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139 the cost of its erection when they went elsewhere. A record of July, 1839, says that it held 150 persons. That primitive edifice is now the kitchen to Mr. Monaghan’s public house. While the friends were looking out for a suitable site for better accommodation, one of the members, a Mr. Walker, of the Survey Office,. brought intelligence of the fine allotment at the corner of Collins and Queen Streets. This had been bought for a Sydney gentleman, who repudiated the sale after the deposit had been paid. It was then proposed to have it for the Post Office. But the Wesleyans were prompt and earnest in their application for the ground as a chapel and school site, and fortunately obtained it. At a missionary meeting held in the temporary chapel Sep. 9th, 1839, Dr. Thomson in the chair, Mr. Tuckfield announced that he had printed 50 copies of the Alphabet for the aborigines. The first Secretaries of the missions were Messrs. Tuckfield and Willoughby, Evening worship was held occasionally in a temporary place of Little Bourke Street. On the Geelong side, before any township existed, the two Buntingdale ministers held a Sunday service in Dr. Thomson’s wool shed, on the Barwon; there were usually 50 persons present. Independents.—The first minister of this denomination was the Rev. Mr. Waterfield, who arrived from England, calling at Hobart Town, May, 22nd, 1838. He was cordially received into the house of Mr, John Gardiner. This house, at which services were held for awhile, stood near the “ Bull and Mouth,” Bourke Street; it was lately a wooden boarding house. Upon the erection of Mr. Fawkner’s hotel, the large room was freely offered to the worshippers. About 100 individuals met there on the Sunday. On June 4th, 1838, at a meeting held in Mr. Gardiner’s house it was resolved to apply to Government for a grant of land. The sentiments of Governor Bourke upon the great question may be gathered from the following extract from a despatch of the year 1835 ; “ The means of Education being secured, I shall feel disposed to leave it to the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants to provide for churches and clergy. To aid all where the creeds are various seems impossible, and a partial distribution of the public funds appears nearly allied to injustice.” At the meeting in June, it was also resolved to obtain further subscriptions for a chapel, and the following were appointed a building committee ; Messrs. Waterfield, J. P. Fawkner, E. M. Sayers, H. Kettle, and J. Aberline, The following sums were then announced; £181 raised in Melbourne,
