However, I launched into Sunday School work, took a class of boys for a time, and was then asked to act as Secretary, which I did. Also I had a friend who did mission work in the villages around, and he asked me to go with him one Sunday after school, and while we were walking to the little cottage meeting, he asked me if I would speak. With great trepidation, I assented, and that was my first attempt at preaching. A few months later, my friend went to reside somewhere else, and I was asked to take his place in the Mission, that is, the superintendence of two stations, this one at Horsenden Hill and another at Northolt, then being opened [91] by a Mr Harcourt, who was the son of a Baptist Minister and at that time was employed at the securities office of the Bank of England, and whose enthusiasm for evangelisation was very great. So he asked me to take the two stations and find workers, which I proceeded to do. I had an acquaintance in Ealing, a Mr Grey, foreman at a large drapery establishment, and I asked him to come – he not only came, but persuaded several of his fellow employees also to, and that furnished a plentiful supply for years after I left, at Horsenden. Mr H somehow found the money to build a mission room, and seating and a desk, and I bought a small organ and supplied a cup and plate (chalice and paper?) for communion service. We used to arrange a 3 months plan, and as there were four stations [92] it required 4 speakers each Sunday beside Sunday School teachers at one of the stations where we had a Sunday School. Yeading (footnote 1), where there was a school-house, but it belonged to the Church, by this I mean the state Church Episcopal, or Anglican, and how to get permission to use it for un-denominational services was a question; however, the clergyman of the parish was interviewed by an Anglican layman, and on his promise that the Lord’s Prayer should be said at each service, he consented that we should have the use of it. It was situated in a brickfield, near which a few hovels were erected for the use of the brick-makers and their families – a pretty tough bunch; but, we had a Sunday School in the afternoon, then an outdoor meeting and an evening service. Mr H. used to hire a wagonette and take several young people who were willing to teach [93] Sunday School; they used to visit at the houses around and leave tracts and give invitations to the services, then tea, a plain meal, was had, and after which the evening preaching service. I went there a few times.
There was also a fourth station at Greenford, a disused Baptist Chapel, and Mr H. used to conduct services there; it was eventually taken over by the Haven Green Baptist Church, Ealing. My Sundays were pretty strenuous days, but up to this time I had made no public profession of my faith in Christ, that is by being baptised – the mode of public profession amongst the Baptists, so as I was only in a situation and could not guarantee how long I might be there, I joined the Church at Camberwell New Road where my father and sister Emily were members.
About this time the YMCA [94] opened up work in Ealing, and as I was pretty well known inter-denominationally, was asked to become co-secretary with the then secretary, so I plunged into the work, which I need not describe as it is so well-known.
Transcriber’s footnotes:
1. Writing unclear – might possibly be “meeting”.
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