Sheffield Independent – Monday 13 September 1937

To Touch Hearts of Youth
Darfield Church Extensions Opened

In celebration the golden jubilee of the building, important extensions were opened and dedicated at the Wesley Church, Barnsley road, Darfield, on Saturday.

The opening ceremony was performed by Mr Joseph Ward of Sheffield, and among the visitors were the Rev William Younger of Hull, ex-president of the Methodist Conference (1934): Pastor C. H. Brown of Ventnor Street, Methodist Mission. Leeds, the Rev. H. Drown. Rector of Darfield, and Rev. A E Chatfield curate of Great Houghton. Mr. W. Gartery, the oldest member of the society, presided, and the Rev. G. H. Green superintendent minister of Barnsley, conducted prayers.

The extensions consist of a vestry and church institute, involving expenditure of £1800 of which has £500 been raised. It was mentioned that from 1931 to 1935 the church raised £700 for the provision of an organ and other improvements.

Good Example

Mr. Gartery mentioned some of the stalwarts who were actively associated with the church at the foundation, and paid tribute to their devotion in the “eighteen shillings a week “ days. They could hope for nothing better, he said, than they would prove worthy successors of these great souls. Even though they were not a rich church, they had always done well raising money.

Introduced by the Rev G.H. Green as “a great lover of Methodism,” Mr. Joseph Ward performed the opening ceremony. That was his first visit to that church, he said, hut he knew it as a ” live church church which produced Faster Brown, of Leeds, just returned from the United States, who was present.

They were opening that extension not as our social club, but in order that they might touch the hearts of young and old—particularly the young, in older that they might the won early life for all that was best and highest.

He concluded. “If you can make this place a Bethesda for all who enter its doors, you are doing God’s work. May God spare you to continue in the work for tong time.”

In prelude to a sermon the Rev. William Younger congratulated the officers and members of the church on their devotion and enterprise and expressed pleasure at the work carried out.

50 Years History

At the evening meeting Councillor R. J Soper, of Barnsley, presided, and the speakers were the Rev William Younger, the Rev H Drown and the Rev G. H. Green.

Yesterday the services were conducted by Rev. B. F. W. Bottom, Priory Place. Doncaster, and in the afternoon. Mr. Bertram Husband, of Barnsley Road Methodist Church, Wombwell, gave and organ recital. Vocal solos were rendered by Mrs. W. Hainsworth of Doncaster, Mr S. Copley, of Ardsley, presided.

In connection with the event, Mr. W. Garteiy has prepared a 50 years history of the church. In this he states, “ The Methodism of Darfield has never lacked virility, and has always been of the democratic type.”