Church Services continued to be conducted in the St. Leonards Assembly Rooms on Sunday mornings and evenings, and eager worshipers continued to fill every available space. Such persons as had been excluded for want of room, had learnt, with pleasurable feelings that steps were being taken to procure an iron church, capable of accommodating not fewer than 600 persons. This was the aspect and prospect on the 24th of September, but as the latter had not been realised by the 15th of October, the following letter appeared in the Gazette of that date:-
Sir. - Having understood that the sanction of the Bishop had been obtained for the erection of an iron church for the use of the congregation now worshipping in the Assembly Rooms at St. Leonards, and that the expense of it has been guaranteed, I have been waiting and expecting to hear from day to day some further particulars as to where the site will be, and where it is to be erected. For the convenience of the congregation the erection should be delayed as little as possible, as the size of the assembly will not admit the full number who every Sunday desire to attend. Though an extra afternoon service will be commenced next Sunday, still, the erection of the Iron Church should be vigorously carried forward, as it would, besides accommodating the large congregation be certainly a very important step towards bringing about a satisfactory settlement of this unhappy state of things. Hoping soon to hear when and where the church will be erected I remain
One of the congregation.
Attack on Mr. Axford. The two church wardens (or as they were then styled, chapel wardens) were Mr. J. Peerless, a retired tradesman, and Mr. J.C. Axford a respected surgeon. As the latter gentleman, in his connection with the church, could not be induced to favour the views and actions of Mr Workman, a pamphlet was issued in which Mr. Axford was made to appear as having acted arbitrarily and unjustly. The response to this were the following letters, published in the Gazette of Oct 29th.
A Reply to an Attack made on Mr. Axford in a Pamphlet entitles "The St. Leonards Church Controversy."
49 Marina, St Leonards-on-Sea
October 29, 1864.
Sir, - A Pamphlet has lately appeared entitled "The St. Leonards Church Controversy", in which my name has been mentioned in a most unwarranted manner by the writer. It would not be difficult to prove why this Controversy has arisen, but as the circumstances are so widely known (at any rate to the Congregation of St. Leonards Church, who are the parties most interested in the matter). I shall simply state in reply that my course of action throughout has been in strict accordance with the commands of the Bishop of the Diocese, who has honoured me with his kind aprroval of my conduct and has permitted me to make public the following letter.
CHARLES J. AXFORD
The Bishop of Chichester's reply to C. J. Axford, Esq.
(Copy)
Palace, Chichester
25th October 1864.
My Dear Sir, - Your letter dated 22nd inst. had not been delivered here when I left home for Brighton, whereas I did not return until between 6 and 7 o'clock.
I bear willing testimony to my conviction that throughout the transactions relating to St. Leonards Chapel, and the Service thereof, in which you were obliged by your position with regards to it, and under directions from me to bear a part, it has been your desire, in very delicate and difficult circumstances to act uprightly and honestly, and that you succeeded in regulating your conduct so as to entitle you to append to your note as having emancipated from such a desire. I am sorry to learn that you allow anxiety in connexion with these reollections to disturb you.
There is no real reason why you should do so in the slightest degree. I trust, therefore, you would act upon the conciousness of the integrity of your purposes, and you will perhaps not unwillingly accept my assurance that I believe few in the same position could have done better.
Believe me, My dear Sir,
Yours Faithfully,
A. J. CHICHESTER.
Settled at Last. Whilst treating of the mid winter festival, the Gazette of December 24th remarked - and while we are speaking of the sacred character of Christmas, let us congratulate ourselves on the prospect of a happy termination of that unfortunate condition of clerical affairs which for months past has divided the church of St. Leonards against itself and placed the parishioners as well as many of the visitors in a position -
