them with conversation with enquirers, and a large ingathering of souls rewarded our efforts and prayers.  I have no doubt that very often a spark of divine influence is allowed to die for want of being fanned by prayer and prompt labors, whereas, it is sometimes dashed out, as by a bucket of cold water thrown on by inconsistent or quarrelsome church members.  It was to Christians that St. Paul sent the message, “Quench not the Spirit.”

In 1858 there began a marvelous work of grace, which extended not only throughout the churches in New York, but throughout the whole country.  The flame was kindled at the beginning of the year in a noon-day prayer meeting, instituted by that single-eyed servant of Christ, Jeremiah C. Lamphier, who had once been a singer in the choir of my church.  The flame thus kindled in that meeting soon extended to my church in Market Street, and presently spread over the whole city.  The special feature of the revival of 1858 was the noon-day prayer meeting.  It was my privilege to conduct the first noon meeting in Burton’s old theatre in Chambers Street, and in a few days after, a similar one in the Collegiate Church in Ninth Street, and also the first prayer meeting in a warehouse at the lower end of Broadway.  It is not too much to say that often there were not less than 8,000 to 10,000 of God’s people, who came together at the noon-tide hour with the spirit of supplication and prayer.  The flame, having spread over the city, then leaped to Philadelphia, and Jayne’s Hall, on Chestnut Street, was thronged by an immense number of people, led by George H. Stuart.  And so it went on from town to town, and from city to city, over the length and breadth of our land.  The revival crossed the ocean and extended to Ireland.  On a visit to Belfast I saw handbills on the streets calling the people to noon-day gatherings.

I began my ministry in Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn, as its first pastor, in April, 1860.  From the start I struck for souls; and when our new edifice was dedicated we were under a refreshing shower of the Divine Spirit.  Six years after my installation as pastor, God blessed us with an extraordinary downpour.  The first drops were followed by an abundance of rain.  That revival began where revivals often begin,—­in the prayer meeting.  It was on the evening of the 8th of January, the first evening of the “week of prayer,” which is generally observed over the land.  The meeting was held under the direction of our Young People’s Association,—­that same body of young Christian workers which gave the Rev Francis E. Clark both the inspiration and practical hints for the formation of his first society of Christian Endeavor.  What a fearful bitter night was that 8th of January!  Through that stinging Arctic atmosphere came a goodly number with hearts on fire with the love of Jesus.  The prayers that night were well aimed; and a man, who afterwards became a useful officer of the church, was converted on the