vives the spirit of social prayer, and the practice of the prayer-meeting observance.

2. When religion is revived in a congregation the people demand the district prayer-meeting for their own benefit. The spontaneous cravings of the revived spiritual nature demand the fellowship of kindred spirits in the little upper rooms where Christ is wont to come and breathe upon his disciples. How distinctive this of true Christian character, and of a healthy state of religion!

3. Revival calls out class prayer-meetings. Young men seek the fellowship of young men in the prayer-meeting. Boys seek the fellowship of boys. Females seek the fellowship of females in these fellowship-meetings. Here the social nature, sanctified by grace, finds its fullest and purest exercise, and its sweetest social enjoyments.

We shall trouble the reader with but a few more historical illustrations of the happy results of a revival of religion upon congregations, and of the inseparable connection of the prayer-meeting with a revived state of religion.

Rev. R. Dunlop, reporting the change resulting from revival in Monaghan, says:

"But now, there is not a district where more hopeful cases can be pointed out, where greater changes have been wrought in the moral and religious life, where greater anxiety continues to be manifested, or where prayermeetings are more numerously attended."

Here, as always, the prayer-meeting stands out the everattendant evidence of true revival.

In a more general report of several churches, we notice the following:

Special meetings were immediately established in the Presbyterian churches, and the neighborhood was deeply moved. In the congregations of Bailisborough there are

few houses in which family worship is not maintained. Through the district generally there is a marked improvement. Meetings are held for prayer and Christian fellowship, sometimes in the houses of those who formerly neglected gospel ordinances altogether, and several such meetings are also held among the female members of the church. Two congregational libraries are being organized. Two public houses have been closed-one for the want of trade, the other for conscience' sake."

'How the Revival was propagated.-I am no advocate for forcing religion upon those who are unwilling to receive it. In my judgment, we have had far too much of that in Ireland already. I do not think the gospel can be propagated by storm. But I think that the legitimate and inoffensive means of 'revival meetings' should be used in every neighborhood to call attention to the subject. It has been by these means, and through a chain of Presbyterian churches, that the revival has come so near us; and may we not hope that the experience which the church has acquired during the past year may enable it to conduct such meetings with fewer drawbacks to their utility?"

Another, in giving evidences of the genuineness of this revival, from its likeness to the apostolic revival, says:

"What steadfastness 'in fellowship'! To talk with one another of the preciousness of Christ, and of the great salvation; to strengthen each other's hearts; help each other's infirmities; to stimulate each other to a still greater readiness to work for their blessed Master; and, as they travel on to their eternal home, to lighten the toil and trial of the pilgrimage by speaking to one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; and, oftentimes, with hearts too full for utterance, to pour out their common supplications before the throne-these are the delightful and abounding evidences that the new children of the covenant

are knit together in an endearing and indissoluble alliance. Let the heaven-directed aspirations presented at those brief seasons, snatched from worldly occupations for spiritual converse-the many social gatherings now sanctified by the word and prayer-and the distinctness, importunity, and expectancy exhibited by those who have been divinely taught to pray, bear witness to the extent to which the Spirit has been given as a Spirit of grace and supplication."

REPORT OF THE PRESBYTERY OF AHOGHILL.

Presented to the Synod, May 17, 1859, and valuable as the first public testimony of a church court with reference to the Revival in Ireland, and the prominent importance of the prayer-meeting:

"An extraordinary interest began to be awakened ; prayer-meetings multiplied; crowds flocked to these refreshing streams; nor were ordinary houses able to accommodate the eager multitudes that assembled to hear the burning prayers, and to listen to the plain but heartstirring addresses of the converted brethren, and those ministers and laymen whose hearts the Lord moved to engage in this important work. The open field, or the public way-side, even in the cold evenings of spring, were the scenes of deeply interesting meetings, over which angels hovered with joy. The prayer-meetings held in the first and second Presbyterian churches were crowded to excess, although held on the same evening and at the same hour. For several miles around multitudes flocked to these meetings for prayer and exhortation. Our lay brethren from Connor, at the first, gave, and continue from time to time still to give, a powerful impetus to the good work.

Never, in these localities, was there such a time of

secret and public prayer; in all directions prayer-meetings have sprung up, and that without number. They are conducted in a manner of deepest solemnity, and with a burning earnestness for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and for the conversion of souls. These meetings have been signally honored of the Lord. The Spirit has de

scended in power.

“On this revival work, so far as it has as yet developed itself, there is written, 'Holiness to the Lord.' Even upon that portion of the public who make no claim to be religious, a deep, solemnizing influence has been exercised. Many of them are thoughtful and inquiring, attending the prayer-meetings with evident interest, and, it is to be hoped, with profit. But, among the awakened and converted, other delightful fruits are growing up with rapidity to maturity. Prayer has received a powerful stimulusnot only secret, but family and public prayer is one of those heavenly fruits.

"It is truly astonishing the liberty that many, very many, both male and female, have got in public prayer. It is most refreshing to hear the holy, earnest, edifying prayers which many babes in Christ are now offering at the family altar, and at the public prayer-meeting. It is nothing uncommon to hear the voice of prayer wafted on the wings of the wind from the adjoining field. The Bible is studied, and prized, and loved, more than it ever was before. It is felt to be more precious than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and to be sweeter than the honey, yea, than the honey that droppeth from the comb.'

:

"Never was there, in this locality, such holy, and importunate, and believing prayer offered up by members, in the name of the holy child Jesus, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit'

CONGREGATIONAL REPORTS OF PRAYER-MEETINGS.

In connection with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, there are some five hundred and twenty congregations. Of these, at the request of the author of "The Year of Grace," about three hundred reported on the history and character of the Revival. And of this latter number, about one hundred and seventy-six report the number of prayer-meetings in each of these congregations, the whole numbering about 2,000. This will make, in the aggregate, over eleven prayer-meetings in each congregation. In the one hundred and seventy-six congregations reporting the number of their prayer-meetings, three is the lowest, and eighty the highest, number reported of any one congregation. This highest number is from the Berry Street church, in the city of Belfast, presumed to be one of the largest in the Presbyterian communion. Presuming its number of members to be twelve hundred, then the district prayer-meetings of that congregation would be one for every fifteen members. This state of things, in a large congregation, seems to be something like what the state of affairs should be in a healthy state of religion. Those fifteen members, with their children, and members of their respective families, not in communion, would make eighty prayer-meetings of some thirty persons each, enough to fill comfortably any upper room for prayer, with the women, after the manner of apostolical times.

From the three hundred and forty-four congregations not reporting the number of their prayer-meetings, the following statements are gleaned: In Ballycarry, prayermeetings are universal: in the several districts one thousand attend the prayer-meetings. In Ballymena, the prayermeetings pervade town and country. In Fisherwick Place, the prayer-meeting, with difficulty sustained before, has an