KingsLynn,NorfolkTranscriptionofArticleintheChristianMessengerbyA.T.W.DuringrecentyearstheLondonRoadChurchhasgrowninnumbers,usefulness,andprestige,andnowholdsthepremierpositionamongtheFreeChurchesofthetown.Thisislargelyowingtoasuccessionofmenofhighcharacterandblamelesslife:menwhohavebeensincerely,insomecasespassionately,devotedtotheinterestsofthisparticularchurch.TheLynnChurchisnowthecentreofmanifoldactivities-social,educational,benevolent,evangelistic,andsustainsinstitutionsandagenciesthroughwhichitexercisesafar-reachinginfluenceonthemany-sidedlifeofthelocality.Theprogressivestagesofthechurchmaybetracedbynotingtheimprovementofitschoirandserviceofpraise.Sincetheerectionofthepresentchapelthesingingwasledbymeansofaflute,playedbyonewhostillsurvivesandavailshimselfofanoldman’sprivilegetodiscourseaboutthemusicalperformancesofLynnPrimitiveshalfacenturyago.Eventuallytheflutegaveplacetoaharmonium,whichledthechoirandcongregationformanyyears.Twelveyearssincethechoirinitiatedamovementfortheerectionofanorganchamber,anorchestra,andthepurchaseofanorgan,atanoutlayofover£500.Theprojectwascarriedtoasuccessfulissue,andthewholecostwasraised.ThankGodforthatorganandthosevoices,weshallnotsoonforgetthem.Oftenhavetheycalmed,subdued,andenrapturedus-helpingusbothtopreachandtopray.ItisapleasuretotestifythatthegreatprosperityofourLynnChurch,duringthesevenyearsofourministrythere,wasdueinnosmalldegreetotheloyalservicesrenderedbythechoir.TheLynnSundayschool,whichwasstartedonOctober2nd,1825,withsixty-sixscholarswhohadneverbeentoanyschool,hashadaglorioushistory.Previoustotheerectionofthepresentpremises,in1876,theschoolwascarriedonatfivedifferentpartsofthetown,eachofthefivebrancheswearingitsowncoloursandfollowingitsownbannerintheprocessionsonanniversarydays.TheLynnSundayschoolhasgivenattentiontothosephasesofservicewhichcontemplatethesafe-guardingofthechildrenfromthesocialevilsthatsurroundthem.Ithasinstructedandtrainedthescholarsintheprinciplesandhabitsoftotalabstinence.LongbeforetheTemperanceSundayfoundaplaceintheConferenceMinutestemperancesermonswerepreachedatLynn,andanaggressive

totalabstinencepropagandacarriedon.FormanyyearstheBandofHopeandAdultTemperanceSocietyhavedoneusefulandencouragingwork,andhavetakenseveralhundredsofpledges.Thenextoff-shootoftheschoolwastheCatechumenClass,whichwasformedfourteenyearsago.Largenumbersofthescholarshavebeenmembersofthisclass,andallofthempledgedabstainers.Severalofthecatechumenshavegainedvaluablescholarshipsatthedayschools;manyhaveleftthetown,butareknowntobeengagedinChristianworkelsewhere;seventeenaremembersoftheLynnChoir,fiftyareinfellowshipwiththeLynnChurch,fiveareteachersintheschool,andseveralareonthepreacher‘splan.Thatisagoodrecordforanunpretentiousinstitutionthatcarriesonitsworkwithouteithernoiseorshow,anditmustgiverealjoytotheladywhohasbeenitsleaderfromthebeginningandregardsitasaholytrust.AnotheroffshootoftheschoolistheP.S.A.,whichwasstartedin1888,andhasdonearemarkablework.Fromthefirstthemovementwaspopularandsuccessful.Theattendancebecameacrowd,andwasplacedunderthecareofalargeCommittee,withtheSocietyStewardatitshead.Theserviceisalwaysgood;oftenitisarich,musical,andspiritualfeast,andtheaudience,thoughfrequentlygreatlymoved,neverblemishthereverentexercisesbyapplause.Thisinstitutionfindsemploymentformanychurchmemberswhowouldotherwisebeidle;itbringsmanyintothesanctuarywhowouldotherwisebeonthestreets,andithasbroughtsomeintofellowshipwithJesusChrist.TheP.S.A.fundsareusedforthesupportoftheministry,toassistthesickandneedypoor,andfortheimprovementofthechurchpropertyunderthedirectionoftheTrustees.AssociatedwiththeSundayschoolisaflourishingEndeavour,withamembershipwelloverahundred.Fromitsbeginningtheyouthfulsocietyhasbeenaspiritualandevangelisticforce.OnseveraloccasionstheEndeavourershavecanvassedthetownhousebyhouseintheinterestofevangelisticmissions;duringthesummermonthstheweeklymeetingoftentakestheformofauniqueservice,heldinthecourtsandsquaresofthetown,andunderthecareoftheministertheEndeavourershaveinvadedmanyofthevillages,conductedmeetingsbothindoorsandout,andoftenwithblessedspiritualresults.Themostrecentimprovementinconnectionwiththeschoolisinthemusicaldepartment.Alargeandpowerfulorganhasbeenpurchased,andachoirofchildren‘svoicescarefullytrainedleadsthesinging.Thishasbeenagreatgain.Thescholarslikeit,theirfriendslikeittoo.Achildren'schoirmightbeorganisedinmanyschools,andwouldaddinterestandefficiencytotheweeklysession.Inmostschoolsthereissomeonewhocouldassistinthisway,andbysodoingwouldrendergoodservicetotheschoolandchurch.

WegiveGodthanksfortheworkdonebyourchurchatLynn,andthereisahopefuloutlookforthefuture.ReferencesChristian Messenger 1903/104