The Lewis Awakening, Chapter 3. The Spread of the Movement. The movement that began in the parish church of Barbas almost immediately spread to the neighboring parish of Ness, and it soon became evident that it was not to be confined to those two parishes. From north, south, east, and west, the people came in buses, vans, cars, and lorries to witness the mighty movements of God, and then to return to their respective parishes to bear testimony to the fact that they had met with the Savior. A gamekeeper, whose home was 24 miles from Barbos, was so wrought upon and burdened for the souls of others that his van was seldom off the road, and for two years, night after night, brought it loads of men and women who were seeking for Jesus. He was rewarded by seeing many coming to the Savior, including members of his own family. It was therefore not surprising that in the parish of Lox, where the gentleman referred to had his home, a gracious movement should break out. Here the ground was well prepared by faithful ministry, and great was the rejoicing when sower and reaper saw the fruit of their labor in a harvest of precious souls. Asimbarous meetings here continued until two or three o'clock in the morning, and some remarkable scenes were witnessed as the Spirit of God moved among the people. An incident occurred in this parish which is still vivid in my mind. A lorry was engaged to convey a number of people to a meeting. The distance to be covered was about 14 miles, and the journey would take them around the end of a lot. Unfortunately, the lorry broke down when they were about seven miles from their destination. The younger of the party decided to walk, but this was too much for the older members who very reluctantly retraced their steps homeward. Suddenly, it occurred to them that a late meeting would be held, and if they could secure a boat, they could cross the lock and be in time for the midnight service. A boat was found at the nearest township three miles distance, and on rowing across the lock a distance of three miles, great was their satisfaction to find a meeting in progress. It was the guidance of the Spirit that led the preacher that night to take us his text. They also took Shippen and Cain to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. The men from across the lock were seeking for Jesus. And that night they found him. That morning, just as the dawn was breaking and the night gave way to the rising sun, another sun had arisen, and one of clear shining brought light and life to men who sat in darkness. Before they set sail for home, the congregation gathered and, led by one of the local ministers, sang, When all thy mercies, O my God, my rising soul surveys, transported with the view ever lost, and wonder, love and praise. O how such words, with equal warmth, the gratitude declares, that glows within my ravished heart, that thou canst read it there. When nature fails, and day and night divide thy works no more, my ever grateful heart, O Lord, thy mercy shall adore. Through all eternity to thee a joyful song I'll raise. But oh, eternity is too short to utter all my praise. It is not often that strangers from other districts crowd a church, making it impossible for the congregation to get accommodations in their own building. But this actually happened in this parish. So great was the hunger for the gospel that long before the hour of service, buses and vans from a neighboring parish brought a crowd that filled the little church of HaBas in the local congregation were content to sit in the vehicles that the strangers had vacated. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." The influence of the Lewis awakening was felt in Harris. Soon, in both Tarbert and Leverburg, a gracious movement broke out, and one interesting feature of this blessed visitation was the place that singing had in the meetings. Again and again, a wave of deep conviction of sin would sweep over the congregation. and men and women would be seen bending before the mighty impact of the Spirit as the heart cry of penitents found expression in the words of Psalms 130. Lord, from the depths to Thee I cry. My voice, Lord, do Thou hear. Unto my supplication's voice give an attentive ear. Lord, who shall stand if Thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquity? But yet, with Thee, forgiveness is, that feared Thou mayst be." Bernard was a small island off the coast of Paris with a population of about 400. In April, 1952, it was my privilege to visit this parish and witness one of the most remarkable movements of the Revival. Here, as in other districts, there were men who, on their faces before God, cried for an outpouring of His Spirit. An incident occurred that goes to demonstrate the power of prevailing prayer and to reveal how true it is that the Seeker of the Lord is with them that fear Him. One morning, an elder of the Church of Scotland was greatly exercised in spirit as he thought of the state of the Church and the growing carelessness toward Sabbath observance and public worship. While waiting upon God, this good man was strangely moved and was unable to pray the prayer of faith and lay hold upon the promise, I will be as the dew unto Israel. This word from God came from such conviction and power that he was assured that revival was going to sweep the island. And in that confidence, he rose from his knees. While this man was praying in his barn, I myself, taking part in the faith mission convention at Bangor in Northern Ireland, was suddenly arrested by the conviction that I must leave at once and go to the island of Abernia, where I found myself within three days. Almost immediately on arriving, I was in the midst of the most blessed movement. Again the promise was being fulfilled. I will pour water upon him who is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. The first few meetings were very ordinary, but the prayers offered by elders of the congregation breathed the confidence in the sure promise of God. Again and again reference was made to the words of Psalms 50, verse 3. Our God shall surely come. They did not wait long for the fulfillment of this word from God. One evening, just as the congregation was leaving the church and moving down towards the main road, the Spirit of God fell upon the people in Pentecostal power. No other word can describe it. And in a few minutes, the awareness of the presence of the Most High became so wonderful and so subduing that one could only say with Jacob of old, surely the Lord is in this place. There, under the open heavens and by the roadside, The voice of prayer was mingled with the groans of the penitents as free grace awoke men with light from on high. Soon the whole island was in the grip of a mighty movement of the spirit, bringing deep conviction of sin and a hunger for God. This movement was different from that in Lewis, in this respect that while in Lewis there were physical manifestations and prostrations, such were not witnessed here. but the work was as deep and the results as enduring as in any other part touched by the revival. Perhaps the most outstanding feature in this part of Harris was the awe-inspiring sense of the presence of God that came over the island. The people just gave themselves to seeking the way of life. Meetings were held during the day and through the night, in church, in the homes of the people, and in the open. Indeed, every gathering of people was made a means of grace. One would like to pay tribute to two ministers of the Church of Scotland who, in the spirit of self-sacrifice, left their own parish and threw their full weight into the movement. The Reverend Murdo MacLeod of Tarbert and Reverend Angus MacKillop of Lox. The good people of this island will forever be grateful to these two gentlemen who gave of their best Here is an extract from a letter received from an elder on the island. He is referring to the first communion after the awakening. The center of the church was reserved for communicants, but it could not hold them. This never happened in the history of the parish before. Glory to God. Hallelujah. The other Bernia, also in Lewis, is one of the smaller islands of the Outer Hebrides, with a population of about 400, fairly equally divided between the Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland. Here God had a few faithful men and women, but a long vacancy in one of the churches did not help the spiritual life of the community, and this was reflected in a growing disregard for public worship, especially by the youth of the island. It has been said that the weekly prayer meeting indicates the spiritual temperature of a congregation, and if that be so, Bernia had a somewhat low temperature. that there had been indications of the working of the Holy Spirit. And here also God had His Daniels with their windows open towards Jerusalem, who long before the outbreak of the revival were encouraged to believe the days of spiritual refreshing were near at hand. One of the outstanding personalities of the revival, the Reverend Murdo MacLennan, parish minister of Carraway, was interim moderator of the Bernia congregation. At his invitation, I went to assist at a communion season and began a series of pre-communion services. The first meeting was not encouraging, and it was decided to have a further meeting in a nearby cottage. If the first meeting dampened our spirit, here was a site to gladden our hearts, a crowded house with young men and women in the majority and an awareness of God that was most subduing. That night in this cottage, God made bare His arm and a movement broke out that was to spread all over the island. It was here that an incident occurred that lives most vividly in my memory. At my request, several office bearers from the parish church of Barbos visited the island, bringing with them a young lad recently brought to saving knowledge of the truth. After spending some time together in prayer, we went to the church to find the place crowded. But seldom did I experience such bondage of spirit, and preaching was most difficult, so much so that when only halfway through my address, I stopped preaching. Just then, my eye caught sight of this young lad who was visibly moved and appeared to be deeply burdened. Leaning over the pulpit, I said, Donald, will you lead us in prayer? There was an immediate response, and in that moment, the floodgates of heaven opened. The congregation was struck as by a hurricane, and many cried out for mercy. But the most remarkable feature of this gracious visitation was not what happened in the church, but the spiritual impact made upon the island. Men who, until then, had no thought of seeking after God were suddenly arrested and became deeply concerned about their soul's salvation. One worthy elder of the free church into whose home salvation came, referring to his native village, said, this is the Lord's doing. His great name be praised. A contributor to the local paper in an article referring to this movement wrote, more attending the weekly prayer meetings than attended public worship on the Sabbath before the revival. It was my privilege to pay a return visit to this island and what a joy it was to find the young converts growing in grace and witnessing in the church and community a good confession. To listen to their words of testimony, or to hear them engage in prayer was as cold waters to a thirsty soul. The last place to be mentioned in connection with the spread of the movement is the parish of Uig. This part of the island is sparsely populated with the villages far apart and not too well provided with transport facilities. And if buses were not available, vans and lorries were. And in these, the people of the scattered townships gathered. At the beginning of the revival, while God was moving mightily in the parish of Ness, a woman who was bitterly opposed to the movement made the remark, why does he not go to Ugig? That is where they need the gospel. If by inference this woman meant that Ugig was lacking in a gospel ministry, she was, I fear, using her imagination. Without reference to fact, Ugig, for many years, have been favored by a faithful and evangelical ministry. It is true that in common with many other parishes, a spirit of indifference to the things of God prevailed, especially among the youth, so that the church was supported largely by the middle-aged and old. But the faithful ministry from the pulpits and the prevailing prayers of the people of God in the parish did not pass the notice of Him who said, I will yet for this be inquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them. I wish I could describe this scene and impart something of the overwhelming sense of the subduing spirit of God on the night that the windows of heaven opened. The parish minister, the Reverend Angus McFarland, was in his own pulpit and was leading in prayer when suddenly a consciousness of God came over the congregation and we were lifted out of the realm of the ordinary to realize a spiritual impact that could not be explained from any human point of view. Revival had come. The first meeting of the evening concluded with the singing of Psalms 147 verses 2 and 3. God doth build up Jerusalem and he it is alone that the dispersed of Israel doth gather into one those that are broken in their heart and grieved in their minds. He healeth in their painful wounds. He tenderly upthines." The second meeting of this memorable night was held in a neighboring village. All lorries and vans available were put into service to convey the people to the place of worship. Yet many were forced to walk miles. The distance did not matter, and at any rate, they knew that the meetings would continue. If they were not in time for the first, they would be sure of getting the second or the third. So they came across the moors and over the hills, young men and maidens, their torches flashing in the darkness, intense upon one thing, to get peace from a guilty conscience and refuge from the storm in their bosom, in the shelter of the rock of ages. Today in this parish, the churches are throbbing with young life, and the work in witness of the respective congregations made so much easier than the new influx of men and women ready and willing to serve the Master and the Church of their Fathers. End of chapter 3, having been read by Peter John Parousis, also known as Brian Dean. None of my audios are copyrighted. Please feel free to make as many copies as you desire, to the glory of God.