County Tryone
Omagh
Omagh, the county town of Tyrone, is situated thirty-four miles south of the city of Londonderry. This town and district participated in the outpouring. An eye-witness reported that the revival commenced here in early July when three young men told to “the largest congregation I ever saw in the Old Meeting House,” how they were converted in Derry.
The ministers of the Episcopal, Presbyterian and Methodist denominations supported the movement warmly.
Strabane
The town of Strabane lies approximately midway between Omagh and Londonderry city. Here the revival took place without any physical prostration and without the assistance of the converts from other districts. An eye-witness sums up the results of the revival in the town:
“1. The work has assumed a steady, permanent form, and therefore the more likely to take a deep hold on the minds of the community. There are now congregational prayer meetings established in the two Presbyterian churches in the town, and a union weekly prayer-meeting, conducted wholly by the Presbyterian ministers.
“2. There is a largely-increased and earnest attendance on the Sabbath services of the sanctuary. Before this movement reached us, it was no unusual thing to see empty or partially filled pews in the house of God on the Sabbath. Now, however it is quite different.
“3. Many district prayer-meetings have been established, some in the town, conducted chiefly by young men whose hearts God has lately opened.
“4. There has been much hopeful work among the young. While we have reason to believe that God has touched some of the old, yet He has been dealing chiefly with the young, a considerable number of whom, we trust, have been turned to the Lord."
Cookstown
Cookstown, an important market town, is twenty-seven miles east of Omagh. The Presbyterian Magazine of July 1859 reports: “On Sabbath, 12th June, the churches were thronged with worshippers. In the first and third congregations many were smitten down during divine service. A great and glorious work is also going on in the second congregation, though with less outward manifestation. It was a Sabbath never to be forgotten in Cookstown.”
One of the ministers of the town, Rev. J. P. Wilson, states:
“If we take a district four miles round Cookstown, hundreds have been added to the communion of the Church. Family worship has been established where it was never observed before; people come out to the house of God in greater numbers, and listen with more marked attention; district prayer meetings are multiplied; drunkards have been reformed; and neighbourhoods have totally changed their character. Drunkenness and blasphemy have greatly diminished; though, as the larger part of the population is Roman Catholic, and therefore disposed to mock at the revival, we need not be surprised to find cases of drunkenness before our magistrates, or to hear the awful oath from some as they return from market.”
Reports in the Book from Orritor, Brigh, Clogherny, Castlederg, Dromore, Castlecaufield, Gortin, Eglish, Minterburn
