London - James Caughey (1864)



Mr Caughey concluded his labours in London, for the present, in Brown's Lane Chapel. On Friday night, June 24. God has wrought a great work from week to week, under the ministry of his servant, during the last twenty-one weeks. The work of awakening and conversion has been going on with as much power and success during the last week of the services as at any previous time. The subjects of this work have been scattered over a wide area. Mr Caughey has not only been moving from chapel to chapel, wide apart, but his hearers have come from miles around, and the subjects of Divine mercy have of course returned, and with the intention of joining some of the churches in their own localities. We have been particular to note these facts from time to time, in accordance with the books of the secretaries at each place, for the express purpose of preventing exaggerated expectations as to numbers added. Thus the societies where he has laboured have not only been bettered and increased, but other churches also in various parts of our city, and to an extent we may never know until that day when the Lord of hosts cometh to make up his jewels (Malachi iii. 17). But of this we are certain, as far as human testimony may be relied upon, that nearly eleven hundred persons from the world have professed to find forgiveness of sins, through faith in the Blood of the Lamb and have been thus dispersed to their different localities.

That all these will stand, and hold fast their confidence through their coming conflicts is hardly to be expected - indeed, perhaps such a thing has never been known since the day of Pentecost. But if this is allowed to be an argument against an extraordinary work, it will tell equally against the ordinary; for what pastor or what church has not had to lament over the instability and backslidings of many who were hopefully brought to God under their own ordinary ministrations, and not during
any noted revival? Mr Caughey says he claims the same exemption as other ministers, from insuring the hopeful subjects of divine mercy under his ministry, and hopes his claim will not be disallowed, but trusts that number for number, his spiritual children will compare favourably in faithfulness and usefulness with any others, and that should he ever again visit this metropolis he may not be ashamed of the results.

Mr Caughey has been aided in this great work by some of the best men in London and to their intercessions to heaven, and faithful instructions to distressed sinners, much of his success, under God, may be attributed. No one, we believe, is more ready to acknowledge this than Mr Caughey himself. Prayer! Oh how frequently "it has stormed the skies," and taken the kingdom of heaven by holy violence (Matt. xi. 12).

A revival of religion seems like a succession of miracles. We believe with one who remarked, it is a great miracle to convert a wicked man, - greater than the rending of rocks when Jesus died; Moses struck the rock thrice and did it, but in our days ministers strike the rocky hearts of men three hundred times, and cannot! The graves sooner open than the sepulchres of sin and darkness and the vast earth sooner quakes than men's hearts at God's judgments (Matt. xxvii. 51).

...Mr Caughey has now gone to Oxford.- Wesleyan Times.

"The Revival," July 7th, 1864.

Additional Information

Not sure which chapels - they will be mostly Methodist.


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