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where the parties have attended none of the late meetings, they have been struck down at work, or by the domestic fireside, and it has become requisite to send for ministers, elders, and others, to join in prayer with and for them-in most of the cases with the happiest results. The Roman Catholic young woman continues in a very hopeful condition, and prays almost "without ceasing." There are two Romanist families in the town who have been brought to a knowledge of the truth in the course of this movement. We have been informed of the case of one young female-a Sunday scholar-who was about to be married to a Roman Catholic, much against the inclination of her relatives, but who, under the influence of a changed heart, has totally given up her uncongenial attachment, and offers up earnest prayer for the conversion of her parents, and has been the means of convincing eight others of their want of a knowledge of salvation.

MEETING IN BROWN SQUARE
SCHOOL ROOM.

This school room is occupied as one of the stations of the Belfast Town Mission, under the care of the Rev. John Beattie, and is usually attended by a large number of the humbler classes residing in the district. On Thursday night a prayer-meeting was held, at which the agent of the mission, and others, conducted the religious exercises. While a young man was engaged in speaking, an old man came forward, clasped his hands, and asked him to pray for him. The agent got him to sit down till the young man had finished his observations; and upon prayer being then offered up, the whole audience became deeply stirred and excited, parties crying out-" Have mercy on me,' What must I do to be saved?" and such like expressions. Two of those present have since found peace, and two more are praying for it. In one of these cases the person was under conviction for three months. On Friday evening, Mr. Beattie held another prayer meeting in the same place, and was assisted by several young men, one of whom had this week been brought to a saving knowledge of Christ. There was a feeling of deep solemnity in the audience, which soon broke out into manifestations of the usual character. There were

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twelve persons brought under strong convictions of sin, nearly all of whom have already found peace. They were accompanied to their homes by individuals, who prayed with them and comforted them with suitable exhortations. A prayer meeting is to be held at five o'clock this morning, in the school room, and a daily prayer meeting in the evening from this time forth.

LINEN HALL-STREET CHURCH. The Rev. Robert Knox held a prayer meeting in the Linen Hall-street Church.

During the service, Mr. Knox entered into a statement of the character of the manifestations which had come under his observation from the commencement of the revival movement in Belfast, till the present time. He described the manner in which each individual was affected, and their conduct while under the influence of a repentant spirit; and he showed that this could be traceable to no other cause than the operation of God's power on His people. The rev. gentleman then related the results of his visits to Ewart's-row, where twelve cases of manifest conversion came under his notice during Friday morning. He believed that no untutored man,who was not imbued with the Spirit of God, could use such language as he heard fall from the lips of some of these people-language rich in the choicest teachings of our Saviour. It was beyond his power to remain at home with these calls before him, to visit parties who had been stricken down. Now, instead of devoting the usual time for the preparation of his sermons for that day (the Sabbath)-instead of applying to God's book for instruction, he would gather up witnesses on behalf of the Saviour among living awakened souls. He had preached many sermons under a deep feeling of responsibility during his ministry, but he believed he had never preached two sermons, during the course of his career, with such power and effect as those he had delivered that. day. As an evidence of this, he mentioned that a member of his own church, during the forenoon service, had been struck down in the same manner as had characterized other cases, crying aloud for a remission of his sins. During the afternoon service, messages came to him from several quarters of the town, requesting that either ministers or elders would visit the dwellings of persons affected, who were appealing

in despair for heavenly aid and assistance. The rev. gentleman's interesting statement was listened to with marked attention.

In the evening, Mr. Knox addressed an open-air meeting in terms suitable to the present state of religious feeling in town. During the service, there were three or four persons affected. They were taken to their homes, where prayer meetings was held during the night. TOWNSEND-STREET CONGREGATION. The Rev. Dr. Killen conducted the forenoon service in this church. The attendance was exceedingly large. At the conclusion of the services, the Rev. William Johnston briefly addressed the congregation. He believed that this was in reality a work of God. He himself had visited houses in which he found no fewer than four or five persons all under the influence of a changed heart, and earnestly praying for themselves and for each other. He was convinced that, in Belfast and its neighbourhood, they were on the eve of a great harvest of souls. He highly approved of what had already been done by lay brethren in the movement, which had been greatly promoted by elders and others praying with those who were affected. Mr. Johnston concluded by announcing that in his, as well as all the other Presbyterian churches in town, prayer meetings in connection with the " awakening" would be held on every evening during the ensuing (the present) week. The remarks of the rev. gentleman appeared to produce a very impressive effect upon the audience, many of whom were moved even to tears.

The evening meeting was also one of a highly interesting character; and the attendance greatly exceeded the capacity of the church in the way of accommodation.

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Not a few persons were obliged to leave before the conclusion of the service, owing to the densely crowded state of the house; but, of those who, despite of every inconvenience, mained to pray," we have every reason to believe that several returned to their homes to offer up, in the quietude of the closet, aspirations for grace and mercy.

BROWN-STREET DISTRICT. "Revival" meetings had been held in the Brown-street school-house during the whole of last week, with the best results. The attendance, however, be

came so crowded, that the building was unfit to accommodate the numbers who sought admission. The use of Townsend-street Church was, in consequence, requested, and at once granted, and the meetings have since been held there. On Saturday morning, at the unusually early hour of five o'clock, a prayer meeting was held, which was largely attended by persons of the working class, who had left their beds an hour before their accustomed time, in order to hear what they might of the good work that is going on. Some of them, indeed a considerable number, manifested a deep earnestness in the services; and, when they closed, proceeded to their daily occupations, solemnly impressed by the exercises of the morning.

DURHAM-STREET DISTRICT.

In some of the streets, three or four persons are religiously affected in many of the houses. More than a dozen cases of this description came under the notice of one town missionary on Sabbath last. On some occasions, so soon as parties become affected, and while a missionary and others are engaged in prayer and exhortation in one house, a number of neighbours join the little assembly, and become influenced, in a degree more or less remarkable, by what they hear and witness. We have heard of one instance in which three persons in one house were thus brought under conviction; and, after a Christian gentleman had offered up prayer, four or five others were brought under saving influence. In another case, that of an intelligent young man, who was suddenly prostrated, although he has since been unable to leave his bed, he has not ceased to speak of Christ as his only hope to the neighbours and friends who have visited him. It is calculated, by a gentleman who is well acquainted with the district, and who has been very careful in his estimate, that there have not been fewer than sixty cases of conviction-many of them followed by conversion-in that portion of the town alone. We learn that, on the nights of Saturday and Sunday, at least one-half of the people of the locality were praying and singing for the greater part of the time in their houses. Wherever it is announced that a prayer meeting is to be held by a town missionary or other person, the news is quickly spread, and in a few minutes after it is opened, the house is crowded by anxious and expectant worshippers.

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One of the most extraordinary features of the awakening, from its very commencement, has been its almost electric spread among the female workers, not in one particular factory at a time, but in several mills simultaneously, and in all with precisely the same results. That conviction of sin should at once have seized upon and stricken down numbers in a day, and even in an hour, among that especial class of operatives, is all but miraculous, as a large proportion of them known to treat serious matters and persons in a spirit of the utmost levity. That the leavening of reviving grace among them, however, has been of a deeply permeating character, and has already produced the most salutary, spiritual, and moral results, no longer admits of a doubt. Many who, without having previously exhibited any signs of impression, were prostrated in a moment under feelings they had never before experienced, are hopeful subjects of redeeming mercy, changed in heart, in demeanour, and in walk and conversation. Those who rarely, if ever, had visited a church or a prayer meeting, are now found regularly and anxiously joining in religious exercises in both, and bearing to their homes and their neighbourhoods the glad tidings of great joy which they hear from time to time. We have been informed of several young women, mill workers, who were in the practice of spending their evenings and

Sabbaths in frivolous amusements, now devoting their leisure hours on both to bearing of God and Christ, in prayer, and in holy communion with each other.

We have already particularised the almost unparalleled visitation which occurred in Messrs. Ewart's mill, Crumlin-road, last week, and the far-pervading influence which it exercised, and which is still producing its natural results. It is now our duty to record a still more marked, unlooked-for, and astonishing manifestation of the effects of overpowering conviction, which was witnessed on the morning of Tuesday, in one of the departments of a most extensive spinning and manufacturing concern, which employs a vast number of workers, male and female. The young women engaged in the department we refer to, are not mill-workers, and are generally of a respectable class. Some of them are Sabbath scholars, and these and others had attended revival meetings. Within two or three hours on the morning mentioned, nearly twenty of these girls were struck down, each in an instant, at their work, several becoming apparently insensible at once, and others uttering agonizing cries for mercy. The scene produced the greatest excitement throughout the entire works, and not a little alarm. The persons prostrated were, however, promptly attended to by the humane manager, and by their companions. Cars were provided for those who could not otherwise be removed to their homes, and the rest were assisted out of the premises, and taken to their respective places of abode. Orders were given that the work-rooms should be closed for the day; but some additional cases of visitation occurred even as the young women were leaving the place, and passing down the stairs. Some of those attacked have not yet been able to return to work. In most cases, on reaching home, the persons affected, or their friends, sought spiritual, and some of them medical advice; and when prayer had been offered up, in a majority of instances, speedy relief both from physical and mental suffering appeared to be produced. Several of the young women, we have been informed, have found peace, and a number are earnestly seeking it in prayer.

PRAYER MEETING IN THE
CHURCHES.

A majority of the Presbyterian

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churches, and several belonging to other bodies, are open for prayer almost every evening, and are filled with deeply attentive and inquiring audiences. each succeeding night remarkable cases of conviction occur, and others follow, after the individuals present have returned to their homes. Some of the most notable of the visitations, since our last, have been in Berry-street and Townsend-street Churches. Last night, in the former, there were three; one of them a young man who had been estranged from his family for two years, but, on being enlightened, immediately declared his intention" to return to his father." We have heard of cases in which strong men have been struck down at these meetings, and such are becoming more common. Among the Methodist body, the work of awakening is making great progress by means of prayer meetings and visitation.

INTERESTING INCIDENTS.

During Tuesday night some remarkable cases came under the attention of the gentlemen engaged in the work of visitation. About ten o'clock on that night, a visit was paid to the house of a respectable family residing in the neighbourhood of Peter's-hill. One of the female members of the family-a young woman of about eighteen years old, and of singularly prepossessing appearance was affected on Friday last, and has since recovered from her illness. When the visitors entered, she was still confined to bed, but received them with great warmth of feeling. She then requested that they would join with her in singing the fortieth Psalm and in prayer. She made the prayer herself, and her language was so solemn and affecting, that in this small company of fifteen or sixteen persons, there was not a dry eye, while many gave vent to their feelings in loud and earnest sobbings for their sins. She expressed all confidence in her Saviour, and stated to those present that her career in afterlife would bear testimony that she felt the greatness of His mercy. After she had concluded, her sister, who had not been under such influence, requested those present to remain while she prayed, and this, also, was full of the most scriptural sentiment and truth. Before the visitors left, the young woman who was in a state of illness requested all present who had not found their Saviour to seek Him earnestly and they would

find Him, for He was a loving Saviour. "Oh!" she said, "if you had received one of His embraces, as I have received them, you would not only love Him through the short period of your lives, but throughout eternity." She was then, with this prayerful proceeding, somewhat exhausted, and the visitors left, with the impression upon their minds that this was a striking example of the glorious fruits of the movement. About eleven o'clock on Tuesday night, the same party entered Leeds-street; there they found groups of persons anxiously awaiting the arrival of ministers or elders who could afford consolation and comfort to those who had been stricken down. In one of the houses into which they entered they found a strong, powerful man, who had made a visit for the purpose of conducting prayer, struck down, and crying for mercy; and those present stated that, whilst in the midst of his prayer, he fell down into the state in which he was then found. While prayer was being conducted in this house, the visitors were called upon to attend another person in the same street, who was also suffering from a like influence. The latter person was left in a state of great mental agony. In the neighbourhood of Sandy-row there were three remarkable cases on Tuesday; one was that of a Roman Catholic, another was a Presbyterian, and the third was a member of the Established Church. At two o'clock yesterday morning all that could possibly be done to bring peace and joy to the minds of these people had been effected.

The movement is not confined to the humble dwellings of mill-workers and others of the lower industrial classes. A case has come to our knowledge, in which a lady of independent means has felt the power of the awakening Spirit, and yielded to its influence. In another instance, four female servants in a firstclass hotel have been deeply and almost simultaneously impressed, and are now in a hopeful frame of mind, after having been visited and prayed for by a minister and elder.

A young man, aged twenty-one, who had been a Sabbath-breaker, a drunkard, a prize-fighter, and an open profligate, was visited by the Spirit on Saturday, and on Sunday was addressing a meeting. Immediately on finding peace, he exclaimed," My wild career is over for ever!" Some of his wicked companions

visited him, and, after he had told them what God had done for him, he induced them to join in singing a psalm. Some of them have since been attending the meetings.

Another, who has confessed himself to have been a "whitewashed hypocrite," was visited by God at the family altar. God is now precious to his soul, and he is indefatigable in visitation.

A Roman Catholic man, working at a mill, was prostrated at his employment, and carried home-believed to be a genuine case of conviction.

A Roman Catholic girl was similarly affected, and is now thoroughly converted. Her exclamation is, "No Virgin for me!"

THE PARISH CHURCH OF BELFAST.

The Rev. Dr. Miller, vicar of Belfast, has published the following letter in a contemporary:

"DEAR SIR,-In viewing the present aspect of affairs in reference to what is termed Religious Revivals,' I anxiously indulge the hope that it may tend to the glory of God. Various, no doubt, are the surmises and opinions respecting cause and effect; but in this, I think, we must all agree, that if the work is from the Lord, it will succeed and prosper. Whatever be the issue of this move, one thing is now evident, that, amongst the people generally, there is an awakening from spiritual death, an anxiety after the soul's salvation, and a growing desire for the means of grace. All this is a subject of deep gratitude and thankfulness to the Author and Giver of all good things.

You are,

perhaps, aware that a meeting of clergy, with our bishop presiding, was held yesterday at the Clerical Rooms, and, as might have been expected, the unanimous decision was, that with ministerial zeal and faithfulness, but, at the same time, with a calm and prayerful spirit, we should continue as hitherto to feel a lively interest in the matter, and avail ourselves of every practical opportunity, at all times and in all places, to preach and to teach Christ. Some members of our communion, who observe events passing around them, have expressed a wish for additional services in our churches; and I take this opportunity of stating that, in compliance with the feeling so highly commendable, this parish church will be open for service and sermon on Thursday and Tuesday evenings, at half-past seven o'clock.

Service to commence on Thursday evening next."

REVIVALS AND COCK-FIGHTING.

On Tuesday, the 7th instant, there was a glorious meeting at Creaghrock, mid-way between Ahoghill and Randalstown. This place has become famous, or rather infamous, as a cockpit, especially on Ahoghill old fair-day, when thousands would assemble for the degrading sport of cock-fighting, thereby making it a scene of lying, blasphemy, drunkenness, and all manner of profligacy. In these "revival" times a number of the awakened, some of whom, perhaps, were "cockers themselves, resolved to make it on this occasion a far different scene, and therefore invited several ministers to attend and address the meeting against all manner of vice, and for the promotion of all manner of holiness. Tuesday was one of June's finest days-sky unclouded, sun brilliant, all nature laughing with joy, and heaven smiling over us. The meeting was at ten o'clock a.m., and even at that early hour, crowds in all directions and of all characters-in many cases from a distance of five or six mileswere seen wending their way gladly to the Rock, and at one time there could not have been much less than 2,000 present. All behaved with great order and decorum while the Rev. Mr. Smith, of Craigmore; the Rev. Messrs. D. Adams and F. Buck, of Ahoghill; and the Rev. H. Stewart, usefully and earnestly addressed the vast and attentive audience, and while pious prayers were offered up by fervent laymen. A most solemn impression was produced on all, from the grey-haired man of ninety, to the merry child of a few years. Many of the old and young were deeply and visibly impressed by the Spirit's power; and, altogether, such a hallowed scene cannot fail to be engraven on the heart of every beholder for many a year, as it is believed several on that day could then and there look up to heaven, and say of Jesus, "Rock of ages, cleft for me."

BELFAST SUMMARY.

The progress of this religious awakening continues as rapid and irresistible as ever. The movement now affects Christians of almost every evangelical denomination,-finds its way not only into churches and crowded meetings in other buildings, but to the domestic

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