CIRCULAR.

IN the autumn of the year 1826, a number of gentlemen, who were connected together under the title of the Association for Moral and Religious Improvement, and who for some years previous had been in the practice of holding religious meetings among the poor in different sections of our city, procured the use of an upper room of a building in Merrimack Street, known as the Circular building, for the purpose of holding stated religious meetings for the poor, and others of the less favored classes in that neighborhood. The religious services were conducted by Rev. Dr Tuckerman, who was the first, and, for years, the only Minister at large in our city.

The Howard Sunday School was also established at the same time and place, and was designed for the children of the same classes as those above alluded to. The success and importance of these exercises, and the inconvenient and comfortless condition of the room in which they were held, led to an effort in the year 1828, to procure some commodious and central place, where regular services should be held on the Sabbath, suited to the wants and capacities of those whom it was desirable to bring together under this ministry. A subscription paper was drawn up, and a sufficient sum soon obtained for the purchase of a lot of land in Friend street, and the erection upon it of the present wooden chapel. The whole was then conveyed in trust to certain of the subscribers, subject to the condition that it should be devoted exclusively and forever, to the free religious instruction of the poor in the city of Boston.

Both the chapel services and the Sunday School instructions have from that time been regularly continued, to this day; and, with every year which has rolled by, have been exciting a deeper interest and exerting a wider influence among the families in the neighborhood. In the chapel there are, during the spring, summer and autumn, two services on the Lord's day, and, in the winter, three, which are well attended. The Sunday school is held twice each Sabbath, and now numbers over two hundred pupils.

Will you then allow us respectfully to state to you, that the population around the mill-pond has, within a few years past, increased with great rapidity; and, in consequence, that the Chapel, which at first was thought to be favorably situated, is now confined and incon.. venient. One of its sides has, for some time past, been completely closed up by a brick building standing against it; and the other is soon to be closed in the same manner; so that all access of light and air will be soon excluded, except from a narrow front and rear. There are, also, two large livery stables, and an extensive hotel, in the immediate vicinity; which, with their concomitants, are very disagreeable to the teachers, and disadvantageous to the pupils. In addition to these disadvantages, there are others of an irremediable character, which arise from the internal structure and arrangement of the building itself. Experience has shown it to be too small and

very unsuitable to the objects for which it was intended. The Trus. tees of the present Chapel have been made acquainted with the above state of things, and approve of our design. The Executive Committee of the Benevolent Fraternity of Churches, have also expressed their unanimous approval of the measure. The present premises, we are of opinion, can be so disposed of as to net $3000, and we conceive that we shall need in addition, for the completion of the Chapel in Pitts Street, the further sum of $7000. This amount we propose to raise by subscription; and already a considerable proportion has been subscribed, but a large sum is yet needed; when we regard the importance of the object, and the known philanthropy of the parties upon whom we depend for its accomplishment, we cannot for a moment doubt our success. We desire our Chapel to be, in intention and fact, a free chapel for the poor; not an object of doubtful utility to any, but a cherished spot, where the children of ignorance and neg. lect may learn to love and practise the simple teachings of Jesus,and to which all for whom the Ministry at large is intended, may be free to come to gather hope and consolation and advice. Neither do we mean to act as the instruments of a sect, or for sectarian purposes. The Chapel, as is well known, is immediately under the patronage of the Benevolent Association of Churches, recently established in this city; but we do not mean, therefore, to teach Unitarianism or any other dividing creed; but simply those great and commanding truths of our religion which all Christians acknowledge, and which are adapted to the character and wants of those who are to be the subjects of them.

With these views and feelings, we willingly leave the subject to the consideration of the good and philanthropic, confident that it will meet their sympathy and approbation, and obtain for us whatever means may be required for the completion of an object so important to society, and so anxiously looked for by the poor themselves. Very respectfully, your obedient servants,

FREDERICK T. GRAY,
ELIJAH COBB,

R. W. BAYLEY,

H. B. ROGERS,

JOSEPH TUCKERMAN,

Committee.

P. S. Subscriptions may be sent to Joseph Tuckerman,