THE influence of the movement in Edinburgh was early felt in Dalkeith. Even before that, there were special signs of promise among us, and many were expectant of a blessing long prayed for. The week of united prayer in January was very earnestly observed.
At a conference of ministers of the town, on January 27, it was agreed that a series of evangelistic meetings should be held.
The Back Street United Presbyterian Church associated to students of ecclesiastical theology with the name and writings of George Whytock, the friend of M'Crie was chosen as, from its position, suitable for a centre of operations.
A noonday prayer meeting, begun in this church on the first week of February, has been held daily in the same place ever since. Requests for prayer began at once to pour in, showing in a deeply interesting way the spiritual cravings already awakened. The attendance has been most encouraging. Many can testify to the amount of spiritual refreshment and quickening received at that quiet, simple, but earnest meeting.
The evangelistic meetings began on February 9, and continued evening by evening continued without a break for five weeks; being held during the week in Back St and on Sabbath evenings by rotation, as far as possible, in different churches in the town. The movement has been guided, so far as human instrumentality is concerned, by a committee of all the ministers who saw their way to take part in it, and of leading elders and others from all evangelical denominations in the town, under the convenership of the respected minister of the Back Street Church, the oldest of the brethren associated in this matter, who, by his spirit of zeal, faith, and hopefulness, has been from the first of the most essential service. From 16th March onwards, the committee agreed to reduce the meetings to three in the week, not from any apparent lessening of the interest evinced, but to allow time for the resumption of Bible classes, etc., and for otherwise seeking to consolidate the work already done.
The attendance in the evenings (comprehending all classes in society, from the very lowest) was from the first good, and steadily increasing, the church more than once being so crowded that many had to go away for want of room. The committee desire to express their deepest gratitude to the ministers and others from Edinburgh and elsewhere who have set forth the way of salvation with such simplicity, clearness and power at these meetings, and assisted in dealing with the anxious. After-meetings were held from the first; and night after night, down to that on which I write, fresh inquirers have come in, so that now, when we count the number of cases dealt with one by one at the second meetings, and now being brought under Christian supervision, it far surpasses what those of the committee most constant in their attendance at the after-meetings
could have believed. While sadly conscious of how much land there remains among us to be possessed, we desire with all our hearts to thank God, and take courage from what He has done for us to go forward in faith and hope.
"Times of Blessing," April 18th, 1874.