King's Business - 1915-09

764 the spacious hall continued to be filled at the appointed hour, and up to this day (January 12, 1860) a very large attendance of earnest worshippers assembled for.praise and prayer. In the month of August the writer suggested that a copy of the Word of God should be purchased for the use of this: union prayer-meeting, and to serve as a memorial to other times of the gracious work of God among us. The suggestion was very ardently adopted, and a copy of the Scriptures, of the largest size, and in very costly binding was procured, and now appropriately and impressively witnesses every morning for Him who sent ‘times of refreshing.’” REMARKABLE INSCRIPTION The following inscription is engraved on the fly-leaf of this Bible: “This copy of the Holy Scriptures, purchased by the contributions of Christians of all evangelical denom­ inations in Coleraine, who have been attending a union prayer-meeting in the Town Hall, is intended to be— “1st. A memorial of the most gracious and widespread religious awakening, which commenced upon the evening of the 7th of June, 1859, at an open-air meeting for prayer and preaching of the gospel, held on the ‘Fair-Hill’ of Coleraine, when many, with strong crying and tears, were led to exclaim, ‘What must I do to be saved ?’ and when many more throughout the night, and during the period which has since elapsed, were led by the Spirit of God to embrace an offered Saviour and to find peace and joy in believing. “It is meant to be, “2d. A memorial of the first open­ ing of the .new Town Hall of Cole­ raine, when upon the night of the 9th of June, 1859, nearly one hundred per­ sons, agonized in mind through con­ viction of sin, and entirely prostrate in body, were borne into that build­ ing to obtain shelter during the night, and to receive consolation from the

THE KING’S BUSINESS

instructions and prayers of Christian people. “And this copy of God’s Word is intended, “3d. To be a memorial to other people, and to other times, of the blessed spirit of union and brotherly love, which has been one fruit of God’s wondrous work in Coleraine, and which has found its expression, and its witness, in the crowded union prayer-meeting, which assembles daily in the Town Hall, from half-past 1 nine until ten o’clock. “Filled with adoring gratitude to Almighty God for the gift of His Holy Spirit, by whom many hundreds have been brought to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, we, the minis­ ters of the gospel in Coleraine, presi­ dents of the union prayer-meeting, to­ gether with the committee of man­ agement, do subscribe our names to this inscription, expressing our desire and determination, that this copy of the Holy Scriptures shall be com­ mitted to the custody and safe keeping of the chairman of the town com­ missioners, or other chief civic au­ thority for the time being, as a token of our gratitude to God, for the times of refreshing with which He has been pleased to visit Coleraine, and a wit­ ness to other days of ‘how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.’ (Signed) ' “James O’Hara, rector of Coleraine. “J. Alfred Canning, minister of Second Presbyterian Church. “J. MacDonnell, minister of Third Presbyterian Church. “John Kydd, pastor of Congrega­ tional Church. “Geo. Vance, Wesleyan minister. “Wm. Richey, minister of the First Presbyterian Church.” (Here follow the other names.) Continuing, Mr. Canning says : “Many hundred ministers and other ser vants of Christ from all countries, but es

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