Deal Town Hall (1861)
Dear Sirs,--Reading your article, of the 23rd inst., on the "Fruits of Revival," I am constrained to write in at?testation of the glorious effects produced by a manifestation of the Spirit's power in the conversion and holy and consistent life of many in this town. Deal for many years has been blessed with a succession of devoted ministers in every denomi?nation. Much precious seed has been cast and watered by the long-continued, united, and earnest prayers of the children of God. But no special results have been witnessed until early in the spring of this year. God, whose ways are in the sea and his paths in the great waters, having wrought a glorious change in the heart of a dear youth, "a native of this town, but at the time residing in London," gave him to feel an intense desire that the efforts he, in conjunction with several others, were putting forth for the salvation of souls should be extended to the town of his nativity. Accordingly, we were assisted by Capt. Hawes, who delivered a public address in the Town Hall on "The progress of the work of God." The effect was marked in the quickening of God's dear people and bringing them into closer union with each other. This address was succeeded by many others, and the public hall became too strait to contain the numbers that came to hear the plain and simple story of the cross. After these addresses we have seen the hall refill with penitents of all classes and ages inquiring what they must do to be saved. Groups have been seen in the streets and near the hall, and more than once has it been my unspeakable joy to tell the troubled heart of the love of Christ, and many have believed on Him there. I know a school in this town in which many dear children have been made happy, and are still walking in the fear of God and the consolations of his Holy Spirit, and are anxious that their parents, brothers, and sisters should be made happy too. In the same school there are junior teachers who have realised the same blessing and are still found keeping the commandments of God and banding themselves together for the purpose of holding united prayer-meetings. Then among the adults there have been cases of real scriptural conversion. We have heard of a dear clergyman declaring he could look upon, I think, as many as forty such individuals. We may further observe that in every section of the true church there has been a general increase of such persons who, having given their hearts to God, have given themselves to his people by the will of God, and are adorning the gospel of God their Saviour in all things. Nor have these persons in every case been those who have regularly attended the services of God's house. We have seen the drunkard abandon the ale-house, and the profane their profanity. I visited the dwelling of a young married man, who told me that previous to his conversion he seldom went to church or attended any service whatever; his nights, or two-thirds of them, were spent in gambling and drinking, while his anxious wife was found sitting up awaiting his return. Such by the blessing of God we have thankfully to record, while with anxious eyes and hearts and feeble faith, we pray that God would send showers of blessings upon our town. R. W.
From the 'Revival Newspaper', Volume V, page 182.