AWAKENING AT KILSYTH, STIRLINGSHIRE.
The Lord's work which began a few weeks ago in the village of Cumbernauld, has now spread itself and commenced with mighty power in this town. Crowded meetings are being held nightly in the Independent and Wesleyan Chapels. Large numbers remain to be conversed with about their souls, and many go away professing to have found peace through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is quite evident from the earnestness which exists that the work is of the Lord. The meetings are of the most solemn kind we have been privileged to attend for several years and seem to be free from any manifestations of human excitement. The good work is spreading abroad to the neighbouring villages. Condoret and Banton are gathering a share of the blessing. We might quote many instances of apparent conversion amongst the worst characters, but time will not permit.
"The Revival," 13th September 1866, page 145.
KILSYTH.-The Glasgow Herald thus speaks of the work which has been already described in our columns: —"For some time back a revival of religion has been going on in this place, which was previously the seat of a good deal of intemperance, the population of some 6,000 persons being supplied with no less than twenty-six public-houses.
The result of these meetings has been that the streets at night have assumed quite an altered appearance, abstinence being decidedly in the ascendant, the publicans having had to complain that their trade has not been so dull for twenty years. In the respective Dissenting churches large meetings have been held, while others have taken place in the open air, and the town has been visited by not a few very able ministers from Edinburgh, Belfast, Glasgow, and elsewhere, who have in almost every case commanded large audiences. Many have visited the town from curiosity, and one effect of the meetings themselves has been that several, who have not been within a church door for months and years, are now seen occupying many of the benches in them that have so long remained vacant."
"The Revival," 11th October 1866, page 200.
At Kilsyth the shower has fallen more copiously still. if that can be. This place, which has been so highly favoured in the past, was becoming proverbial for its impiety. The tide of blessing has swept over it, I think I may say, in unprecedented power. At first we commenced in the open air, and then adjourned to the Congregational Chapel, which was quite filled, and soon got too small. Then we instructed the young to come an hour earlier, so that they might be addressed first, and leave to make room for adults, but still the place was too small. Then the Methodist Chapel was thrown open. The work still spread, and the Free and the United Presbyterian Churches were also opened, and large numbers assembled nightly in these places, very many every night finding, "the pearl of great price." including several Roman Catholics.
The publicans here seem to be feeling the effects of the revival. One stated to a friend of mine that Sabbath fortnight was the first Sabbath in which they had not sold any drink. One who keeps a public house, and has a machine on hire, said, "Though we are not doing so much in the house now, we are doing more with the machine." This conveyance has often been hired to bring workers to Kilsyth to assist at the meetings.
"The Revival," 25th October 1866, page 230.
This was clearly a powerful revival, but the change in the society was only temporary, although all the churches were strengthened.