Bridgegate Church -Glasgow (1860)
THE BRIDGEGATE AND WYND MISSION.—Every Sabbath evening since the Bridgegate Church was opened the crowds around the stone pulpit have been increasing, until on Sabbath evening last there could not have been fewer than 7000 hearers; and probably more. We say "hearers," for, notwithstanding the vastness of the congregation, the voice of the preacher (Mr M‘Coll.) appeared to be perfectly audible at the furthest extremity. The sound of the Psalm rising from so many voices was heard to a great distance in the neighbouring Wynds, and drew out numbers of the inhabitants, and led them to the place of meeting. The sight was most impressive, for there was not the slightest disturbance and hundreds who had never entered a church-door stood and listened from beginning to end with close and fixed attention. At the close of the open-air service invitation is given from the pulpit to all who wish to come to a decision in the matter of religion to attend the prayer meeting, and the well-dressed people are asked to stand aside and allow the others to enter first. Within ten minutes the church is generally packed, and being seated for 900, it will receive probably upwards of 1100 when thus crowded. The prayer- meeting generally continues from eight o'clock till about ten. At nine o'clock last Sabbath evening the power that seemed to be present was most solemnising, the voice of the speaker being sometimes nearly drowned in cries and groans. About ten o'clock the meeting was brought to a close, and those only were asked to remain who wished conversation with the minister and other friends. About 500 waited, including, of course, the friends of these who were in distress. This Meeting continued till a quarter from twelve o'clock. There have been many most interesting cases of awakening. On the Sabbath before last, a young woman from Rutherglen was brought under conviction while listening to the preaching of the Word among the open-air congregation. Having entered the church afterwards, she was there "stricken," and had to be taken home to the house of a member of the church, as she was both blind and dumb, continuing in that state for two days. She is still in distress of mind, but the physical symptoms are entirely removed. The other Sabbath evening there was a group of four persons at the window of one of the houses in Bridgegate, immediately overlooking the congregation. One sentence from the preacher was the means of bringing every one of them under conviction of sin. They retired in distress; and when the prayer-meeting had begun in the church, a message was received, asking someone to come and speak to them. Two of the four, a man and a woman, were living in sin, and the banns have since been proclaimed for their marriage. This, we may say, is just a specimen of the sort of work going on. The weekly prayer-meetings are still continued in the Wynd Church. On Tuesday night the church was crowded, and at the second meeting especially, a great many were brought into soul anxiety. The services could not be concluded till about half-past eleven o'clock—Scottish Guardian.
Taken from the 'Revival' newspaper.
Additional Information
This is from an 1894 map which can be seen on the National Library of Scotland's website. The church was removed on re-development of the area. The map is pale, but you can see the church marked at the very top of the map, just to the left of the railway lines. A car park is now where the church was.