Him." This is just Satan drawing an inference from God's premises. It is true that God will gather out His own; but it is equally true that the means He uses to reach that end are "the word of God and prayer." Hence, therefore, we earnestly and affectionately exhort all christians to be instant in prayer to God, that He will not only deepen and consolidate His work in those regions where it has begun, but also carry it into "the regions beyond," so that multitudes may be gathered to Christ, and those who are gathered may be built up on their most holy faith. The following letter from a dear and valued fellow-labourer who has been, for many years, engaged in the work at Newtownlimavady, will, we doubt not, be read with much interest in connexion with the foregoing paper. It supplies what many of our readers may be desirous of obtaining, namely, accurate details from the pen of an intelligent eye-witness. BELOVED BROTHER, NEWTOWNLIMAVADY, As it may tend to the glory of God to make known through the medium of the press the wonderful work of His Holy Spirit in this immediate neighbourhood, I shall proceed to detail what took place under my own eye during the first seven days of the revival in this extensive valley. Having seen, at Moorefort and elsewhere, in the county of Antrim, very many cases of conviction among the people, I thought it well to call together the inhabitants of Newtown, on the following Lord's day, the 5th June, in order to relate the wonders I had seen there, and to pray God to pour out a similar blessing upon us. A large assembly took place, and another meeting was decided on for Monday. After the speaking in the open-air on that evening, two cases took place, attended, as usual, by violent and irresistible screaming, the body prostrate and reduced to a helpless condition. Presently, this state of things subsides, and with subdued voice, a call "for Jesus" escapes their lips, the body becomes quiet, and, in due time, (varying very much as to its duration) a full confession of His blessed name flows from their hearts and lips, and they stand up, declaring they have found peace with God through the atoning blood of His beloved Son. On Tuesday, six cases occurred; on Wednesday, about thirty; on Thursday, to avoid any dis-union, all parties assembled in a public place of worship, but there was no manifestation. On Friday, in a field in front of my own house, an immense work of God, and that in wonderful power, was presented to the astonished eyes and hearts of a vast concourse of beholders; not less than one hundred souls were brought under conviction of sin, the greater part being “struck down" to the ground. Some of the women and children were conveyed into the house; others followed to assist them, and, shortly, nearly every room was crowded with persons, crying out, and praying for mercy. The lawn was literally strewed, like a battle field, with deeply wounded-sinstricken ones, under conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, who was revealing Christ to their souls, and giving them victory over the enemy, by the blood of the Lamb. But who can describe what was going on in the house? In one large room were gathered no less than thirty persons, on their knees, waiting and calling upon God in silent prayer for the remission of their sins; while the other rooms were filled with souls either calling out for mercy, praying, or singing praises to God for mercy received. This was going on in all parts of the house. It was wonderful to see strong men, whose well-known lives could, ere this, bear no examination, leap up from the ground and rejoice in God their Saviour, and begin at once to preach Christ to their companions and fellow-townsmen, beseeching them to cry for mercy and forgiveness. This effusion embraced all ages from the little child up to the age of threescore and ten, but the converting power of the Holy Spirit was not confined to the outward manifestation, for it is believed that numbers of persons present that night were convicted of sin, and found peace with God, without being struck down. This truly wonderful time was followed, on Saturday night, by another display of power little less in extent. A much esteemed servant of Christ was unexpectedly present. The Lord blessed his visit. A very large shower of blessing took place, and his testimony was, that he had never witnessed anything in Antrim to equal it. This house was not emptied till 7 o'clock on the Lord's day morning. Up to this day, the 12th June, the manifestation had been, I believe, entirely confined to this locality, so much so, that many from the country flocked down to attend the meetings so much blessed. This was particularly the case on the annual fair-day, the 13th, when not less than 5000 persons (some say 7000) were assembled in the field, to hear the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Another scene of the gracious power of God was again manifested, and the field covered with groups of saved souls, ministering to the newly stricken ones, who were to be met with in all directions, and, as usual, seeking for mercy and pardon through the perfect atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. During the services on the Lord's day, this wonderful manifestation of the actual presence of God in the midst of us, broke forth in two places of public worship in the town, and afterwards spread over the country with great rapidity. Persons were struck down everywhere; in the cabins, fields, "highways and hedges," apart from the ministry of the word. And now, the whole country is greatly reformed as to its outward conduct. Everywhere you may find persons meeting together, singing, praying, reading, and rejoicing. The results appear to be abiding; those who believe, (as the vast majority certainly do,) that the whole work is of God, look up, take courage and adore. Men and women who were abandoned characters, others well trained in all the usual morality of religion, are now alike rejoicing in the knowledge of sins forgiven, by the sacrifice once offered. No pen can adequately describe the scenes of this never-tobe-forgotten week; the Lord's name alone be praised for His wondrous grace, in richest blessing, to so many precious souls! I may add an instance of His mighty grace, by stating the fact of a young man who was in the act of mocking the affected ones being struck down suddenly, and soon after finding peace through the knowledge of forgiveness. Another, one of the wildest of men and one who would readily have used his strength against others, under any little provocation, told me "he now stood before God clear of sin by the blood of His dear Son, and as white as the whitewashed wall before him." But I need not proceed with special cases. God has wrought a work here eternally to be remembered by very many souls, whose sins have been forgiven, and who now rejoice in God their Saviour, with a full consciousness of eternal life being their everlasting portion. O. B. T. REGENERATION: WHAT IS IT? (PART II.) HAVING, in a former paper, endeavoured to show, from various passages of scripture, that regeneration, or the new birth, is not a change of man's fallen nature, but the imparting of a new-a divine nature, we shall now, in dependence upon the blessed Spirit's teaching, proceed to consider how the new birth is produced-how the new nature is communicated. This is a point of immense importance, inasmuch as it places the word of God before us as the grand instrument which the Holy Ghost uses in quickening dead souls. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made;" and by the word of the Lord are dead souls called into new life. The word of the Lord is creative and regenerating. It called worlds into existence; it calls sinners from death to life. The same voice which, of old, said, "let there be light," must, in every instance, say, "let there be life." If my reader will turn to the third chapter of John's gospel, he will find, in our Lord's interview with Nicodemus, much precious instruction in reference to the mode in which regeneration is produced. Nicodemus held a very high place in what would be termed the religious world. He was "a man of the Pharisees"-" a ruler of the Jews""a master of Israel." He could hardly have occupied a more elevated or influential position. But yet, it is very evident that this highly privileged man was ill at ease. Despite of all his religious advantages, his heart felt a restless craving after something which neither his Pharisaism, not yet the entire system of Judaism could supply. It is quite possible he might not have been able to define what he wanted; but he wanted something, else he never would have "come to Jesus by night." It was evident that the Father was drawing him, by a resistless, though most gentle hand, to the Son; and the way He took of drawing him was by producing a sense of need which nothing around him could satisfy. This is a very common case. Some are drawn to Jesus by a deep sense of guilt; some by a deep sense of need. Nicodemus, obviously, belongs to the latter class. His position was such as to preclude the idea of any thing like gross immorality, and, hence, it would not, in his case, be so much guilt on his conscience, as a void in his heart. But it comes to the same, in the end. conscience and the craving heart must both be The guilty brought to |