DERVOCK.

same place at eight o'clock, to accom"On Tuesday evening, the 7th inst., modate a great concourse of people who a revival meeting was held, according to were assembled outside. On the platappointment, in the Presbyterian church- form were observed many officers of the yard of Dervock, at six o'clock p.m., garrison, as well as clergymen of the when a deputation of six young men town and neighbourhood. The first from Rasharkin attended. Such was the meeting was opened with prayer by the public excitement and anxiety to be Rev. A. De La Mare, after which the present, that, long before the appointed Rev. J. Baillie and General Alexander hour, the people were flocking in all successively addressed the meeting, directions, and by the hour announced giving some details of what they had for opening the meeting, there could not witnessed. Both expressed themselves be less than two thousand present. Most so solemnly impressed with the works of of the adjacent clergymen were present, the Most High, that they shrank from and took part in the proceedings. The coming forward before a mixed assembly first of the deputation spoke in a very to tell of His marvellous doings; but, as plain and truly affecting address, giving these were not simply subjects of curious a history of the origin and progress of speculation, but matters of life and the work of revivals in and about Ra- death, which deeply concerned every sharkin. Two others followed, address- soul before them, they felt called of God ing the people with much earnestness to speak the things which they had seen and effect, as did the reverend gentlemen and heard. The stillness of the audience present, all of whom bore testimony to was very marked while the experience of the Divine nature of the work. When several of the converts was related, a young lad from Rasharkin, apparently especially while General Alexander about ten or twelve years of age, engaged stated three most striking features of in prayer, some signs of revival began the Holy Spirit's work-deep, overto take place. Shrieks were heard, and whelming conviction of sin, perfect realcries for pardoning mercy in all direc-ization of the personality of the devil, tions, and the utmost alarm and confu- and the abounding mercy and almighty sion prevailed-the assembly, breaking up into separate parties, surrounded the afflicted. Psalms were heard sung, and prayer ascended, on the balmy air of evening, from many stricken souls. Some cases took place in the meetinghouse, and ministers and laymen were in requisition, and were seen running about everywhere."

Thus far we have laid before you extracts from Irish journals, now let us draw your attention to the report in The Times of 7th September, of a meeting which has just been held at Woolwich. "On Monday night last, a remarkable scene was witnessed at Woolwich. A meeting had been announced for seven o'clock, in the Town-hall, to receive some account of the religious awakening in the North of Ireland, from two gentlemen who had recently returned from a personal visit, the Rev. J. Baillie, of London, and General Alexander, of Blackheath. Long before the hour of meeting, the hall was crowded to excess, and when Colonel F. Eardley-Wilmot, R.A., took the chair, he stated that a

power of Jesus the Deliverer. Two answers to the questions of doubting Christians are worthy of serious attention. First-May not this be merely excitement? There is no excitement among the converts, except during conviction of sin; afterwards all is calm, peace, and holy gravity; the excitement is among those who go prejudiced to inspect the work. Secondly-Will this be permanent? General Alexander said, I believe it will; but if the sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mire, I can only say, that, wonderful as is the work now, this would be even more wonderful.' Mr. Baillie then gave out two verses of the converts' favourite psalm :

:

'He took me from a fearful pit,
And from the miry clay,
And on a rock he set my feet,
Establishing my way.

"He put a new song in my mouth,
Our God to magnify;
Many shall see and shall fear,
And on the Lord rely.'

second meeting would be held in the After prayer by the Rev. W. Hare,

sound. This was the most frightful scene I have witnessed in life at the moment of the awful COMMAND to the Almighty to come down and strike, it was perfectly terrific. No such scene would be permitted in any Bedlam upon

Chaplain to the Forces, the meeting with great reluctance left the hall, to give place to those who were waiting outside, who soon filled the house to overflowing a second time. After prayer by the Rev. W. Hill, of the London Diocesan Home Mission, the former speakers again ad-earth. Presence at such a prayer could dressed the meeting, giving further in- be redeemed from guilt only by the purteresting details. The most solemn pose of warning. I have many terrible feeling pervaded both assemblages. At recollections of life, but this prayer is the conclusion of the same, two verses the most frightful of them all.” of the 40th Psalm were again sung with deep earnestness, and prayer was offered by the Rev. W. M. Thompson. The people returned to their homes deeply impressed with the conviction, that the kingdom of God was come nigh unto

them.'

Dear Editor, must we not come to the conclusion that God is mightily at work among the dry bones? I have a number more extracts, and the promise of some valuable information, from a clergyman on the spot, which I must retain for a further article. It does appear to me, Sir, that the position of English Christians should be, to be found much in prayer for the poor, deluded Roman Catholics and for priest-ridden Ireland. I remain, dear Sir, Yours, in gospel fellowship,

Bury St. Edmunds.

G. C.

P.S. Since the foregoing was written, copious extracts from Archdeacon Stopford's important pamphlet* upon the above subject, have fallen into our hands, which has strengthened our impression of the necessity of warning our friends to be very cautious concerning these revivals. If not taking up too much space in our family Magazine, I will subjoin a few of these extracts. The Archdeacon says:

"I was myself present, in a Presbyterian meeting-house, at a prayer, offered with the most frenzied excitement and gesticulations, that God would then and there descend and strike all the unconverted to the earth. That prayer was accompanied throughout by a storm of cries, and groans, and exclamations, and amens, all having the true hysteric

*"The Work and the Counterwork: or, the Religious Revival in Belfast; with Ex planation of the Physical Phenomena;" by Edward A. Stopford, Archdeacon of Meath. Dublin Hodges, Smith, and Co. 1859.

In another place, the Archdeacon gives us the history of the following lamentable case of delusion. He says:

"The preacher, before giving out his text, requested that if any cases occurred, the congregation would be quiet, and leave it to the office-bearers of the church, who had made full preparation for their reception. While the preacher was urging, with the peculiar pointing of the hand before described, 'Your case is as bad as hell can make it,' a poor girl cried and fell. In reproving the excitement which followed, the preacher said, God is doing His work in that individual.'

"When the sermon closed, I obtained admission to the room to which this girl had been carried, pursuant to the arrangements announced by the preacher. The room was small, and very narrow and stifling-no air, no water was there.

This girl was about fifteen years of age, "A more pitiable sight I never saw. frame was weak and thin, her small or, perhaps, year or two older; her hands stained and ground with hard work, her skin delicate and transparent, her hair and eyelashes long and dark, her neck marked with scrofula, with a highly intellectual face, seldom seen in her class of life, except in weakly girls, and now made painfully interesting by the unearthly expression of cataleptic hysteria; every movement of the head and hands, every expression of the countenance, every moan was markedly hysterical. She had previously been struggling and screaming; she was now quiet, her lips sometimes moving, but inaudibly; she had spoken of the devil catching souls to throw them into hell, crying, Away! you shan't have mine :' just the last impression made upon her failing mind.

"I learned that this was the third attack that this poor girl had had in a

short time, each being more severe than during some hours each night, in bringthe former; so readily does the habiting to the women on the streets of Longrow. I could have wept to see this don the appeal of Christ to such as sad disease superadded, in the name of they. Such employment leads to a terreligion and of the Holy Ghost, to a poor,rible kind of knowledge. I learned of weak frame, a scrofulous habit, and a a system of temptation of inconceivable life of toil. villainy as to its objects, rendered happily imaginary in its especial sinfulness by the villainy of its agents. Much of my practical acquaintance with hysteria was gathered in this employment. No class of women is so subject to hysterical influences; I have found none more accessible to an appeal to religious feeling; but in a great number of cases I have found that awakened religious feeling in them will irresistibly become hysterical. I always found such cases the most hopeless; and the reason is evident: the destruction of the last remnants of moral self-control and moral resolution, cannot be a source or a means of reformation, but rather destroys the last hope of it."

"She was seated on a form, reclining in the arms of a coarse young man, about twenty years of age. He was no relation of hers, being ignorant of her name or residence. He seemed employed for the purpose, and related, with apparent glee, that before we came in it had taken all his strength to hold her in her struggles. In this small room, and gathered closely round her, were eight or ten young women, some of whom (perhaps all) had lately been hysterical, and two or three young men (not related to her), of whom one at least had been lately hysterical too. No elderly woman was there; nor any elderly man, except one who came in once or twice for a few minutes during the hour we remained there.

"Just opposite, and touching her, sat a girl who had gone through the same kind of conversion two days before, and was now crying hysterically, but quietly. She was well dressed for a mill-girl, having showy bracelets, and several rings on her fingers, notwithstanding her so recent conversion.

"The young man who held the patient, and who seemed quite used to that employment, grinned with professional pleasure as he exhibited to us the points of the case, and explained his treatment."

Dear reader, this is surely a terrible delusion. No; there must be the test of the effects of real conversion by the Word of God. By their fruits ye shall know them. We can only add, that Archdeacon Stopford is no mean authority; for it appears he was for some years employed in appealing to the poor women in the streets of London concerning their sin, and of pointing them to the cross of Christ; and he says truly

"During some years I was employed, for two or three months at a time,

Beloved, the concluding words of his pamphlet should have its due weight upon our minds. He says,

"As the result of experience of this kind, I feel bound to give the most solemn warning, and to enter the most solemn protest, against proceedings which fill the streets of Belfast, at late hours of the night, with hysterical young women, in company with hysterical young men. I dare not enforce my warning, lest I reveal the means of incredible outrage. In the name of all that is sacred in women, I call for a reform of what every policeman in Belfast sees to be indecent and wrong, but of which few know the danger as I do. This consideration alone affords grounds sufficient for banishing hysteria for ever from religious revivals."

Although this is strong language from one who has gone deeply into the matter, we yet believe the work going on is not all counterfeit, and expect, at a future time, to be able to lay before our readers cases of real conversion; and should much value the views of our esteemed Editor upon this important subject.

G. C.

VOICE OF PROVIDENCE.-There is al makes a declaration of his name, holivoice in all dispensations of Providence; ness, and power, and this, every wise a call, a cry in every rod of God, in man will endeavour to discern, and so every chastising providence; he herein comply with the call.-Dr. Owen.

LETTERS OF THE LATE MR. A. TRIGGS.

TO MR. DENSHAM.

ing the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer." Doth not Jesus allude to this, saying, "The Father bore testimony to and of Him ?" But they, the Jews, to whom He spake, did not receive the Father's testimony of, or concerning Him. But this altered nothing of the Father's testimony, and their unbelief did not do away with the faith of God's elect, but the Father's heart continued bubbling up with a good matter, and as His witnesses, accepted by Him, we may, and do say at all times, as Job, "The root of the matter is found in me," which is Christ in us, the hope of glory, and the good matter the Father's heart indited. He speaks to Jesus, His beloved Son, saying, Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is poured into thy lips ;" and "It pleased the Father, that in Him all fulness should dwell;" therefore God hath blessed Him for ever, and we in Him are blessed with all spiritual blessings, and daily have showers of blessings; and Jesus Himself is the one Blessing of the Father, and our one Blessing, the fulness of all life, salvation, and eternal glory. If I ask from whence come so many opinions, sentiments, sects, traditions, and doctrines of men; all arise and spring up from ignorance of the Person of Christ, who He is, what He is, &c.; also from ignorance of the power, love, and personal work of the Spirit, and His sure teaching; from ignorance also_of the revelation of God the Father. But we, having received Christ Jesus the Lord, and so walk in Him, have no need to envy or quarrel with such, but follow on to know the Lord, making mention of His righteousness, and of His only.

MY BROTHER, BELOVED OF, AND IN THE LORD, He that is our God is the God of salvation; Jesus, the eternal God, our refuge, is Emmanuel, God with us, and He is the author of eternal salvation. He is God the Father's salvation to the end of the earth; we have salvation in Him with eternal glory. He hath saved us in Himself with eternal salvation, and of Him we sing at all times, and in all places: "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, for Jah Jehovah is my strength and my song, He also is become my salvation;" and to this I add, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me." It is a most precious truth, that the work, obedience, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Christ of God, go far beyond sin, death, curse of the law, and all wrath, and this to us is greater than all our knowledge and experience of it, and will not, cannot, be fully understood by us so as to comprehend it. And though we may be, and are, in dulged with the blessed heart-warming and comforting nature of the same, by the power and love of the Spirit, who takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto us, and we thereby have joy and peace in believing, and so live beyond condemnation, the living side of death, and out of the reach of sin and Satan, yet it is the Person of Christ that is our all in all, and Himself the mighty God, the man, the fellow of the Lord of Hosts, that gives validity, excellency, and glory to all He wrought, suffered and obtained, and the Eternal Spirit saith of Him to God the Father, "His glory is great in thy salvation; My brother, there is no end to this honour and majesty hast thou laid upon precious subject, "Jesus only;" to think Him; thou hast made Him most blessed of Him I love, to meditate on Him, is a for ever.' And God the Father's testi- sweetness to my heart, in, through, and mony of Him and to Him is far beyond beyond all my sorrows and grief, and to our comprehension by faith, though we know Him and the Father is eternal bless the Lord at all times for the know- life. You will, in leisure moments, ponledge and belief of the same. And thus der over the remaining verses of the speaketh God the Father, in Psalm xlv., dear Psalm, concerning the triumphant concerning Jesus, His dear Son, saying, Conqueror, Jesus, the God of glory, My heart is inditing a good matter; I the King Eternal, the King of glory, speak of the things I have made touch-who said, "I am a worm and no man,

ALL the altars of the law were but so many steps to the cross of the gospel.-Anon.