We quote the following from a private letter:—The gracious work you have heard of has indeed been a reality. About one hundred and fifty persons have been awakened to a sense of their condition, and a large number of them have professed to have found peace through believing. In addition to this great blessing the church has awaked up in a wonderful manner and is in earnest to work with greater zeal in the vineyard.
Towards the close of the last year our earnest and devoted minister, the Rev. W. P. Johns, preached a course of sermons on Revivals, explaining the nature of a Revival, what would promote its progress, and how it might be effectually checked. These services were numerously attended, and deep and unusual seriousness was observable in the congregation. At the commencement of the new year, we had noon-day prayer-meetings for the special purpose of pleading for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. These were succeeded by an evening prayer-meeting for the same object; the feeling and earnestness of the people gradually increasing. Mr Johns then met the whole of the church, stated his conviction, that we were called upon by present indications to earnest work to follow the cloud that seemed then to go before us, and requested all to pledge themselves to co-operate with him in the great work. He then announced Revival sermons every night in the week and sent the subjects for each night to every house in Milford.
The interest excited was immense, and the feeling that prevailed most unusual. Prayer-meetings were announced at the close, none of the densely-crowded audience attempted to move. There was then an invitation given to any who were in earnest to save their souls to go into the vestry to be personally conversed with by parties appointed. It was most affecting to see young and old, in the face of that large congregation, move up with a firm step till the place was filled to overflowing.
In all this there was not the slightest confusion, nor anything to offend the most fastidious taste. A similar course was pursued in the chapel the other side of the water, and the glorious result is that between 150 and 200 persons have given their names to be enrolled in the church books as members on trial. The same earnestness still prevails, and we are looking forward for a great ingathering and richer baptism of the Holy Spirit. Oh, that all the churches may be visited in a similar manner. J. L
From the 'Revival Newspaper', Volume VI, page 71.
I assume that this is the church mentioned, but I do not know which church is meant in the final paragraph.