emories — OR THE Revival Movement jV' ^ • Wrii$ip!^' •■ ■■! .,.(1 TKe Rev, D. M'MEEKIN. Baliymena. •1 , ■ ' .^ , 1908. Hv mS'i* 'rV . ..viih* ife'L'fe? ZIbe Rev. D. CD'COeebin. • Memories of 59 OR THE Revival Movement as it manifested itself at Ahoghill, Grange, Long- stone, New Ferry, Bally- mena,Brougtsliane, Cully- backeyj Teeslian, and Whiteside's Corner. BY The Rev. D, M'MEEKIN. Ballymei^, 1908. Huli.: Harland & Son, Manor 7,^ . ».?■' . ■ r • r:V v-. « • V..WV. i .w CONTENTS. Introduction - - - - - 1 Ahoghill - - - - . Grange - - - - - - 31 Longstone - - - . - ^ 33 New Ferry - - - - - " 40 Ballymena - - ■ - ^ . 43 Broughshane - - . - - - 59 CULLYBACKEY - - - - 73 Teeshan - - - - - 79 Whiteside's Corner - - 86 Eesults - - - " ~ ~ ■.* -. -1 •». I.' '- ^ JTk ■>-e^ INTRODUCTION. In writing these Memories of '59, I have been largely dependent upon others for my information. And the task furthermore involved in collecting these facts is at present beset with dif&culties, as the generation that mixed and moved in these revival scenes has now almost passed away. It is well, however, to remember the days of old. At the outset let it be distinctly understood that I am not undertaking to write a history of the Revival in Ireland. I wish, rather, to give a brief record as far as that is obtainable of the movement as it mani fested itself in my own neighbourhood— Mid-Antrim. I leave it to others to deal with the subject outside and beyond that area. 6 INTRODUCTION. A Revival presupposes life. You can not revive what is dead. Tiiis is true in nature and in grace. The word Revival is met with frequently on the pages of the Bible; and Church history records the story of revivals in both ancient and modern times (II. Chron. xxxv., Acts xi.). Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales all witness to special outpourings of the spirit—Revivals ! As far as the indi vidual Christian is concerned, a revival is recovery of spiritual health. A general revival is the Spring that rescues the Church from the grasp of Winter. The word may be understood tliroughout these pages to mean the work of g^ace that converts sinners and edifies saints. As a religious movement, the com mencement of the Revival in this neighboiuhood may be traced back to the year 1857. A late minister of the gospel here, speaking of this work of grace of 1859, says:—" Two or three years before this time there were at Ahoghill several large drops of Heaven's grace seen in the conversion of both old • -• •(ft*'' INTRODUCTION. and young, indicative of the coming spiritual flood." Public attention was first called to the movement through the operations of a prayer meeting held m Tannybrake schoolroom m the Parish ot Connor. The origin of this prayer meet- ing was in this way. A Mrs. ColviUe, from Gateshead, England, visited Bally- mena in the year 1857. She represented a missionary society, and as such be sought men to be reconciled to God. At the time, a young man called James McQuilken from Kells, was employed m a linen warehouse in BaUymena, and lodged dui'ing the week with a Miss Brown. In the prosecution of her work, Mrs. Colville was in Brown's house when James McQuilken was present, and she made the inquiry," Arc you saved i For a moment there was silence, but a woman who was also present at the time began to unbosom herseH, wydi led Mrs. ColviUe to observe," My dear, you know nothing as yet of the grace of God. a result of this question and the alter conversation James McQuilken became INTRODUCTION. deeply impressed, and in tlxe year 1857 he found peace in believing. His joy ■was great. On returning to Kells, he told his neighbours the good news and invited them to come with him and he would do them good. Forthwith he com menced aggressive work. His labours were not in vain, and he reaped, as first fruits of his exertions in Christian work, John and Robert Carlisle, In association with Jeremiah McNeely, another convert who had been brought to a knowledge of the truth through reading John vi., 37, these men com menced religious work .in the district of Connor that was greatly owned of God. In the Tannybrake schoolroom in the autumn of 1857 they started the prayer meeting that really led up to and issued in the great '59 Revival. Their work did not at first attract much attention, but gradually the spiritual interes'fc deepened and widened. An old man named Marshall and a young man called Wasson volunteered their services as helpers. The work thus commenced INTRODUCTION. progressed so tliat in the closing months of the year 1858 several young men identified themselves with the meeting in Tannybrake schoolroom. The Pres byterian mimster in the Parish of Connor at the time was the Rev. J. H. Moore, who gave the movement every encourage- ment and help. Countless services were conducted by him throughout the parish. My Sabbath School Superintendent, Mr. C. Metrustry, informs me that he acted as a leader of the praise at an open air meeting conducted by Mr. Moore in Ballycowan at the commencement oi this revival movement, and that while Mr. Moore was speaking some were crying for mercy. Others were solacing wftfiping penitents, while others were engaged in singing, some the 40th Psalm, and others the hymn, "What s the news ? "' A singing class that was being conducted at the time in Connor by a Mr. Kennedy was turned into a prayer meeting. Many of these religious _ ser vices in Connor were all-night meeting^ For some time women were not permitted 10 INTRODUCTION. to take any public part in tKe religious exercises, but this feeling of antagonism to their co-operation gradually died away, so that in a short time few meet ings were held in which women did not engage in public prayer. It was custo mary to have a succession of prayers at the same meeting. In these exercises women were much in evidence. So nughtily grew the word that in the dis tricts lying between Glenarm and Port- glenone and Olough and Glenwherry, all creeds were enquiring about the Revival, ... Pt. • '^''V •1^'. -rTrrr— 11 AHOGHILL. Trom Connor the movement spread to Ahogliill and the surrounding neighbour hood- At the time there was a young man from Ahoghill, called Samuel Camp bell, working in the linen business with. Mr.'James Ross, Kells. A meeting had been announced for TullanamuUen in 1858, which was addressed by Mr. Jas. McQuillcen and hlr. Jeremiah McNeely, their subject on the occasion being John i., 36. Mr. Samuel Campbell was present at this meeting, and the services quickened his interest in spiritual things. The following morning before commenc ing the duties of the day his attention was arrested by a portion of God's Word (Roms. X., 9)—'If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." This poi-tion was the means ot leading him into the Kingdom ot God. Henceforth the one aim and object ot iMEMORIES OF '59 hiH life was to win souls to Christ. On Cfiristmas Day of that year he paid a visit to Ahoghill, where his mother, brother and a sister resided. He told them of his joy and peace, and assured Dieni that "the Lord had saved him." The resu t of this family meeting was that luH brother John came under deep conviction of sin, while his sister em braced Clinst as all her salvation. He alterwardH organized a meeting that was held in the Rev. F. Buick's Church, when many came to hear what the young convert would say. This was the first noM,ling of the kind held in Ahoghill. Though It did not oi-eatc much interest, yet Mr. Bujok (mcouragcd Mr. Campbell to prosecute his glorious mission, and hia anxKdy to tell his neighbours the good news of his conversion remained un abated. Ifo arranged accordingly for holding a meeting in Ballyrnontna School room, situated a short distance from Ahoghill. This meeting was held on Tm-sday evening, the 22ud February J H59. Tidinga of the awakening at OR THE REVIVAL UOYKUEm. 13 Kells had already reached Ahoghill, so that on the evening of the Ballymontna meeting crowds assembled at the School room — hundreds being unable to gain an entrance into the building. Those assisting Samuel Campbell at this meeting were James McQuilken, Jeremiah McHeely, John "Wallace and R. Carlisle. As there was not anything approaching sufficient accommodation inside the Schoolroom for those attending the meeting—^people having assembled from far and near—the promoters resolved on adjourning to Ahoghill to seek accommo dation in one of the Churches there. This arrangement they carried out, and as they walked into the village singing the crowd gradually increased. Having arrived at Ahoghill they entered the second Presbyterian Church, the first ecclesiastical structure they approached. It was immediately filled by an earnest, although a somewhat excited audience. Here the people were addressed, and the meeting was prolonged till a late hour. It was with difficulty the promoters of 14 JIEMORIES OF '59 the meeting could induce the people to Bcparate. The first convert at Ahoghill seems to have been a young man irom the Glebe, called James Hogg. He was only one of many that afterwardsfollowed. This second meeting of the Reviva lists at Ahogliill instantly created much spiritual interest throughout the neigh bourhood. The Revival became the theme of every conversation the next day. Many individuals became incapaci tated for their work.