As some of our readers may, possibly, be desirous of knowing something of the origin of this remarkable awakening, we are induced to furnish another paper on the subject, not only because of the uncommon interest attaching thereto, but also because it tends to prove the immense value and importance of prayer and the word of God.
So far as we have been able, amidst so many conflicting reports and opinions, to glean anything like accurate information, we believe that this marvelous work of God commenced at a place called Connor, in the County of Antrim, from thence it extended to Kells, Ahoghill, Ballymena, Hasharkin, Ballymoney, Moorefort, Coleraine, Newtownlimavady; and, in short, through large districts of the counties of Antrim and Derry.
Thus much as to localities. And now, as to instrumentality. Nothing, perhaps, in this entire movement, is more remarkable than the way in which the Spirit of God has swept away every pedestal on which man could presume to exhibit himself. He has written folly upon all human pretension, cast a cloud over all human glory, and leveled with the dust all human assumption. One of the most distinct utterances of this entire movement is, “No flesh shall glory in his presence.” A very few words both as to the origin and progress of the work, will suffice to illustrate and confirm this remark.
The writer had an interview, some weeks ago, in the presence of a beloved fellow-laborer, with one of those who were the means in God’s hand of commencing this work. He is a man in humble life, with but little education. Having been awakened, by the Spirit of God, to a sense of his guilt and danger, he continued, for the space of two years, in a state of intense mental anguish, endeavoring, like hundreds of others, to “establish his own righteousness,” but finding no rest whatever for his troubled heart and burdened conscience, in aught that he could do. In this condition of soul, he heard of a Christian lady who had been stopping in Ballymena, and, who feeling discouraged by the deadness and coldness of all around her, was about to leave the country. This earnest man resolved to seek out this person, and from her lips he learned the emancipating tidings of a full, free, present, personal, and perfect salvation, through the one offering of Jesus Christ, on the cross. Feeling deeply impressed with a sense of the low condition of things, in the professing church, he and one or two others, of a kindred spirit, united in fervent prayer to God for a revival of His work. They prayed. God heard- heard and answered-answered, as He ever does, in a way they never anticipated.
“Yea, in that sphere I stand, poor worn,
Where thou wilt for thy name perform
Above whate’er I ask or think.”
Here, then, my reader has, in few words, the source of a stream of blessing which has, already, flowed through a large and important portion of the province of Ulster. And let him carefully note and deeply ponder the fact, that when he gazes upon that source, he finds it to be, simply, “the word of God and prayer” This, truly, is an impressive fact, and one which ought to be carefully weighed. Men may argue, reason, object. They may point to second causes and such like; but he is remembered, the source of this copious stream of blessing, when carefully sought out, will be found in “the word of God and prayer.”
Is it not obvious, then, in contemplating the origin of the awakening in Ulster, that man has nothing to glory in? An illiterate man, in humble life, learns from the lips of a stranger, the simple gospel of Christ. He, with one or two others, equally humble, equally illiterate, begins to pray and preach, to preach and pray; and here you have the origin of the great work of awakening in Ulster. The stream has flowed onward, with marvelous rapidity. It has deepened and widened, as it flowed. Thousands have been refreshed by it. The enemy has sought to interrupt its course, to muddy its water; but, let me repeat, it has its source in “the word of God and prayer.”
I am deeply anxious that my reader should rise from the perusal of this paper with the distinct impression upon his mind, that the remarkable movement in Ulster had its origin in “the word of God and prayer.” No man, nor body of men, can boast. The Holy Ghost has proved Himself sovereign, in this, as in all beside. He has wrought, without the slightest reference to creed, caste, or denomination. The tide has risen majestically, and its undulations have been felt in every department of the professing church. No intelligent person can contemplate this work, either in its origin or its progress, and not be struck with this remarkable feature. The most illiterate men have been taken up, by the Holy Ghost, and used in the glorious work of turning sinners from darkness to light. The writer has seen assembled thousands hanging on the lips of persons who, literally, could not utter a sentence of good grammar. He has seen persons smitten down without any apparent reference to ordinary ministration.
These are facts; but, let it not be supposed that we undervalue education or mental culture. Still less, let it be imagined, that we refuse to recognize divinely gifted and divinely appointed evangelists and pastors. God forbid. We fully own the divine institution of the Christian ministry; nor could we say how highly we prize habits of profound and prayerful meditation upon the word of God. We do not believe that all are fitted or called of God to be evangelists, pastors, or teachers; and, moreover, we have, during the last few weeks, heard many attempting to expound the word of God, of whom charity itself should declare, “they know neither what they say nor whereof they affirm.” We have generally observed that where those recently converted confined themselves to a simple, earnest, heartfelt, statement of what God had done for their souls, or fervent appeals to the heart and conscience, they were heard with interest and profit; but, directly they approached to anything like the position or sermonizing, their statements were crude, profitless, and often intolerable.
Still, let the professing church weigh the fact. The Holy Ghost has used illiterate men. He used them, in apostolic times; He used them, in the middle ages; He is using them, now. An illiterate plowman, with Christ in his heart, is better far than a Christless scholar with all the learning of the schools at his fingers’ ends. There cannot be a greater mistake than to imagine that a man, dead in trespasses and sins, however deeply read in classics, is capable of dealing with souls. This has been made fully manifest, in the present movement. Unconverted men are completely at sea, when called upon to deal with cases of spiritual conviction, whereas the most unlearned person who has found Christ for himself, can minister Christ to another. He may not be a divinely qualified, evangelist, pastor, or teacher; but he can point to “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”
We must, now, close; but ere doing so, we would desire to press upon the reader the need, value, and importance of earnest, persevering prayer. If he be one whose lot is cast in a barren land where all is sterile and dreary, where the gospel is never heard and conversions are unknown; what should he do? Let him imitate our friends at Connor, Rasharkin, and elsewhere. Let him betake himself to “prayer and the word of God.” If he cannot find some kindred spirit with whom to work, in holy fellowship, then, let him begin alone. Let him wait on God. Yes; let him wait, wait, wait; and he shall, assuredly get an answer. Let him not say “I know, of a surety, that all God’s elect will, in due time, be gathered out, and I must not run before Him.” This is just Satan drawing an inference from God’s premises. It is true that God will gather out His own; but it is equally true that the means He uses to reach that end are “the word of God and prayer.”
Hence, therefore, we earnestly and affectionately exhort all christians to the instant in prayer to God, that He will not only deepen and consolidate His work in those regions where it has begun, but also carry it into “the regions beyond,” so that multitudes may be gathered to Christ, and those who are gathered may be built up on their most holy faith.
The following letter from a dear and valued fellow-laborer who has been, for many years, engaged in the work at Newtown Limavady, will, we doubt not, be read with much interest in connection with the foregoing paper. It supplies what many of our readers may be desirous of obtaining, namely, accurate details from the pen of an intelligent eye-witness.
Newtown Limavady, July, 1859.
Beloved Brother,
As it may tend to the glory of God to make known through the medium of the press the wonderful work of His Holy Spirit in this immediate neighborhood, I shall proceed to detail what took place under my own eye during the first seven days of the revival in this extensive valley.
Having seen, at Moorefort and elsewhere, in the county of Antrim, very many cases of conviction among the people, I thought it well to call together the inhabitants of New-town, on the following Lord’s day, the 5th June, in order to relate the wonders I had seen there, and to pray God to pour out a similar blessing upon us.
A large assembly took place, and another meeting was decided on for Monday. After the speaking in the open-air on that evening, two cases took place, attended, as usual, by violent and irresistible screaming, the body prostrate and reduced to a helpless condition. Presently, this state of things subsides, and with subdued voice, a call “for Jesus” escapes their lips, the body becomes quiet, and, in due time, (varying very much as to its duration) a full confession of His blessed name flows from their hearts and lips, and they stand up, declaring they have found peace with God through the atoning blood of His beloved Son. On Tuesday, six cases occurred; on Wednesday, about thirty; on Thursday, to avoid any disunion, all parties assembled in a public place of worship, but there was no manifestation. On Friday, in a field in front of my own house, an immense work of God, and that in wonderful power, was presented to the astonished eyes and hearts of a vast concourse of beholders; not less than one hundred souls were brought under conviction of sin, the greater part being “struck down” to the ground. Some of the women and children were conveyed into the house; others followed to assist them, and, shortly, nearly every room was crowded with persons, crying out, and praying for mercy. The lawn was literally strewed, like a battle field, with deeply wounded-sin-stricken ones, under conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, who was revealing Christ to their souls, and giving them victory over the enemy, by the blood of the Lamb.
But who can describe what was going on in the house? In one large room were gathered no less than thirty persons, on their knees, waiting and calling upon God in silent prayer for the remission of their sins; while the other rooms were filled with souls either calling out for mercy, praying, or singing praises to God for mercy received. This was going on in all parts of the house. It was wonderful to see strong men, whose well-known lives could, ere this, bear no examination, leap up from the ground and rejoice in God their Saviour, and begin at once to preach Christ to their companions and fellow-townsmen, beseeching them to cry for mercy and forgiveness.
This effusion embraced all ages from the little child up to the age of threescore and ten, but the converting power of the Holy Spirit was not confined to the outward manifestation, for it is believed that numbers of persons present that night were convicted of sin, and found peace with God, without being struck down. This truly wonderful time was followed, on Saturday night, by another display of power little less in extent. A much esteemed servant of Christ was unexpectedly present. The Lord blessed his visit. A very large shower of blessing took place, and his testimony was, that he had never witnessed anything in Antrim to equal it. This house was not emptied till 7 o’clock oh the Lord’s day morning. Up to this day, the 12Th June, the manifestation had been, I believe, entirely confined to this locality, so much so, that many from the country flocked down to attend the meetings so much blessed. This was particularly the case on the annual fair-day, the 13th, when not less than, 5000 persons (some say 7000) were assembled in the field, to hear the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Another scene of the gracious power of God was again manifested, and the field covered with groups of saved souls, ministering to the newly stricken ones, who were to be met with in all directions, and, as usual, seeking for mercy and pardon through the perfect atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
During the services on the Lord’s day, this wonderful manifestation of the actual presence of God in the midst of us, broke forth in two places of public worship in the town, and afterward spread over the country with great rapidity. Persons were struck down everywhere; in the cabins, fields, “highways and hedges,” apart from the ministry of the word. And now, the whole country is greatly reformed as to its outward conduct. Everywhere you may find persons meeting together, singing, praying, reading, and rejoicing. The results appear to be abiding; those who believe, (as the vast majority certainly do,) that the whole work is of God, look up, take courage and adore. Men and women who were abandoned characters, others well trained in all the usual morality of religion, are now alike rejoicing in the knowledge of sins forgiven, by the sacrifice once offered. No pen can adequately describe the scenes of this never-to-be-forgotten week; the Lord’s name alone be praised for His wondrous grace, in richest blessing, to so many precious souls!
I may add an instance of His mighty grace, by stating the fact of a young man who was in the act of mocking the affected ones being struck down suddenly, and soon after finding peace through the knowledge of forgiveness. Another, one of the wildest of men and one who would readily have used his strength against others, under any little provocation, told me “he now stood before God clear of sin by the blood of His dear Son, and as white as the whitewashed wall before him.” But I need not proceed with special cases. God has wrought a work here eternally to be remembered by very many souls, whose sins have been forgiven, and who now rejoice in God their Saviour, with a full consciousness of eternal life being their everlasting portion.
O.B.T.