“Where (says her Ladyship) we have full employment in ministering to a people not unwilling to hear the Gospel. The labours of Mr. Glascott, Mr. Venn, and others, have excited a disposition among the inhabitants of this city to attend to the things which belong to their peace. Nearly two hundred persons have been united in religious society, many of whom have given decisive proofs of their conversion to God, and are encouraging rewards of our disinterested labours for our great and gracious Master. To spread the knowledge of his blessed name amongst those who knew not God has been my chief desire for many years; and I think that desire has suffered no diminution, but rather gained strength, since I left Bath; and my daily prayers and exertions are made with a view to an increased ability to afford my fellow-sinners all the blessings connected with that unspeakably precious Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation.”
The vigorous and well-directed efforts of her Ladyship, and the powerful preaching of Mr. Shirley and Mr. Rowlands, excited an interest so lively and extensive, that her Ladyship was solicited by a considerable number of persons to erect a chapel for the preaching of that Gospel which they could not hear within the walls of their parish churches. To this request she readily yielded, and the necessary steps for this purpose were taken without delay.
“Thus have I been called (observes her Ladyship) to erect another chapel for the service of the living God. May He deign to bless it, and cause the cloud of his gracious presence to rest upon it! It is his work; I can only plant: his Holy Spirit will water, and give the increase. I leave all events with him. Great difficulties and discouragements attend every effort to spread the knowledge of divine truth; but those who labour with me have been taught to feel that it is not by might, nor by power, and that nothing short of the vital energy of the Holy Ghost can give success to the preaching of the Gospel.”
About the year 1771 a chapel was erected in Bridport-street, partly by subscription, and the interest of the remaining debt was paid by Lady Huntingdon till the congregation was enabled to liquidate the whole. This chapel was opened by the Hon. and Rev. Walter Shirley, in 1773.
“It will afford you unspeakable pleasure (writes Lady Huntingdon) to hear of the amazing success which hath attended our labours at Worcester. The chapel was crowded, and multitudes went away unable to gain admittance. We had a glorious display of the power and grace of our adorable Immanuel, and dear Mr. Shirley was enabled to testify of the salvation which is provided for the guilty and the lost with great boldness and fidelity. I know not which way to turn, I have so many applications from the people in various parts of the kingdom for more labourers. Pray mightily to the Lord to send forth a host of holy devoted souls to proclaim the glory of his righteousness and blood to an unbelieving and degenerate world. I feel that if I had a thousand worlds and a thousand lives, through grace assisting, that dear Lamb of God, my best, my eternal, my only Friend, should have all devoted to his service and glory. O pray for me, that I may be more extensively useful in promoting the extension of his kingdom upon earth, for it is matter of unceasing grief that I have done so little for so good a Master.”
For several years the chapel continued to be supplied by the students from Trevecca, amongst whom we find the names of Green, Hayes, English, Jones, Merror, Winkworth, Newel, and French. The congregation having increased, it was determined, in 1804, that this chapel should be taken down, and a more capacious one erected on its site, capable of containing about a thousand persons. It was opened by the Rev. John Brown, of Cheltenham. Under the ministry of the respected pastor, the Rev. Edward Lake, the Lord “added to the Church,” and the chapel became so thronged by the increasing congregation, as to render it necessary to make considerable enlargement. On the completion of these alterations, in 1815, the chapel was re-opened by the Rev. Rowland Hill. The building, which is capable of containing more than 1,500 persons, was soon well filled by an overflowing congregation. Attached to the chapel are Sunday-schools, first established by the Rev. Mr. Harris, in 1791. They were regulated and re-organized in 1799, by the late Rev. Robert Bradley, of Manchester; and there are now ten schools in the city and suburbs belonging to the chapel, and nine in the villages. The number of children under instruction is about twelve hundred. The whole of the teachers act gratuitously in this important sphere of labour.
Several schools in the western part of the county, bordering on Herefordshire, were taught and supported by the congregation at Lady Huntingdon’s chapel; but as there are three chapels now erected, whose congregations support their own schools, they are not numbered among the children of her Ladyship’s chapel at Worcester. There are also nine stations in the country, at various distances from the city, for village preaching, which are rendered a great blessing to many, the power of the Holy Ghost having evidently accompanied the simple declaration of the truths of the everlasting Gospel.