The Ulster Revival

We are in the Evangelism Awakening Revival Institutes, and if you will turn in your handouts to session 15, the Ulster Revival, God was moving in the 19th century in powerful revivals. The question remains, why isn't God moving in revivals in our midst today? Why is society spinning out of control? And why are churches spiritual wastelands of divided hearts? We need to study historical revivals to learn from them so we can apply their truths to ourselves in promoting revival in our day. Revival is a sovereign work of God that man cannot produce on his own, but we can prepare our hearts and minds to seek revival in our day.

A revival historian by the name of W. B. Sprague wisely wrote of the Second Great Awakening, another prominent feature of revival is the state of things which I am describing is the alarm and conviction of those who have hitherto been careless. Sometimes the change in this respect is very gradual, and for a considerable time nothing more can be said that there is a more listening ear, a more serious aspect unto the preaching of the word. And this increased attention is gradually matured into deep solemnity and pungent conviction, in other cases the reigning lethargy is suddenly broken up as if there had come a thunderbolt from eternity and multitudes are heard simultaneously inquiring what should they do to be saved.

Well this is exactly what happened in Ireland in 1859 in what would be known as the Ulster Revival. We get a sense of this from a eyewitness account of that remarkable move of grace. The congregation in attendance was immense, hundreds were unable to obtain admittance.

After the dismissal the people lingered then numbering about three thousand amid a chilling rain, and on streets covered with mud fresh converts moved by the fervor and apostolic language of the speaker fell upon their knees in the attitude of prayer. A spark of electricity appeared to have animated and impressed a large number of the audience, and it is confidently affirmed that some who went there to mock were heard to pray. I know that many date their conversion from that memorable night, a night which will never be forgotten by those who witnessed that amazing scene so unearthly.

Well there are several books on the Ulster Revival friends, but one I commend to you is entitled The Year of Grace, a history of the Ulster Revival of 1859 written by the Reverend William Gibson. Gibson was moderator that year of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and his detailed account of that revival is truly fascinating. In that book he talks about the preparation that went into that revival, the prayer meetings which were grown in many districts, and the open air preaching that was extensively practiced, and the ministers were led to speak to the people with greater earnestness about the things which belonged to their peace.

He details the birthplace of the revival, the revival in its development, and the revival in its progress northwards, all with firsthand eyewitness accounts. It's a classic study on historical revival, and I highly recommend it to you. He mentions that the revival commenced in Ulster when it was noticeable that there was a uncommon thirsting for the word.

The following account is taken from one of the meetings. At these meetings many convictions have taken place. From one up to ten and twelve have been arrested by the Spirit of God through the word and prayer.

Even strongmen have staggered and fallen down under the wounds of their conscience. Great bodily weakness ensues. The whole frame trembles.

Oh, it is a heart-rending sight to witness. With ringing of hands, streams of tears, and a look of unutterable anguish, they confess their sins in tones of unmistakable sincerity, and appeal to the Lord for mercy with a cry of piercing earnestness. I have seen the strong frame convulsed.

I have witnessed every joint trembling. I have heard the cry as I never heard it before. Lord Jesus, have mercy upon my sinful soul.

Lord Jesus, come to my burning heart. Lord, pardon my sins. Oh, come and lift me from these flames of hell.

Well, as we study these accounts of revival, we can become more enlightened to the mockery of what we call salvation today in our churches, where people merely make a mental flip for Jesus, and are baptized, and join our churches, and live their lives the same way that they did before, where self sits on the throne of a sin-indulging life, and we call that monstrosity Christianity. Our churches lay in a sad spiritual declension. Our denominations lie in the grip of apostasy.

It is high time for God to grant us a heaven-sent revival, so that we can live lives of holiness unto the Lord, so that we can be energized in evangelistic efforts to reach the lost with the gospel. Let us lay hold of the great God in heaven, and seek him earnestly in desperate, burdened prayer before it's too late. Well, this ends our session today.

We will now prepare for session 16.