Blackburn Circuit: Lovefeast, March 11, 1838

From the Primitive Methodist Magazine, 1838

(Blackburn Circuit.)

For some time we made it a matter of prayer, and looked forward to it with expectation; it being the quarterly lovefeast, and the first ever held in our new chapel in Blackburn; and we were anxious for it to be the beginning of great days.

The night previous, at the band meeting, every soul present engaged in prayer in this behalf; and believed that God would save souls.  After the band meeting was concluded, ten young members went into a field and prayed till they all got into faith that God would save sinners at the lovefeast.

On the Sunday, having to preach in the chapel at half-past ten, I exhorted the people to come up in the afternoon “full of faith and the Holy Ghost,”

At the time appointed the gallery was filled; and no sooner did we begin to sing than we felt the presence of God.  The speaking went on well, — short, pointed, powerful, and lively; all believing for present salvation.  One man who never spoke at a lovefeast before, got up and .said, he expected God would save his soul.  And no sooner had he expressed his confidence in the Lord than he found peace.

A general deadness came over the meeting several times.  But I exhorted the people to stand in the faith, as I believed the devil was doing his utmost to damp us. Satan saw he was losing ground, and that many of his subjects were likely to be torn from him; and this, (in my opinion), caused him to attack the instruments by whom he was about to be defeated; and if he could have succeeded in so damping us as to have caused us to have given up the struggle, he would have still retained his captives.  But about four o’clock we commenced the prayer meeting; and I, with some other brethren, went through, and got the penitents brought together; and prayer was made on their behalf till about half-past five, when fourteen professed to have obtained “the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins.”

At a quarter past six in the evening I preached; and after sermon we resumed our praying service, and continued it till about nine o’clock, when upwards of twenty in all had found HIM of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write.  May the glorious work still go on.

 

George Kidd.

 

(Approved by the circuit committee.)

 

Primitive Methodist Magazine, 1838.  Pages 337-338.

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