Timsbury Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (1861)
For several years a union prayer-meeting has been held in this village, and God's people have been earnestly praying that He would revive us; still the fruitful shower was withheld us. Many times I have read your excellent Revival in order to encourage the people and to let them know what was going on. At length, we found an increasing number of young men attending regularly at the Wesleyan Sunday-school, and occasionally a few of the scholars uniting themselves with us. A meeting of our several Sabbath-schools, held during the past summer, greatly tended to cement the bond of Christian union; and now there is a common movement in the right direction. I will, however, only relate now what has taken place in connexion with the Wesleyans. About a fortnight ago several of our scholars became concerned about their souls, and began to attend the daily prayer-meeting. The number increased daily, and in the course of one week upwards of twenty found peace. Little groups of boys may now be seen every night wending their way to the prayer-meeting. We believe the work will continue, and that many older persons will be brought to God On Monday, 15th ult., we had a public teachers' tea-meeting. Addresses were being delivered by the teachers, but we found we had some among us in distress, and groaning for deliverance. A sister, who had found peace on Sunday night, was asked to relate her experience. She had been convinced of sin a few days ago, and now she told us of her conversion to God in the clearest manner. She had come home from the chapel on Sunday evening burdened with sin; her husband and child were asleep in bed. She knelt down and wrestled with God, determined not to rise until she had found peace; although the enemy of souls tempted her to give up, still she persevered. At length the Saviour appeared to her, and with a smile of ineffable sweetness (a smile she said she should never forget), He said to her, "peace! peace! peace!" She rose from her knees and went out to tell her neighbours what God had done for her soul! but they had retired to rest. She said she felt as though she could have told her delight to a worm; all around now appeared a paradise to her. Returning to her cottage she awoke her husband and child to tell what God had done for her soul. And now she exhorted the young present to be decided for God. Her clear statement of her conversion satisfied us that it is God's work, and marvellous in our eyes. We now began a prayer-meeting; soon the cries of distress arose above the voice of prayer, and heaven was, as it were, opened. Several young persons were on their knees for hours; seven or eight found peace, and we did not separate until past midnight; then many went away in distress. Last night, after preaching, 200 or more stayed to the prayer-meeting. J. L. From the 'Revival Newspaper', Volume V, page 142-3.