Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-07-20
Great Revival Meeting a. Belfast.

A monster revival meeting has been held mt
Belfast. The vast preponderance were, of
course, OF the orthodox Presby teran and Meth
odlst denominations, attended by their clergy.
The roads to the Gardens were thronged
with foot passengers, omnibuses and cars. At
the entrance to the Gardens, parties were sta
toned to sell tickets Of admission, at a penny
each, and to direct the crowds to the additional
entrances which had been opened. For about
three hours the stream poured in INCREASINGLY,
until there were assembled on the lawn, and
scattered through the grounds, a mass of peo-
pie that could not have numbered less than
10000, and might possibly have exceeded that
estimate. Fully IS per cent. of these were
from the country districts, and a very large
proportion were of the agricultural class. The
preponderance of women and children was re-
markable, and the interest in the religious SER
vices OF the day seemed principally restricted
to what We term the weaker sex.
We were rather surprised to see in the
grounds large number Of ragged, ill-condi-
toned and worse behaved urchins, the regular
gantns Of the streets, and, being little pug
zled as to the cause of their presence, on such
an occasion, We made acquaintance with a
cluster of them who were engaged in smashing
a beautiful shrub with a view to the developo
ment OF supposed wasp's nest in the interior
After intercession on behalf of the tree we fra
ternised with the ringleader, and asked him
tenderlng at the same time a small pecuniary
compliment, which was accepted with enthusi-
astie avidity' Sir" said the little ragamuf-
nm, ''we were all outside thunder, and a min
lister he gin US tickets, and let US all in"
In the interior of the gardens a new phase of
arboriculture was largely developed Trees
brought forth placards, and shrubs produced
scrlptural texts as well as flowers. At inter
walls on the grass were spread out large printed
10 ha cxyata Il ~
lngs were to be conducted, and restricting the
enthusiasm to certain localities No one, it
was announced would be permitted to hold a
prayer-meeting elsewhere than at one of the
previously appointed stations; and no one
would be permitted to take part in any meet
ing without the permission of the parties
named IN the programme. A notice was con-
siderately appended that refreshments would
be provided in the tents
About one o'clock the gardens presented a
very singular spectacle. The music platform
was thronged with ministers, prominent among
whom was the Rev. DR.. Cooke At about
twenty stations over the lawn, and at various
positions through the grounds, dense groups
were collected, each round a centre ring in
which was preacher, either lay or clerical
From the great platform a minister was Civ
ing out verses of the Tooth psalm, which were
being sung with considerable fervOr and tOIer-
able accuracy by an immense crowd of people
the men all uncovered.
At intervals bis vehemently excited tones
were overwhelmed by the stentorian delivery
OF '.revival hymn" issuing from dense
mass of men and women thronging around the
base of spreading tree. beneath which stood,
book in hand, a Methodist class-Ieader. On
the left, at little distance farther of, a Pres
byterian clergyman, with upturned face and
upiifted hands. was pouring forth a supplica-
tion 10 heaven, with every symptom Of earnest
and excited enthusiasm The excitement ON
this occasion was entirely confined to the lead
ers Of the proceedings.