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they also caught the hallowed flame. Nor was it with the labor of the slothful that they entered on the work—it was with con stancy, persistency, and power, and with an intense desire for the salvation of their friends and neighbors who were perishing around them. “Among others who were associated in the Sabbath-school prayer meeting were the four young men whose names have been much before the public in connection with the subsequent revival. These four re joiced together in the glorious work, and took great delight also in each other’s so ciety, enjoying sweet communion with each other, and with their common Lord. But as they were some miles apart in their re spective homes, and could not come together so often as they desired, they resolved to meet at a central place for Christian fellow ship, and for this purpose they chose an old school house in the neighborhood of Kells, where, in the month of October, about two months subsequent to the commencement of the Sabbath-school prayer meeting at Tan- nybrake, those exercises were conducted which have been generally regarded as the origin of the revival. It will.he seen, how ever, from what has now been stated, that the first stirrings of life were exhibited in connection with the Sabbath-school prayer meeting. Three,at least, of the converts were born there, two of whom were scholars, and the third a teacher, while the gracious an swers to the prayers offered on their behalf, while laboring under deep conviction, gave a powerful stimulus to prayer itself. From that time the gracious drops began fo fall thicker and faster, until the rushing shower descended which has refreshed so many, and left behind verdure and beauty in the her itage of God. MARKED CONVERSIONS. “For a considerable period,” says Mr. Moore himself, “and before any general in terest in religion was manifested by the people, there had been a growing anxiety about salvation. And some cases had here and there occurred of an unwonted char-
“About Christmas, that year, Mr. McQuil- kin, with the two brethren who had first joined him—one of whom was Mr. Jere miah Meneely, who is still at work for God —held a meeting by request at Ahoghill. Some believed and some mocked, while others thought these three converts pre sumptuous ; but two weeks later another meeting was held, at which God’s Spirit be gan to work most mightily and conversions now rapidly multiplied. Some converts bore the sacred coals and kindled the fire else where, and so in many places revival flames began to burn; and in Ballymena, Belfast, and at other points the Spirit’s gracious work was manifest.” SEEK THE PARENTS The teachers in this Sabbath school re solved to attempt to reach the parents of the children, and accordingly they began a meeting for prayer and the reading of the Scriptures, after the Sabbath school, to which the parents and others were invited. The first meeting was not particularly en couraging ; there was only one visitor pres ent. Nothing daunted, these praying Christians held their meeting the following Sabbath, and about thirty adults, besides children and the workers themselves were present. The meeting grew each week un til the house was filled. “Prayer, praise, and reading in the Bible, with plain observations on the portion read, were the exercises en gaged in. Everything sectarian was strictly prohibited, and promptly checked as soon as it appeared. Questions that might have given rise to controversy were not discussed, while the one great and absorbing topic, “Christ and the cross,” seemed to occupy the atten tion and steal the affections of all present. The Sabbath school teachers’ prayer meet ing, for it was so called, became more and more interesting, till the knowledge of its existence spread throughout the neighbor hood. Many came to see whether the things they had heard concerning it were true; and such was the earnestness and solemnity in that little assembly, that strangers who came once, returned again and again, until
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