Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-08-27
gloucester 1allp Spp.
From the British Messenger, Aug. 9th.
THE GREAT AWAKENING IN IRELAND
THE ORIGIN OF THE REVIVAL.


mentary accounts of which have been given
from time to time, commenced i'll the district
of Common, place which has been privileged
to have an evangelical ministry for the last
hundred years. -Four men, comparatively
young-met for prayer i'll the autumn of 1851,
They contended to pray for the Holy Ghost
and the revival of the work of God. Others
Joined them. They were instrumental in the
conversion of numbers. The Rev. Mr.. Moore
of Conner must have been also very cordially
and earnestly engaged in forwarding the work
there for one of his elders writes, that in his
congregation "there are believed to have been
from 300 to 400 genuine conversions, and still
the Spirit is being poured out in rich abund
ance." Writing again, May %, the same cor.
respondent tells Of the outpouring of the Spirit
ON Ballymena.
During the past week Ballymena has been
visited in a remarkable manner. Hundreds
have been struck by the mighty power of
God. and constrained to cry out, "What must
we do to be saved g Many, very many, have
found peace, and are now rejoicing in the lib
erty wherewith Christ makes his people free.
The first crops seem to have fallen on Sabbath
evening, 18th inst, at revival meeting held
in Sabbath school room, by the Rev. j. s.
Moore, and to have made rapid progress from
that time"
But prayer preceded for in another letter
from young man we are told that he and 9th
ers had commenced a prayer-meeting with an
attendance of about seventy the first night.
On the second" he says, "two young men
from Conner came in to assist us the
schoolroom was crammed, and deep impress
ion was made on many Of those present"
Toward the close he says, "Ballymena is dry
as yet. Surely we will not be passed by with
out enjoying this shower. Do, | entreat you
pray for us Ask God to cause religion to
flow down our streets as mighty stream
Shine forth, 0 thou that dwellest between the
cherubims p
ITS PROGRESS.
In Ahoghill and surrounding district, it
seemed to be as sudden and rapid as the con-
fagration on the American prairies. AS the
work was going on, one said, of this move
ment continues, all the public houses in Ahog
hill may shut up" In all the towns and vii
lagos where the revival has come, the public
houses are emptied, and the churches and
prayer.meetings are crowded.
In Ballymoney, at the earlier stages of the
awakening, while man was praying with
great earnestness, for direct manifestation of
the Spirit as on the day of Pentcost, fifteen
individuals in the crowd were simultaneously
Frustrated, and with loud cries for mercy, borne
off the ground or prayed over by ministers and
friends. AT Rasharkin while one prayed that
the Holy Spirit might descend as with fire, a
fash of lightning, which filled the building at
the moment, struck the congregation with awe,
so that trembling with terror, they Frustrated
themselves upon the floor, and, out Of con-
gregation of seven hundred there were one
hundred cases of decided conviction.
About the beginning Of June the awakening
commenced in Coleraine, and advanced with
remarkable rapidity, as if it were to embrace
the whole community. AT the first meeting
held more people assembled than ever attend
ed any meeting in town, either for instruction
or amusement The day after the meeting not
fewer than one hundred and fifty cases Of de-
cided conviction were known, and on the even
ing of that day the conversions were more I'M
merous still. In one week the whole place
seemed to be turned upside down; young and
old were affected, and business, except in BIZ
bles and testaments, which was unusually
large, was well nigh paralyzed.
THE REVIVAL IN BELFAST.
The movement was in full force in Belfast
about the middle Of June. Churches, chapels,
and schoolrooms were thrown open for daily
meeting, and crowded. Mulitudes assembled
for preaching and prayer. Converts from
Connor and Ballymena delivered addresses,
and persons were "struck" down in numbers,
while good general impression was produced.
The ministers of all evangelical denominations
went cordially into the movement from its
commencement, and, by the help of God, they
have reaped mighty harvest Of precious i'm
mortal souls. Hundreds-yea, thousands
were brought under deep conviction of sin,
and immense numbers have become hopefully
converted.
One Lords day afternoon, during the sitting
of the Wesleyan Conference, large field
meeting was held in the immediate vicinity of
Belfast, which was addressed by number of
the ministers attending the conference. 1t is
believed that about fifteen thousand persons
were present on that occasion.
The ministers of Belfast have been fully
butdelightfully occupied for many weeks. Be-
sides being almost daily employed in speaking
in public and presiding over prayer meetings
they have been much engaged in ministering
to Stricken" ones at their own houses. As
an instance of this, it was stated in the col
umns OF Belfast paper, that one minister,
since the commencement of the Weakening, had
visited no fewer than two hundred Stricken
Individuals"
Some of the lowest districts of the town
have been remarkably moved spiritually re-
generated, and morally reformed, by the visi-
tation of the Holy Spirit.
The fruits are numerous and various
Thousands" writes minister Of the estab-
lished Church, "have been added, not merely
to the churches, but to the Church." Prayer
meetings are held everywhere; by work peo-
pie in the mill or mandatory before the hour
of labor in the morning; by young men in
shops and offices and in their own rooms by
neighbors in each others dwellings by min
listers and Sabbath school teachers with the
young, as well as in the churches, every even
ing Those young men and women who were
wont to crowd out of town on the Lords day
evenings for pleasure, are now found in the
house of prayer and many of them at the feet
Of Jesus /; and those who lived by the disreput-
able employment of selling death-dealing drinks
to those who were so deluded as to buy them,
now find their traffic SO greatly reduced that
some of them are giving up their licenses and
betakng themselves to other occupations.
Drunkenness has nightly decreased, and
crime and pauperism are also greatly reduced,
while "he sale Of the highly Objectionable cheap
London publicdtions-chiehy purchased and read
by the young, greatly to the injury of moral
principle among them-hds been gerry largely
diminished" The duties of the police are rem
dered very light, savings banks receive aug.
mented deposits, and masters find their full
muster OF Glands" on the first day of the
weeks toll. Fallen women are lifted up to ho-
illness by the power of the Holy Ghost; the
poor priest-deluded Romanist is enlightened
with reference to the GLORIOUS Gospel !" the
swearer has forgotten his oaths, and declares
that he can never swear again /; and the drunk
ard has forsaken his cups, and is now drinking
from the refreshing stream of his Savour's
wounds.
THE TWELFTH OF JULY.
An open-air prayer-meeting was held on the
18th of July, at the Maze Course attended by
thousands, when solemn addresses were de-
livered, importunate prayers offered up, and
deep and abiding impressions produced