keeper's apartments. The Table of Fees will be found at the end

of this Report.

YOUR ATTENTION IS NOW RESPECTFULLY SOLICITED TO THE

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS.

In 1838 the Trustees had resolved to repair and beautify their Chapel, during the Autumn; but they were prevented by the announcement of the Conference, that the year 1839 was to be a year of Jubilee in commemoration of the Centenary of Methodism. As members of the Wesleyan Family, they sacrificed their own feelings and interests for the general good; and submitted to the reproach of having a very dirty Chapel, until Midsummer 1840. However, they took advantage of the delay to consult the Preachers, the Leaders' Meeting, and the Committees of the Schools and Charities, as to the plans to be adopted in order to insure the greatest amount of convenience and improvement. Various plans were submitted to, and approved of by the Quarterly Meeting, the General Chapel Building Committee and finally by a Special Circuit Meeting, held in Great Queen Street Chapel, January 15th, 1840, the Rev. Isaac Keeling, the Superintendent of the Circuit, in the chair.

PROPOSED REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS OF GREAT QUEEN STREET CHAPEL, AS APPROVED OF BY

THE SPECIAL CIRCUIT MEETING.

1. A Stone Portico and Front to be erected in harmony with the Interior.

2. A spacious Entrance Hall to be formed; and

3. Two Class-rooms, (each 20 ft. by 16 ft.), over the Hall, with double windows to exclude the noise of the street. 4. A Corridor to be formed between the Hall and Chapel for quiet and air.

5. A Communication to be made between the lower and upper Galleries; the Stairs to be re-modelled, &c.

6. The Entrance to the School-rooms, Vestries, and Chapel, from Chapel Yard, to be improved.

7. Double Folding Doors to be added between the Vestries, to increase Class Accommodation.

8. Eight additional Ventilators to be placed in the Floor, and Eight, with ornamental screens, in the Ceilings.

9. Entirely new Gas Apparatus and Fittings to be laid down, with a day-main; Stoves and Flues to be repaired. 10. The Free Seats for the Poor to be improved, backs added, &c.

11. Several Pews in the Gallery to be opened as Free Seats. 12. Additional Cisterns to be provided, and the Drainage, &c. in the Yards and Offices improved.

13. Land to be obtained and inclosed to form an Entrance to the Schools, &c.

14. Land to be purchased to complete the South-east Boundary of the Estate, &c.

In order to accomplish these desirable objects without delay, a negociation was entered into with Mr. Sherwin, the tenant of the adjoining premises, by which he agreed to surrender the remaining term of his lease, on consideration of being allowed to return to a part of the premises when rebuilt. Mr. Willson, whose lease had nearly expired, offered to rebuild both the party-walls of the house, and the back-wall, and to thoroughly repair the interior, (the whole to be done to the satisfaction of the surveyor to the Trust,) on condition of having a new lease. Under such circumstances, namely, an opportunity of putting the whole Trust Property into the best possible state,— of obtaining an increase of rental,—and also of retaining two old tenants and good neighbours, the Trustees accepted of the offers made to them. Owing to the want of party-walls, the Trustees had for many years paid a high rate of insurance, which, in consequence of these repairs, was considerably reduced on the whole Property. The amount laid out on the Trust Estate by Mr. Willson exceeded £1000, making, with the outlay of the Trustees, above £4000. They next obtained the consent in writing of the Connexional authorities: they do not think it necessary to print the official documents, but only the Resolutions of the Special Circuit Meeting of June 15th, 1840, and of the Circuit Quarterly Meeting of July 3rd following.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE SPECIAL CIRCUIT

MEETING.

I. Resolved Unanimously,―That this Meeting is convinced of the necessity of the Repairs and Improvements which have now been proposed, and of the measures taken by the Trustees to provide additional accommodation for the Society and a more suitable Entrance.

II. Resolved Unanimously,―That the statements submitted by the Trustees to this Meeting have proved that the ordinary Funds of the Chapel Estate are inadequate to the proposed Repairs and Rebuilding; that the liberal subscriptions announced this evening render it probable that, by united, cordial, and persevering exertions, the sum of £2000 may be made up; and that measures be immediately taken for affording to every member of the Societies and Congregations an opportunity of contributing to this important object.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE CIRCUIT QUARTERLY

MEETING.

Resolved Unanimously,-That this Meeting approves and adopts the Resolutions of the Special Circuit Meeting of June 15th last, and pledges itself to afford all the facilities which are consistent with the Rules and Usages of the Connexion, for the purpose of raising the sum of £2000 for the proposed Alterations and Improvements of Great Queen Street Chapel.

With the above guarantees the Trustees were fully satisfied, and commenced their operations immediately.

The Chapel was re-opened on September 24th, 1840, by the Rev. Robert Newton; whose appeals on behalf of the Trustees, on this as well as on many previous occasions, entitle him to their most grateful acknowledgments. On the following Sabbath, the Rev. G. B. Macdonald preached in the morning and evening, and on the following Monday the Rev. F. J. Jobson: the re-opening Sermons produced £192. 18s. Od.

The following representation will give an idea of the Stone" Portico and Frontage of the Trust Premises as they now appear.

At the time of re-opening, the Trustees of the Sloane Terrace Chapel, Chelsea, (in the Seventh London Circuit,) presented to the Trustees a donation of £52. 1s., which they had raised by subscription, in acknowledgment of the assistance received at the time when the Sloane Terrace Chapel Trust was placed in peculiarly trying circumstances, by the death of the late Joseph Butterworth, Esq. "Behold how good a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

On this occasion the Trustees also felt it to be their duty to return public thanks to God, for the mercies vouchsafed to them during their arduous undertaking. The workmen were only twice interrupted by rain during the whole time, not one accident occurred, and through the great kindness of their neighbours and the Commissioners of Sewers and Paving, much assistance was afforded them in carrying their improvements into effect.

In order to obtain the sum sanctioned by the Circuit, the

B

Trustees applied to the Leaders of all the Societies in the Circuit, and to such other friends as they thought likely to assist them by their liberality or their exertions. It is, however, with regret they state, that in this department they have not succeeded so fully as they expected. The amount received from all sources, to Christmas 1842, was only £1389. 12s. 6d., leaving a balance still due to them of £610. 7s. 6d., on which sum they have had to pay interest for two years. They have annexed a statement of their Income and Expenditure in the year 1841, for the purpose of shewing that their receipts do not meet their expenses. They beg respectfully to say, that they have fully and faithfully performed all they undertook, and they now wait for the fulfilment of the Circuit pledge.

It will be seen by the above Statement, that until the amount of outstanding notes on which Interest is payable can be reduced by the payment of the £610. 7s. 6d. due from the Circuit, the debt on the Chapel must increase, as the produce of the Anniversary Sermons does not exceed £50 or £60 per annum. On the other hand, if the Interest be reduced by paying off that amount, then the Income and Expenditure will be about equal,