BURNLEY.-In compliance with the urgent request of several friends, I send you a few statements relative to the interesting revival which has taken place at Burnley; its origin—progress—and results. In the early part of the year 1843, I went to preach in the G. B. chapel, Prospect-place, Bradford. There was a good work going on in the church and congregation. At the close of the evening service, a prayer meeting was held in the chapel. The house was filled with the divine glory, and the visitant saw what he had never seen, and felt as he had never felt before. Previous to that time, I had been sceptical on the subject of "extraordinary movements;" but my doubts and prejudices passed away as a dream; my conscience was smitten on account of previous unbelief and indifference, and as I returned home, I had powerful "searchings of heart." I felt convinced that I had often prayed and preached as if the Spirit of the Lord was straitened, whilst the truth was I had heen straitened in myself.
At the close of the morning service on the following sabbath, the subject was brought before our church. Many of the brethren felt the importance of the subject, and at a special prayer meeting held at the close of the afternoon service, nearly the whole of the adult congregation remained. It soon became evident that Jehovah was amongst us in the power of his Spirit, ond that he was about to do a great work amongst us. (It ought to be stated here, that several of our friends, previous to this time, had been earnestly wrestling with God in prayer, for the outpouring of his Spirit, and the revival of religion amongst us). The deep solemnity, the anxious looks, and the simple yet fervent prayers, that characterized this and another meeting which was held in the same place on the evening of the same day, induced the exclamation; —Surely this people is prepared of the Lord! To attribute these effects to anything except the great power of God, were a libel upon the Holy Spirit. The church was humbled -Zion travailed in birth-the eyes of all present were suffused with tears-the prayers of some abrupty terminated in sobs-and amongst others there were literally "groanings that could not be uttered." Truly, this was a Pentecostal day! Several were professedly brought to God. Some, who for a considerable time had regularly heard the gospel, and evinced a good moral character, were seen for the first time in the attitude of prayer and heard to confess their sins and cry for merey in a public assembly.
We now looked forward with peculiar interest to the day on which we anticipated the arrival of brethren Tunnicliffe of Leeds, and Ingham of Bradford, who had kindly engaged to visit us. They came, according to arrangement, on Monday. On the previous sabbath, an effort was made to prepare the minds of the church for the special services it was intended to hold, in a sermon from these words, "Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Josh iii. 5. The visit of the above brethren was very opportune, and by their zealous and indefatigable labours, a powerful impulse was given to the good work. They remained with us a few days, preaching, teaching, exhorting, praying, rising up early, and remaining up Iate, to meet the peculiar circumstances of those whose everlasting welfare they came to seek.
The Lord blessed them abundantly, and made them an abundant blessing! Although I have already exceeded the limits I set when I began to write, I cannot forbear an. allusion to a service conducted on the Tuesday evening, a service that will never be forgotten by many who were there. After prayer, Brother Ingham ascended the pulpit and feelingly and affectionately addressed a large congregation from these words, "How can I bear to see the evil that shall come upon my kindred." Brother Tunnicliffe followed in a powerful sermon from these words, "Unto you is the word of this salvation sent." A prayer meeting followed - the scene was overwhelming. While the congregation sang the hymn beginning "The judgment day is coming;" saints and sinners involuntarily sunk down upon their seats, and at this moment there was a majesty and power in the operations of the Spirit that was all-subduing, and the effects of which, language cannot describe.
A large number were "pricked in their heart" on this occasion, most of whom have subsequently followed their Redeemer "through the baptismal stream." What a blessing it would be to many of our churches if our excellent brother T. were fully employed in the good work on which, I believe, his heart is fixed; for which he is so well adapted; and to which he has been solemnly designated-that of an Evangelist. Well, the good work thus begun at Burnley, has, by the divine blessing, been carried forward, with some slight interruptions, to the present time. We have been under the pleasing necessity of extending our chapel and school accommodations, (which undertaking has cost £600); sixty-three have been added to the church by baptism, and we anticipate ere long further additions.
"Not unto us. not unto us, but unto thy name be all the glory!" May God establish those who have "put on Christ," and may he soon visit all his churches with a shower of heavenly influence, that his Son may be glorified, his truth more extensively honoured, and his mercy more gloriously displayed in the salvation of perishing souls!
Burnley.
From, "The Baptist Reporter," April 1843, page 128-9.