1841, being the first permanent place of worship erected and finished in Port Phillip. There were the unusual number of three sermons at as many services, the Rev. Mr. Waterfield preaching at 11 a.m., Rev. Mr. Forbes (Presbyterian), at 3 p.m., and Rev. Mr. Orton (Wesleyan), at 6 p.m.
Amongst the great early benefactors of Congregationalists (a synonymous designation, by which the Independents are sometimes indicated) in Port Phillip, was Mr. Hopkins, who, visiting the settlement in 1837, on returning to Van Diemen's Land, represented to the Congregational Missionary Society in England the opportunity presented by the embryo colony, and was thereby instrumental in having Mr. Waterfield sent out from home. The first trustees of the Independent Chapel were the Rev. W . Waterfield, Messrs. J. P. Fawkner, J. R. Murphy, E. M. Sayers, and R. Bourne (of Sydney).
The Independents were not a numerous body, and there is not much to record of them. They steadfastly adhered to their chapel, and in September, 1842, the Rev. Mr. Docker, the owner of a large slice of Richmond, presented them with a chapel site there, on which, ere the year closed, they had a small temporary building put up. About the same period a seraphine had been added to the Collins Street chapel, but it did not work very smoothly, and for this reason, and because the majority of the congregation entertained a strong conscientious objection to instrumental music, its use was discontinued. In 1843 the Rev. Mr. Waterfield was transferred to Van Diemen's Land, and his place in Melbourne taken by the Rev. Alexander Morison, sent over by the Van Diemen's Land Home Missionary Society, who continued in the pastorate of the parent church for several years. The manner in which he discharged his ministerial functions gave general satisfaction; and, as a special recognition of his highly appreciated services, on Christmas Day of 1845 he was entertained at a soirée, and Mr. Coltheard, on behalf of the congregation, presented him with a beautifully worked purse containing eighty-two sovereigns. At a public meeting held in January, 1846, Mr. George Annand, as treasurer, submitted his statement of accounts, and the congregational "budget" disclosed a most satisfactory state of affairs. The success of the Wesleyan bazaars, no doubt, instigated the Independents to resort to the same popular device for gathering in a bank-note harvest, and accordingly they set to work at a Fancy Fair towards the end of 1847. It was held at the Mechanics' Institute, and ran over two days, the 14th and the 15th December, and though they had not the benefit of "Big Marsden's" tact and skill, they must have managed things wonderfully well, for the first day's takings netted £150, and the second £60. As a pecuniary result this beat the Wesleyans hollow.
On the 18th January, 1848, the first Ordination took place, when the ceremony attracted a numerous attendance, and several of the ministers of other persuasions assisted. The proceedings were commenced by the Rev. Mr. Hewlett giving out a hymn, after which he read from Romans x., and 1 Epistle Timothy. The Rev. Mr. Morison preached a very appropriate sermon on the objects and nature of the Christian ministry, taking for his text 2 Corinthians, v. chapter, 18 verse. It was then announced that Mr. M'Gillivray, for some time a Catechist at the Pyrenees, was a candidate for ordination. He was accordingly interrogated by the Rev. Mr. Jarrett, and gave satisfactory replies. The Rev. Mr. Sweetman recited the Ordination prayer, the candidate kneeling, after which the imposition of hands was effected by the minister placing his hand on the head of the postulant. The charge was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Ramsay, and the benediction by the Rev. Mr. Hewlett closed the proceedings.
The Rev. Mr. Morison, in January, 1849, received a second presentation consisting of a purse of £50; and shortly after the Rev. B. Cuzens arrived, to take charge of a church then in course of establishment at Geelong. The Rev. T. O'Dell made his appearance in June, 1850, and land in West Lonsdale Street having been purchased, a temporary chapel put up there, and Mr. O'Dell placed in charge. Subsequently a neat Gothic building was erected thereon. The O'Dell chapel was opened in due form on the 1st July, 1851, when the handsome sum of £60 resulted from the collection.
The Independents in 1881 had 49 registered ministers, and 107 chapels or places of worship, where 18,000 attendants could be accommodated. The average attendances were 9360, and the annual services might be stated approximately at 10,000. In 1886-7 the foregoing items stood as follow, according to Mr. Hayter:— Registered ministers, 54; churches and other buildings used for public worship, 76—accommodating 17,400 worshippers; number of services, 14,000; average attendance, 9000; total population, 22,727.
