The special services at Richmond by Rev W H Aitken have continued in the last week to grow in interest and in power. As the preacher stated in one of his sermons, there is a stir amongst the people; the spirit of inquiry is beginning to pervade the neighbourhood. The monotony of formal religiousness has been weighed in the balance and found wanting, and the salvation of the soul has been recognised as a matter of even more pressing importance than the Eastern question.
There was a large gathering of men at Trinity Church on Sunday afternoon last and Mr Aitken's outspoken words of address and of counsel produced a spirit of deep conviction in many hearts which is not presumption to believe has resulted or will result, in a renewed life.
On Sunday evening every nook and cranny of the church was filled with an "eager, anxious throng," which listened with profound attention to one of the most impressive sermons we have ever heard. The text was "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." on the narrative of blind Bartimeus Mr Aitken founded a powerful appeal to his hearers to embrace present opportunities...
The unfathomable compassion and yearning love of Jesus were held up for the consolation of weary, sin-sick souls; and the closing portion of Mr Altken's discourse was a most affectionately vehement prayer to his hearers, delivered through tears and with quivering voice, not to lose the present opportunity of having personal saving contact with the Great Physician.
A great awe had fallen on the congregation and the hymn "Almost persuaded" was sung in an intensely solemn manner.
Several hundreds remained to the after meeting and at the invitation of Mr Aitken, some fifty or more went into the chancel in token of their anxiety to decide the matter of their salvation without losing the passing opportunity. Mr Aitken pressed home on these troubled ones with much plainness and tenderness of speech the mistake of not at once and without reserve leaving their case in Christ's hands and thus getting rid of the burden of sin that pressed upon them. There is good ground for the assurance that almost all those who avowed that they sought salvation went away rejoicing.
"The Christian," May 3rd, 1877,