there was
a rather curious difficulty at the Unitarian Chapel in this town. In
1807, the Rev. W. Manning Walker, who at that time had been minister
of the chapel for five years, changed his mind, became "more
evangelical," could not agree with the doctrines he had previously
preached, got into water somewhat warm with the members, and left
the place. He took with him a few sympathisers, and through their
instrumentality a new chapel was built for him in Grimshaw-street,
and opened on the 12th of April, 1808. It was a small edifice, would
accommodate about 850 persons, and was the original ancestor of the
Independent Chapel in that street. In 1817 the building was enlarged
so as to accommodate between 500 and 600, and Mr. Walker laboured
regularly at it till 1822, when declining health necessitated his
retirement. The Rev. Thomas Mc.Connell, a gentleman with a smart
polemical tongue, succeeded him. Mr. Mc.Connell drew large
congregations, and for a time was a burning and a shining light; but
in 1825 be withdrew; became an infidel or something of the sort, and
subsequently gave lectures on theological subjects, much to the
regret of his friends and the horror of the orthodox.

On the 23rd of July, 1826, the Rev. R. Slate began duty as regular
minister of the chapel, and remained at his post until April 7th,
1861, when through old age and growing infirmity he resigned. Mr.
Slate was a tiny, careful, smoothly-earnest man, consistent and
faithful as a minister, made more for quiet sincere work than
dashing labour or dazzling performance; fond of the Puritan divines,
a believer in old manuscripts, disposed to tell his audiences every
time he got upon a platform how long he had been in the ministry,
but in the aggregate well and deservedly respected. No clergyman in
Preston has ever stayed so long at one place as Mr. Slate; and
Grimshaw-street Chapel since it lost him has many a time had a
"slate off" in more respects than one.

After Mr. Slate retired from his post at Grimshaw-street Chapel, the
Rev. J. Briggs, a young and vociferous gentleman, fresh from
college, given to Sunday evening lecturing, Corn Exchange
serenading, virtuous speech-making, and other--we were going to say
evils--labours of love, appeared upon the stage. Soon after he
arrived a new black gown was presented to him, and if one of the
local papers which recorded the event at the time tells the truth,
he had it donned in the vestry, after which there wa