An extensive Revival has begun in Free St. Mark's and Hope-street Gaelic, and other churches, in addition to the work which has so long been going on in the Wynds and Bridgegate. Nightly meetings have been held in St. Mark's for more than a fortnight. So numerous have the awakenings been in this congregation, that it has been said that unless others are brought in, the work must cease. Of that, however, there is but little fear, as it is well known that not only have most of the churches in Glasgow reaped fruit from the few places where prayer-meetings have been held during the last two years, but it has been repeatedly stated in public, by those who have had opportunities of knowing that over all Scotland there are many who thank God for the blessings they have received at the Revival meetings in Glasgow. At the Free Gaelic Church, Hope-street, mid-day and evening meetings are also being held, which are always followed by inquiry meetings, and great numbers have been awakened.
In the Wynd Church, on Wednesday evening, Mr Hammond read the following note from a lady who, in leaving a meeting in the Queen's Rooms, was urged to remain and decide. At first, she laughed and refused, but at length returned with her husband to the inquirers' meeting.
"Dear Sir,—On Wednesday night at the Queen's Rooms I was brought to see my sins, and I felt myself to be a most wretched and miserable sinner. I thought there could be no pardon for me. I had so slighted the grace of God. I used to attend church on Sabbath regularly, and prayer-meetings during the week, but all the while I was a mere formal professor, although my husband believed me to be a true believer and I thought I was a believer in Christ. I found myself on Wednesday night at your meeting on the brink of hell, for I saw nothing before me but God's wrath and curse due to my sins. I was sinking into despair and cried out in agony God have mercy on my soul; ' immediately these words in Isaiah Iv. were whispered in mine ears, ‘Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.' I then found comfort, and when you came to me and spoke to me about Christ, and sang that sweet hymn, Come to Jesus,' I found peace and was filled with joy in believing. If you had not persuaded me to return to the inquiry meeting after I had left the hall, intending to go home, I would not have found Christ and been so happy as I am today. Do you remember having asked me, when I was leaving the hall at the close of the meeting, if I had found Christ, and I passed on laughing? My prayers to God are that He would fill you with his Spirit that you may turn many unto righteousness, and shine in heaven as the stars forever and ever."— Wynd Journal.
On Sabbath the 9th of February, the following circumstance occurred:—Mr. Hammond introduced a working-man of middle age, who proceeded to address the audience. We give his statement as near as may be verbatim:—" This is the first time," he said, "in my life that I ever rose to address a meeting on any subject. I see many faces here that ken me weel, as I belong to the place. They ken who I am, but they dinna ken what I was inwardly. Before these meetings took place I was a stranger to God. I professed Him outwardly, but inwardly I was a subject of the devil. I was an infidel in principle, though still professing to be a Christian. My chief occupation on the Sabbath day was to gang among the fields and woods for the purpose of studying nature as we termed it; and there are men here I ken, and who I love weel, who used to go there for that object. But oh, if it had been God's pleasure to take me away a fortnight since, I must have been hurled into eternal misery. I noo ken and feel that at that time I was without God and going fast to destruction. I aye heard folk talking about sudden conversions and such like, but I thought it was nonsense, and before this night week I kent naething about it, and did not feel Christ in my soul. There are men in this meeting who have seen me struggling and striving for Christ, and at last I have found Him. Some said to me that as long as there was life there was hope; but my answer was, 'If I'm saved at a', it will be by fire.' In Mr Symington's church this night week I was urged to come to Christ and be saved, but I resisted the invitation. I was in great trouble, and a man I met with there tried to comfort me, but my soul was overwhelmed. He said, Will I pray for ye? and with that he leaned down and poured out his soul to God for me, a guilty and miserable sinner. He saw that though some little relieved, I was still in great anxiety and distress, and he said, Just gang away hame, and dinna weary yourself sitting here, but gang to yer ain house, and pray to God for grace.' I rose and gaed away hame, and there, by mysel, sat down on my knees for the first time in my life. I had no words to express my feelings, but I sat down on my knees till I found Jesus come to my very soul. [This statement produced. a marked sensation in the meeting.] I was telling some men in this house last nicht (continued the speaker) how I found. Christ in prayer, and I now tell them, and a' here that are unconverted, to gang hame to their closets as I did, and importune God to pour peace into their hearts; and if they ask Him, faithfully believing on his name, the blessing will be theirs. Oh, heavenly Father, look down on these poor deluded sinners; may they be led to look to Christ for salvation. Oh God, hear this imperfect prayer. Guide them in the narrow way that leads unto life eternal, for Christ's sake. Amen." This prayer, with which the speaker closed his striking narrative, was broken by emotion, his feelings seemingly being too strong for utterance.—Glasgow Examiner.
From the 'Revival Newspaper', Volume IV, page 100.
The Church stood where marked.