County Londonderry
Londonderry, the Maiden City, was the scene of the famous siege at the time of the Williamite Revolution. Over its walls was hurled the defiant cry “No Surrender” - a cry which has become the watchword of Ulster Protestants ever since. Here, about one hundred and seventy years after the siege another great revolution took place, a moral revolution which reformed the city and transformed many hundreds of its citizens.
Rev. Robert Sewell, the Independent minister at Derry, who was so overworked by the demands of the revival that in order to save his life he had to leave for a time the scene of his arduous labours, tells of the coming of the revival to the city:
“The 12th of June is the time from which we date this great awakening in our city. On that day, on the invitation of one or two churches, some of the newly converted were brought from Ballymena to address meetings. A united meeting was held in the First Presbyterian Church, when some of their young men spoke. Many were moved to tears, while some had to be taken into the vestry to prevent their disturbing the congregation. Next day a general feeling of solemnity was manifested by all classes, and many under conviction were spoken to in their houses or places of business.”
Rev. Richard Smyth, who later entered Parliament and succeeded in passing the Irish Sunday-Closing Bill, describes in greater detail the first revival services mentioned by Rev. Robert Sewell: “The secondary agency employed by the Holy Spirit in commencing the work here was that of four young converts from County Antrim, brought here by the Rev. Jackson Smyth of Armagh, all of whom addressed a united meeting in the First Presbyterian Church. Three persons cried out for mercy during the meeting. A thrilling sensation passed through the great assemblage, as these mourning cries were uttered, and the thousands present felt each for himself and herself, ‘I have a soul to be saved.’ God had touched some mighty spring at His own throne, and the vibrations were felt in our meeting that night. Hundreds went home with an arrow in their heart. The ‘Revival’ had begun in Derry.”
Open Air Services
At open air meetings held in the Victoria Market many were stricken down under conviction of sin. Here on one Sunday evening Brownlow North, Esq., preached to an audience of five thousand. The attendance at the morning prayer-meeting in the Corporation Hall became so crowded that many were turned away. Mr. Peter Drummond of the Drummond Tract Society from Stirling, Scotland, who visited Derry at this time, testified that one thousand people gathered for prayer at 8 a.m. each morning.
So great were the demands of the stricken and convicted that the ministers of the city each had to conduct four to five services every day. The most illiterate were reached in common with the well educated and wealthy, and those who were religious became more religious and those who were irreligious became religious.
In summing up the revival movement, Rev. Robert Wallace, the senior Methodist minister of Londonderry, said: “I consider it the most glorious work of God ever known in this country in so short a time, and I believe there is a religious influence upon the people of Ulster surpassing anything ever before realised.”
The Book includes Eve witness reports from Coleraine, Limavady, Ballykelly, Lecumpher, Boveva, Maghera, Bellaghy, Moneymore, Garvagh
