The church assembling in this meeting house was formed about 1798, when Mr. J. RUSH was minister, and was constituted of a party who seceded from High pavement chapel; in 1800 J. CROCKFORD was appointed pastor, and in 1807 John BRYAN. Their chapel was situated in Halifax place until 1819, when the present place of meeting in Fletcher gate was built at a cost of £1,700 - the ground being given by Mr. Samuel BEAN. It will seat about 600 persons. There is a debt of £300 upon the building. The old chapel was sold to the Wesleyan Methodists, who have transformed it into schoolrooms. Mr. BRYAN died April 10^th, 1823, and was succeeded by Mr. James JACKS. In 1829 Mr. William STRUTT was appointed pastor, in 1832 MR. P. BROAD, and in 1831 Mr. Gad SOUTHALL. There has been no stated minister for several years past. At the commencement of Mr. BRYAN's ministry there were twelve members; at present there are sixty-five. At the Sunday schools 79 boys and 90 girls are taught by 11 male and 14 female instructors. There are 348 books in the library. The boys and girls are taught arithmetic one evening in the week.

In 1801 this independent chapel was erected through the seceders from the High pavement chapel in 1761 being dispossessed of their chapel in Halifax place. Its dimensions are 41 feet 9 inches by 36 feet. The congregation, though not numerous, was composed of wealthy people who took good care of the poor. Thery were known as Sabellians, and their views of a ministry were similar to those entertained by the Scotch Baptists. The chapel has been closed for some years.

The church meeting in this edifice originated in a secession from Castle gate chapel in 1822, the most prominent seceders being William WILSON, John HARRISON, William RAWSON, Kirke SWANN, Henry DUNN, Thomas GREEN, and Thomas RADFORD. The young congregation, about seventy in number, first met for worship in Mrs. HUISH's house, in front of the present chapel. The edifice was erected by Mr. PATTERSON, builder, Nottingham, at a cost of £2,765. It was opened in September, 1823, by the late Rev. Dr. M'ALL, brother of the present esteemed pastor of Castle gate chapel. The church, at its organization, consisted of from sixteen to twenty members, chiefly young men.

The first pastor was the Rev. Richard CECIL,nephew of the late eminent minister of Bedford row chapel, London. In 1826 the Rev. Joseph GILBERT shared with him the ministerial duties, but he connexion was severed in the following year, when Mr. GILBERT and a portion of the congregation retired and formed a new church, which was shortly afterwards located in Friar lane chapel. In 1829 the Rev. Richard CECIL removed to Turvey, Befordshire, where he gathered a small congregation from that portion of the flock of the celebrated Leigh RICHMOND which seceded from the Church of England. Mr. CECIL subsequently went to Ongar, where he ministered for several years, afterwards returning to his old congregation at Turvey, with whom he still remains. The pulpit at St. James's street was supplied by a succession of ministers after the departure of MR. CECIL. The Rev. Mr. MILLS remained six months. In 1823 the present minister, the Rev. John WILD, accepted the pastorate, and under his ministry the church and the congregation have greatly prospered. As a devoted servant of Christ, eloquent and impressive in the pulpit - laborious and effective among his people, Mr. WILD has earned much love and respect from the community which he benefits.

The chapel is 58 long and 52 feet broad, and can accommodate about a thousand worshippers. The Sunday schools in connexion with the church were founded in 1823, and in 1844 they were attended by 170 children. Now there are 60 male and 80 female scholars, who receive instruction from 10 male and 19 female teachers. There are a Dorcas society, a sick society for Sunday school children, and an auxiliary missionary association. A small burial ground is attached to the chapel. The organ was built in 1846 by Messrs. FOSTER and ANDREWS of Hull.

This chapel was built in 1828. Its plan is a parallologram of 63 feet 6 inches by 43 feet; height, 48 feet; and it will seat 800. The architect was Mr. WALLEN of Moorfields, the builder Mr. PATTERSON.

The structure belongs to the second division of the Early English Gothic, and is distinguished by a chaste beauty which we would like to see more general in the chapel architecture of this country. The two octagen towers are 52 feet high and 10 feet 8 inches in diameter: in each tower a winding staircase leads to the galleries for the congregation, and still higher to narrow galleries on each side, for the accommodation of the Sunday scholars. The centre part of the staircase is hollow, one is a ventilator for catacombs, and the other the chimney of the furnace for warming the chapel.

At the conclusion of the evening service on the 15^th of November, 1846, some pitiful miscreant concealed himself in the chapel and made an attempt, happily unsuccessful, to destroy the edifice. About eleven o'clock, a by-passer observed the fire, immediately gave an alarm, and before much damage had been done, they brigade succeeded in subduing the flames. It was found necessary to erect a new pulpit and to repair other portions of the edifice. The pulpit is of beautiful design, of large dimensions, and is capable of being used as a platform. In front of the pulpit is the communion table with three stalls for the officers of the church, with carved oak canopies over them.

In the following year great additions were made by the erection of commodious school rooms adjoining and communicating with the chapel. These schools consist of one large room, 56 feet long by 24 feet broad, six class rooms of various dimensions and a house for the chapel keeper. These additions were made by the Messrs. DAWSONS, builders, under the direction of Mr. I.C. GILBERT, architect. The catacombs underneath the chapel were made for 500 bodies.

The Rev. Joseph GILBERT was pastor, the congregation having been at first formed by a respectable and wealthy body of persons who withdrew from membership in St. James's street chapel. At the opening of this chapel on April the 17^th, 1828, sermons were preached by the Rev. Isaac TAYLOR, of Ongar, and the Rev. Dr. RAFFLES of Liverpool. The organ was purchased about twelve years ago and cost about £200, a large portion of which was contributed by Mr. Alderman HERBERT. The Sunday school is attended on the average by 120 girls and about 80 boys, the number of teachers being upwards of 32.