Thurso - D L Moody (1874)
The reports of the Lord's work in the south, during the memorable summer of 1874, aroused deep interest and large expectations in Thurso. When it became known that Mr Moody was to visit the north, arrangements were made for special preparatory or preliminary meetings in the town. The local ministers were assisted by the Rev. Dr Kennedy, of Dingwall; the Rev. W. Ross Taylor, Kelvinside; Hugh M. Mathieson, Esq., London; and others. Night after night there were many decisions. On Sabbath, the 16th August, when the remarkable work, above described, was going on in Wick, the town of Thurso was experiencing similar blessing. At the close of the Sabbath evening service in the first Free Church, conducted by the Rev. W. Ross Taylor, Kelvinside, the preacher announced, in the most explicit terms, that only those were to remain to the after-meeting who were either already Christians, or desirous to become Christians that very night. All others were requested to withdraw, along with those whose duties might require them to leave. It was a novel intimation in Thurso, but the result was eminently satisfactory. Three-fourths of the audience remained, making an after-meeting of between 800 and 900 persons, all of them publicly professing to be either already Christ or decided to yield themselves to Him. It was a most solemn hour one to be long remembered, and one which, we may trust, some will remember, to all eternity, as the hour of their fully resolving and acting on the resolution "I will arise and go to my Father" for not one-half of those present had ever before made a public profession of being decided for Christ.
Next day Mr Moody arrived in Thurso from Wick. The ground had been prepared for him. "From the first he felt his audience in full sympathy with him, eager to hear the Word of Life; and, as night after night he urged the acceptance of Christ's salvation, with all the freshness, pathos, and power which characterise his speaking, even the most careless heart was strangely stirred, and many a head was bowed under uncontrollable emotion. The first meeting, on Monday evening, was held in open-air Taylor's Church, which was densely packed with some 1800 people; and the second, on Tuesday evening, in the Established Church, where upwards of 2000 were accommodated. A large number of ministers and people from the surrounding parishes were present, so that the influence of Mr Moody's work will be felt far beyond the town. The number of inquirers on each night was very large, especially on the Tuesday evening. While Christians remained to pray in the Established Church, inquirers were invited to the First Free Church the young men to the hall behind the church, the children to the vestry, and the others to the church itself. Upwards of 100 men were inquirers that night, and, before the meeting with them ended, more than one half stood up and declared their acceptance of Christ as their own Saviour. It was a blessed sight, for most of them were young men of real energy or character, whose decision and future work for Christ cannot fail to tell most powerfully on the whole town."
Similar scenes were witnessed on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Rev. Dr Ross Taylor, Kelvinside, writing in Times of Blessing, August 27, 1874, said: "This has been a memorable week for Thurso. Last week it was clear to every observant eye that the fields were white, and the labourers had cause to rejoice over not a few gathered sheaves; now, however, the glad reaping time has fully come, and many years of patient labour are being crowned with a glorious harvest. Two features which have been elsewhere characteristic of this work of grace? widespread susceptibility to impression, and a readiness, on the part of those impressed, to accept of the simple offer of Christ in the Gospel have been remarkably displayed. The numbers seeking counsel and guidance night after night, at the close of the meetings, have been larger than almost anywhere else, mounting up one evening to nearly 300 persons; and, of these, many, there is good ground to believe, have accepted God's message of love with clear intelligence and cordial trust. Christians, also, have been greatly quickened and filled with unwonted longings after the salvation of those around them. The noonday prayer meeting had to be transferred from the small hall, where it was held, to one of the churches the Free West Church." After Mr Moody had left, the meetings were carried on with great zeal and success for some time. The Established Church and the two Free Churches were used on alternate evenings. The attendance on Sabbath evening was about 1200, and on each week evening averaged between 500 and 600. The churches, the Young Men's Christian Association, and every religious and philanthropic institution in the town and neighbourhood were inspired with new life and energy. Fresh evangelistic enterprises were begun in the open air and in surrounding villages, while the general tone of the community was most manifestly elevated.
'Revivals in the Highlands and Islands' by Alexander Macrea, Republished in 1998 by Tentmaker Publications.
In reply to your request for tidings, I have to inform you with feelings of deep thankfulness that God's people in Thurso have now to join with those in other towns who can sing of the Lord's gracious presence and power. When I came here last week, I found the people of God longing and thirsting for the blessing, and meeting daily at noon to plead for it. No one could doubt that under these circumstances the answer was at hand. Accordingly, since Sabbath last, marked power has attended the evangelistic meetings held night after night in one or other of the various churches of the town, the attendance has been steadily increasing, and no fewer than one hundred have since the week began remained as inquirers. On Sabbath evening I had the privilege of telling a large audience met in the Established Church of what God had been doing for us in Glasgow during the past six months; and the tidings of earnestness and decision on the part of others proved here, as elsewhere, a powerful stimulant. Some remained that evening to ask guidance, but on the following evening the earnestness, which had been deepening and strengthening, broke fairly through all restraints, and no fewer than thirty, of, whom twenty were fine young men of about twenty years and upwards, remained behind in much anxiety. It was a blessed sight, filling the hearts of those who had been patiently labouring and praying for the blessing with overflowing gratitude to God. On Tuesday evening
a very rich and precious sermon, on "I am the Bread of Life," was preached by Dr Kennedy of Dingwall to a large congregation, and must have been helpful to many. On the two following evenings, at the close of very earnest meetings, yet more and more waited to seek counsel, and today, at the close of a service for the young, many of the young people waited to be conversed with, and seemed to welcome gladly the Saviour's call to children.
On Monday and Tuesday next we expect to have the invaluable aid of Mr Moody; and, now that God's children here have had their faith so greatly encouraged and enlarged, and so many are either professing to seek Jesus or to be rejoicing in a Saviour found, we cannot doubt that great results are in store. It is now fifteen years since Thurso was visited with a marked blessing, and of that happy period I retain a record, which tells of upwards of four hundred inquirers, and of one-half of these becoming members of the Church within a few months thereafter. and even greater things in this year of grace! May God like grant even greater things in this year of grace.
"Times of Blessing," Aug 27th, 1874.
This has been a memorable week for Thurso. Last week it was clear to every observant eye that the fields were white, and the labourers had cause to rejoice over not a few gathered sheaves; now, however, the glad reaping time has fully come and many years of patient labour is being crowned with a glorious harvest. Two features which have been elsewhere characteristic of the present work of grace, widespread susceptibility to impression, and a readiness on the part of those impressed to accept of the simple offer of Christ in the gospel - have been here remarkably displayed. The numbers seeking counsel and guidance, night after at the close of the meetings, have been larger than almost anywhere else, mounting up one evening to nearly 300 persons and of these many, there is good grounds to believe, have accepted God's message of love with clear intelligence and cordial trust. Christians, also, have been greatly quickened and filled with unwonted longings after the salvation of those around them. The noonday prayer meeting had to be transferred from the small hall where it was held to one of the churches - the Free West Church (Rev. D. Burn's); and though no special attraction was held out, company of worshippers, filling comfortably the area of the building, has day by day assembled to give thanks for God's wonderful goodness, and to plead for yet further blessing.
Sabbath, to begin with, was manifestly a day of the Lord's power. Earnest words were spoken from every pulpit, and all were in expectation of the Lord's working. Accordingly, at the united evening service held in the First Free Church (Rev. W. Ross Taylor's), the spacious and handsome building was thoroughly filled in every part with an audience prepared to hear. A sermon of an evangelistic character was preached by the Rev. W. Ross Taylor, Glasgow. At the close of the service, the preacher, when intimating an after-meeting, announced in the most explicit terms that only those were to remain to the meeting who were either already Christians or desirous to become Christians that very night. All others were requested to withdraw along with those whose other duties might require them to leave. It was a novel intimation in Thurso, but the result was eminently satisfactory. Three-fourths of the audience remained, making an after-meeting of between 800 and 900 persons - all of them professing to be either already Christ's or decided to yield themselves to Him. It was a most solemn hour - one to be long remembered, and one which, we may trust, some will remember through eternity as the hour of their fully resolving, and acting on the resolution, "I will arise and go to my Father;" for not one-half of those present had ever before made a public profession of being decided for Christ. Amid great stillness and deep attention, earnest addresses were delivered by Rev. Mr Taylor, Free Church, and Rev. Mr Miller, Established Church, Thurso, and Rev. Mr Taylor, Glasgow: and at the close of the meeting a goodly number still lingered behind to be individually conversed with.
"Times of Blessing," Aug 27th, 1874.
It will be gratifying to the friends of the good work to learn that the meetings in Thurso have been maintained during the past week with great spirit, and have been attended with good results. As this is the period of school holidays, a meeting for the young was held daily at eleven o'clock, in the hall behind the First Free Church; and here, as in other towns, many of the children appear to have had their hearts opened to take in the loving message of Jesus. The meeting has been supported by the various ministers of the town, but its success has been mainly owing to the energy and zeal of Mr Charles E. Taylor, student in Edinburgh College. The noonday meeting has been so well attended that the West Free Church is still required to accommodate the worshippers, and all who have been able to attend have found the "house of prayer," with its varied and earnest exercises, a most precious privilege, full of refreshing and strength. The evangelistic meetings have been held every evening in the Established and the two Free Churches alternately, and both the attendance and the earnestness manifested have afforded cause for much thankfulness. The attendance on Sabbath evening was about 1,200 and on each week evening averaged between 500 and 600. On each occasion the minister of the church presided, and gave the first address; thereafter it fell to me to occupy the latter half of the time, and I can truly testify that it was no common pleasure to address
audiences so thoroughly and markedly in earnest. The Sabbath evening meeting, in particular, was one to be remembered.
Many a heart was conscious of the Master's presence, and His arrows were made sharp in the hearts of His enemies. At the close of the first service, it was intimated that an after-meeting would be held for inquirers only, at which they would be addressed collectively and a glad sight it was to see the pews in front of the pulpit filling up more and more until fully two hundred young men and young women had taken their seats. A large proportion of these professed to have received Christ during the preceding two weeks, and their names were taken down by their ministers, but many more were still groping or had been only that night awakened and required to be individually conversed with
Those whom I had the opportunity of speaking to were in great anxiety, and a similar testimony was borne by the other workers; and not a few appeared to apprehend distinctly, as it was unfolded to them, God's glorious ways of grace. On all the following evenings inquirers remained at the close of the meetings in considerable numbers, some for the first time, showing that the good work was continuing to spread, and others in order to receive further help and guidance. On Thursday evening, at the close of the evangelistic service, I had a meeting with young men alone, and before the meeting closed many of them responded at once to an appeal to stand up and confess before their companions that they were on the Lord's side. They afterwards enrolled themselves as members of the Young Men's Christian Association - an Association which, it is to be hoped, will prove a power in the town, now that it has received so much new life. And may God grant that the blessed work of these weeks past will continue to spread and deepen and that those who have professed to yield themselves to Christ will adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things.
Thurso, Aug. 29, 1874.
"Times of Blessing," Sep 10th, 1874.