County Down
Carryduff, Dundonald, Castlereagh
The revival in Belfast quickly spread to Carryduff, Dundonald, and Castlereagh, adjacent districts in Co Down. Eleven revival prayer-meetings soon sprang up in Dundonald, and the number of converts increased rapidly.
In Carryduff such great numbers thronged the Presbyterian Church that measures had to be taken to enlarge the building.
The closing of a public house situated at the gate of the church and the pouring of the whiskey in stock down the roadway sent a thrill through the neighbourhood and added fuel to the already blazing revival fires.
Newtownards
In 1859 Newtownards had about 12,000 inhabitants. There were four Presbyterian churches, two Methodist, one Episcopal, one Unitarian and one Roman Catholic. There was also a town mission with a full time missionary. 6,000 of the inhabitants had not even a nominal connection with any place of worship. Sabbath desecration, intemperance and immorality were fearfully prevalent.
A union prayer-meeting referred was commenced in one of the Reformed Presbyterian Churches and was attended by about 200 people. Such a gathering for a weeknight service in Newtownards was something marvellous and seriously impressed many in the town. The meeting changed from church to church every week, until it had gone the rounds of all the evangelical churches. The numbers attending increased rapidly from week to week. A local school-teacher, Mr Harbison, took the lead in open-air preaching and soon not merely hundreds but thousands were listening to the word of life. In almost every street in the town conversions were reported.
The union prayer meeting increased until not even the largest church could accommodate the crown of about 4,000 who attended. So great became the desire for revival services that all the evangelical churches in the town opened their doors, some every night in the week, for such meetings.
The Presbyterian, Covenanting, Episcopalian and Methodist minister and their office-bearers along with the town missionary worked together untiringly in the furtherance of the movement.
Donaghadee
The following report from Donaghadee appears in the columns of the Presbyterian Magazine for September 1859: “For the last fortnight the good work has proceeded steadily here. In the early part of last week there were a great many ‘prostrations,’ but for the last few days they have considerably decreased. On Tuesday evening, 2nd instant, a very large open-air prayer-meeting was held - about two thousand present. The meeting was addressed by several gentlemen. A number of persons had to be assisted to their homes, crying out under the weight of their sins, and are now rejoicing in the mercy and love of their Redeemer; but, as is the universal experience, these extraordinary cases give but a very imperfect idea of the number of those who are seriously impressed about their souls’ welfare, and who are led to inquire, ‘What must I do to be saved?’”
The book contains reports from Co Down towns and villages including Crossgar, Saintfield, Ballygowan, Carrowdore, Comber, Killinchy, Boardmills, Killyleagh, Raffrey, Boardmills, Ballynahinch, Banbridge, Dromara, Donacloney, Magheralin, Tullylish, Rathfriland, Newry, Glascar, Donaghmore, Maze, and Millisle
