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Holy Spirit alone "to lighten our eyes" to convince us of sin, that we have all gone astray like lost sheep, that we have no sufficiency of ourselves, and that by grace we are saved, Jesus Christ being made for us "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30; in short, to create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us, Psa. li. 10. Such a work of God, shown among large numbers, is what is meant by a "revival.”

We shall find several instances of such work in the Bible. Turn to the case of Nineveh, mentioned in Jonah iii. 7; of the Israelites, as quoted before from Ezra ix. In the New Testament observe the wonderful outpouring of the Spirit mentioned in Acts ii., after the preaching of Peter; again in Acts iv. 4, and in Acts xix. 17.

You will perhaps say, "All this we understand, and believe, but does God still permit such wonderful results in our days?" We shall attempt to prove to you that his people are still made willing in the day of his power.

A few miles distant from Glasgow, which is the largest town in Scotland, is the small town of Kilsyth, containing a population of about 4000 to 5000 souls. The clergyman of the place is named Burns. He entered upon his duty with a deep anxiety for the spiritual state of his flock, and has for the space of eighteen years been "instant in season and out of season," not only in his pulpit, but in the establishing and superintending schools, in visiting from house to house, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, Col. i. 28. The commencement of the prevalent serious impressions among his people was in 1832, when the neighbouring country was visited by the cholera, exemplifying the truth of the word of the prophet, "In their affliction they will seek me early," Hos. v. 15. At this time three different weekly meetings for prayer were established; at first their object was to supplicate God's protecting arm to avert the threatened calamity; but when the fear of it had passed by (for the cholera never visited Kilsyth) these meetings were still continued, and supplications for bodily health were changed into prayer for spiritual life, that the work of the Lord might be known among them. At the same time, a plan was set on foot for the monthly distribution of tracts, and exertions were also made to awaken the people to a sense of the great prevailing sin of intemperance. The effect of all this was an improvement in the general conduct of the people; and in January of the year 1839, a missionary society was newly organized, and has been marked by many people as an era in their Christian life.

According to the appointed order of the church of Scotland, the holy communion of the Lord's supper is celebrated but twice annually. It is kept as a season of peculiar solemnity and prayer, as it ought to be with all if they really desire and expect a blessing in the use of that most holy ordinance, for then only is "the benefit great, when with a true penitent heart and lively faith we partake of that holy supper." In this state it was received by the people of Kilsyth on Sunday the 21st July, 1839.

On the Tuesday after, Mr. William Burns, the son of the minister, who was on a farewell visit to the home of his youth, being shortly about to go as a missionary to a foreign land, proposed to give a parting address to the people in the market place, in order that all might be brought to listen, even those who seldom or never entered the house of prayer. Crowds attended; men in their labouring dress, women with infants in their arms, just as they had been in their own houses. The rain fell so heavily that Mr. Burns felt obliged to propose going into the church instead. He did this unwillingly, fearing from the character of some of those round him that they would not follow. He did propose it, however; it was joyfully acceded to, and the house of God was crowded: above two thousand were believed to have been present; they were sitting on the desks, the steps, anywhere, rather than be excluded. The preacher chose for his text the passage, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power," Psa. cx. 3. Before he concluded, Mr. Burns proceeded to tell the people of what mighty things had been done in former years for Scotland, under the preaching of a native of their own town, and he urged them to seek Christ each for himself, and referred to the affecting and awful state in which he feared so many of them were whom he saw now probably for the last time. He besought sinners, old and young, to embrace Christ, knowing that with ". no cross, no crown."

It pleased God to carry home the word so spoken to the hearts of many hearers, indeed it seemed probable that few if any left that place without some convictions.

This was not a passing feeling. The anxious inquiry "What must I do to be saved?" if made in sincerity, cannot be a passing feeling. Conviction of sin, if really the work of the Holy Spirit, is a deep and heartfelt work, and so it was found in the present case: it could not be put to rest, and the people flocked round their minister for further instruction. Many zealous ministers came to assist Mr. Burns, and for a month there was daily preaching once, and sometimes twice in the day.

But there was also much prayer, private and family prayer, social prayer too, wherever they could meet together, men by themselves, women by themselves. The young, likewise, boys in some places, girls in others. From the schoolhouse, the fields, or the hillside, the voice of prayer was continually ascending to heaven. One poor man, when asked, why they went out in groups to the fields, replied, "Oh, indeed, we hardly knew what we went for; we wished to pray, but the truth was, none of us knew how to pray, but we just tried to pray as well as we could."

We mentioned three prayer meetings; they became fifty. The Scotch are fond of dancing, and there was a dancing club of thirty members, as well as a drinking club in the place; both are now changed into prayer meetings. But it was not the careless alone that were awakened to a sense of their lost condition; the open and avowed profligate," the decent good liver," as some are called, the self-righteous, were all equally brought to see that "the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe," Gal. iii. 22.

In more than one instance men went to hear, determined not to be convinced, but although they went to scoff, they remained to pray. One man confessed that he had listened to the discourse with perfect indifference and hardness of heart, but when he looked around, and saw the rest bewailing their state as sinners, the question, "What am I?" came with such power to his mind, that he remained the whole night in prayer to God, and became an altered man. The words of another are, "It used to be a hard task to ask a blessing on a sabbath's day meal, but now I can pray with more ease than I can say grace."

The case of a collier is one of peculiar interest. For some time he had been thoughtful, and had given up entirely taking any intoxicating liquor. He was among the first deeply convinced of sin, and spent much time for the first fortnight in reading the Scriptures, and in prayer. On the evening of the 21st of August, he met some of his praying companions, and spent the night in prayer and praise. He seems then first to have felt that blessed peace of God which passeth understanding. He returned home happy, and after two hours rest he joined his family in prayer, and went to his work. Being the foreman he had to descend first into the pit, which he did with prayer, and singing a hymn as he went down. On reaching the bottom, the foul air of the pit exploded, and he was instantly in eternity! Oh! how soothing to the afflicted widow, left with

five little ones, and his aged mother, to think that he had entered into glory everlasting!

The minister, Mr. Burns, thought it a duty, under the circumstances, to appoint another day for the celebration of the Lord's supper. This was on the 22d of September. To this came many strangers both from Glasgow and the neighbourhood, and even from more distant parts. It is calculated that there were about fifteen thousand in the place. There was a long service, with preaching, in a tent pitched for the occasion, as from the numbers in the place it was impossible to find accommodation in the ordinary manner. The day was unusually fine, and the whole scene was one which can never be forgotten by those who witnessed it.

We read in Acts ii. 44, that all that believed were together; and in Acts viii. 5, that Philip went down to Samaria, and preached Christ; and in verse 25, that Peter and John preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. They no longer thought that the Jews should have no dealings with the Samaritans; and so it was with the people of Kilsyth, there was no longer any question of politics or of sects; the one only object was to hear Christ preached, to feel assured that each had a personal interest in his salvation. Again we are told, in Luke xix. 8, that Zaccheus, on his conviction of sin, proffered to restore fourfold what he had unjustly taken; and similar instances of an active principle being at work, can be brought forward here. During the first fortnight little of the ordinary labour of the people was carried on, but since that time many and most satisfactory instances could be given of work done more regularly, cheerfully, and zealously; thus fulfilling the injunction of the apostle, Be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, Rom. xii. 11. Nor was the anxiety of the converts confined to their own state, many and fervent were the prayers offered up for others, and in some instances God has wonderfully and mercifully answered the prayer of a whole family.

And now, reader, what think you?

Think of these things, weigh them well, and pray that God would give a right understanding of them, that the last day may not come upon us as a thief in the night, nor find us too late aroused to a perception of our state, exclaiming, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved," Jer. viii. 20. And may the good work thus begun at Kilsyth not be as the morning dew, or the summer cloud, that passeth away.

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SEE you that narrow-mouthed glass which is set near to the hive, mark how busily the wasps resort to it, being drawn thither by the smell of that sweet liquor wherewith it is baited; see how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it, and fall down suddenly from that slippery steepness, that watery trap, from which they can never rise: there, after some vain labour and weariness, they drown and die. You do not see any of the bees look that way; they pass directly to their hive, without any notice taken of such a pleasing bait. Idle and evil disposed persons are drawn away with every temptation; they have both leisure and will to entertain every sweet allurement to sin, and wantonly prosecute their own wicked lusts till they fall into irrecoverable damnation. Whereas the diligent and laborious Christian, that follows hard and conscionably the works of an honest calling, is free from the danger of these deadly enticements, and lays up honey of comfort against the winter of evil. Happy is that man who can see and enjoy the success of his labour; but, however, this we are sure of-if our labour cannot purchase the good we would have, it shall prevent the evil we would avoid.

TRACT MAG., THIRD SERIES, NO. 80, AUGUST, 1840. I

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