jesty's malady did not
admit of his being present upon this occasion, as it is understood
he very much wished to be, he in a very condescending manner gave
directions for the payment of one thousand pounds, from his private
purse, towards the completion of the building. The body of the church
being free to all description of persons, is fitted up with benches
for their accommodation; but rent being paid to the clergyman for
kneelings in the galleries, they are finished in a style of elegance,
with mahogany, supported by light pillars of the doric order. The
church was consecrated with great solemnity on the 13th of July, 1813,
by the Honourable and Right Rev. James Cornwallis, bishop of Lichfield
and Coventry, and an appropriate sermon preached by the Rev. Edmund
Outram, D.D. the worthy rector of St. Philip's church, who selected
his text from one of the beatitudes--"_The poor have the gospel
preached unto them._"--The bishop, in whom the presentation rests,
afterwards gave to the Rev. J. Hume Spry, whom he had appointed to the
living, the sum of one hundred pounds, to purchase bibles and prayer
books, for the use of the congregation, or that part of it whom he
perceived to be the most regular in their attendance. Divine service
was first performed by the aforesaid clergyman, on Sunday the 18th of
July, at half past ten o'clock in the morning, and in the evening at
six o'clock. The ascent to the galleries is by a double geometrical
staircase, of stone, with ballustrades of iron, coated with brass,
which appear light and produces an elegant effect; these, with the
railing at the altar, were an entire new manufacture, invented by Mr.
B. Cooke, whose manufactory is carried on at Baskerville House. The
altar piece, designed by Mr. Stock, of Bristol, is of mahogany, above
which is a painting by Mr. Barber, representing a cross, apparently
in the clouds. These being completed in June, 1815, an elegant
well-finished organ, built by Elliott, of London, was erected about
the same time; and is considered to be one of the most powerful and
well-arranged instruments in this part of the kingdom. The present
organist is Mr. Munden. The portico and spire were both of them
erected by Mr. Richardson, of Handsworth; the former at the expense of
L1200 and the latter L1500, which was completed in 1816. In the year
1817, a clock was affixed in the tower, by Mr. Allport, which has four
dials, and each of them both hour and minute hands. This