The following quotes are taken from A History of the 1859 Ulster Revival, Volume 1.
“It is the testimony of sober and respectable men…within the sphere of their observations, that a very great, and a deeply important, change for good is being wrought. A powerful interest is awakened through the entire country here. At the prayer-meetings, no common house, or school-house, is able to contain the multitudes that flock to them; and oftentimes the road side, or the field, is the scene of an intensely earnest service. Nor is there any disposition to weary in these pleasant exercises. Meetings are held almost every night in the week, and many meetings in different localities on the same evenings. The report of the Presbytery…as to the process of conversion…speaks:–The arrow of conviction pierces the conscience, the heart swells night to bursting, a heavy and intolerable burden presses down upon the spirit, and the burdened-burning heart, unable to contain any longer, bursts forth in the piercing cry of distress, saying, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on my sinful soul!” This is alike the experience of the old and the young-of the strong man and the delicate woman. Under such convictions, the heart finds relief in pouring out its cries and tears before the Lord. These convictions are followed by hours of kneeling before the Lord, crying, confessing sin, begging for mercy, and beseeching the Lord to come to the heart. This is done in tones of deepest sincerity, and in utterances of the most impassioned earnestness. It may be days, or weeks, or even months, with convictions returning more or less powerful in the constant exercise of prayer and the reading of the Word, ere a calm and settled peace in believing is enjoyed. There does not appear to be any fanaticism manifested, any heresy broached, any self- righteousness exhibited, or any sectarianism shown. A few interesting cases of the conviction and conversion of Roman Catholics have occurred. It is worthy of note, that, under the light and power of this movement, they love the Bible, pore over its sacred pages, pray through the prevailing name of Jesus alone, place reliance on Christ only for their salvation, and, in the exercise of their civil and religious liberty, join the worship of a purer Church. A reformation almost inconceivable in its extent and minuteness of ramification throughout various classes of society, considering the very brief period within which the work has been accomplished. I visited a particular district…yesterday. I stood in the centre of a thickly populated locality, recently a careless, irreligious, and riotous neighbourhood; and from my own intimate knowledge of its inhabitants, I am prepared to assert that every house in view, within a mile from the spot on which I stood, is now a sanctuary for the worship of God at the family altar. Public prayer-meetings are attended by crowds so large, that no house of worship in the parish can accommodate the entire number.”
From the accounts as given above, it is clear that during revival people are given to prayer. During a revival sent from heaven, those under its power seek the one in heaven who sent it. In our day the prayer meeting is the least attended meeting, yet during revival public prayer is what is important. When the Lord comes down among His people, heavenly things return to their rightful place as first in importance. One obvious sign of spiritual lethargy or judgment in a local church is a lack of prayer. The presence of the Lord moves the heart to pray. From the quotes above it is remarkable to note that people were coming to prayer almost every evening and night. Yet the writer calls these pleasant exercises and notes that the people did not have a disposition to weary.
Evidently those who were brought under deep conviction of sin spent much time seeking the Lord to come to their hearts. Perhaps there is a connection between the fact that those who come under deep conviction of sin spend a lot of earnest time in prayer and so after they are converted they see intense and daily prayer-meetings as normal. Perhaps that is what is normal for those who are seeking the Lord with some degree of fervor. It is such an insight that public prayer-meetings were attended by large crowds in the same places where so much irreligion and riotous behavior once was. Perhaps the real answer to America’s problems is God. Maybe broken hearts that join together to look to God is the real answer. Maybe the real problem in our nation and professing Church is not a lack of methods. Maybe it is simply a lack of the presence of God. We must earnestly seek His face in times like. How can we not see that if we will not pray the spirit of prayer will not be given? What is more important than this?
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