaged:--Mr. B. L. Edwards, of Northampton, read the Scriptures and prayed--Thomas Toller, of Kettering, delivered the introductory discourse--John Sibree, of Coventry, asked the questions, and received the confession of faith--Walter Scott, of Rowell, offered the ordination prayer--John Leifchild, of Bristol (now Dr. Leifchild, of London), gave the charge, from 1 Tim. iv. 6, "A good minister of Jesus Christ," which was published by request--Charles Hyatt, sen., of London, concluded with prayer.

In the evening the Rev. C. J. Hyatt, of Northampton, read and prayed--J. W. Percy, of Warwick, preached to the people, from 1 Thess. v. 13, 14--W. Gray, of Northampton, concluded with prayer.

The following reference is made to the services of the day, in an advertisement prefixed to the printed charge:--

The ordination was attended by a number of his brethren of the town
and neighbourhood, of several denominations, who gave on that
occasion an instance of brotherly love and concord that will not
soon be forgotten. The young minister, with his only remaining
parent, and the patron of the Institution from whence he had
emanated, seated on either side, received the following address from
a minister of his native city, who was well authorized to bear on
that occasion a public testimony to his respectable attainments, his
unblemished reputation, and his amiable manners, which from a child
had procured him the esteem of a large circle of friends and
acquaintance. A spirit of fervent love, of ardent prayer, and of
devout seriousness, characterized the services of the day, and
inspired the hearts of all who witnessed them with hopes of the most
pleasing results.

Twenty-two years have passed since then, and those pleasing results have, through the blessing of the great Head of the Church, to a great extent been realized. The Church, which was originally formed of eight members who had received dismissions from Churches to which they had previously belonged, has received from the commencement to the present time 315 members. The present number of communicants is about 150. The number of scholars in the Sabbath-schools is about 400.

Since the decease of Mr. Wilson, a marble tablet has been erected in the porch of the Chapel, with the following inscription:--

This Chapel was built A.D. 1829, at the sole expense of the late
Thomas Wilson, Esq., of Highbury Place, London.

This tablet is erected in grateful commemoration of his liberality.

The congregation have erected galleries in the Chapel, with organ, and an additional school-room, at a cost of nearly L1000. A commodious school-room has also been lately built, on a site adjoining the Chapel-yard, for Sunday and Day Infant-schools, with class-rooms for senior scholars. The daily Infant-school numbers more than 120 children, and the Sunday Infant Class about 170. A tablet in the school-room has the following inscription:--"This School-room was built A.D. 1851, for the use of Sunday and Day Infant Schools in connexion with Commercial Street Chapel, and in memory of Stephen Prust, Esq., of Bristol, who was only prevented by death from erecting it himself."

In looking at the whole, encouraging indications, we consider, may be very clearly discerned of the Divine blessing attending the word of heavenly truth, and giving sanction and success to the efforts of his servants.