Wellington Street Presbyterian Church (1859)



The minister of this church S J Moore was prominent in the revival. After the revival began in Springwell Street, there were daily meetings in this church for the next few weeks. "We paid a short visit to the Presbyterian Church in Wellington Street at a very late hour one evening this week, and a description of what we observed, on that occasion, would be similar to the proceedings of almost every other evening for the last fortnight. We passed toward the church but found entrance was impossible, for the pews in every portion of the church were crowded to excess, the aisles completely filled, and the vestibule occupied with anxious listeners. The number present could not have been less than two thousand. "Passing toward the rear of the church we found a throng of people assembled about every window, and, having succeeded in obtaining admission to the vestry room, we there beheld a scene which it would be impossible to forget, but equally impossible to describe. The apartment was literally filled, with people of both sexes who had been borne from the church under the most excruciating agonies of strong conviction — some of them in a fainting state — some prostrate and moaning heavily — some calling upon the Name of the Lord Jesus — some praying for grace and faith — and others crying aloud in a frenzied supplication for Heaven's mercy. In one corner of the room we observed a grey-haired old man, trembling in every limb and regardless of all around him, fervently and audibly imploring God to pardon his manifold transgressions, for the Redeemer's sake. A boy, some fourteen or fifteen years of age, was reeling in fearful agony of mind upon the floor calling persistently for mercy and for deliverance from the expected torments of an anticipated Hell. 'Oh, Saviour of sinners,' he exclaimed, 'deliver me from this horrible pit!' `Oh, Jesus of Nazareth, set my feet upon that rock!' In another part of the room a young man, in low and solemn tones, gave expression to his feeling in the following language:- 'I know that my Redeemer — I know that He can save my soul — I know that He can wash me from all uncleanness in the fountain of His atoning blood; but oh, I have crucified Him — I have crucified Him! I have despised His, Holy Name, and how shall I approach Him! Oh, my sins, my sins! Oh God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "A solemn influence had fallen upon every heart. Many people, unused to such an attitude at public worship, were humbly kneeling in pews, aisles, and window recesses of the gallery on which we stood, and we observed that a decently retired female had prostrated herself hill length upon the pulpit stairs. In the course of this prayer a case of sudden conviction occurred in close proximity to the very spot we occupied. The person was an aged woman, who gave loud expression to her sensations in mournful cries, beseeching the Lord Jesus to have mercy upon her sinful soul. She bowed her face upon her quivering hands and we could perceive that scalding tears were trickling through her withered fingers. All the while, 'Oh, Saviour, pity me' the burden of her prayer. The church was not vacated until past night." "The Ballymena Observer" Saturday, 1st June 1859

Additional Information

The building is currently (Aug 2010) for sale for £2m.


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