The Hebrides Revival 1949-1952

Like so many other revivals in history, the Hebrides revival began with the recognition that the spiritual tide was well and truly out. A sense of dire spiritual need was then leveraged into a movement of prayer. 

The Decline of Church Attendance in the Hebrides

The various communities in the Hebrides in the northwest of Scotland experienced a decline in church attendance in the years following World War II. This decline in church attendance was especially conspicuous because of an aging population and the younger generation showed no interest in God and many churches had little or no youth in attendance. This became a growing cause of concern amongst the church leadership, as it was recognized that their situation was not sustainable. This led to the Free Church Presbytery of Lewis to meet in the town of Stornoway to discuss the low spiritual ebb spiritual in their communities. 

While the haunts of sin were crowded, churches were almost empty. In many places’ youth had almost disappeared from the House of God and it seemed only a matter of time before many churches would have to close their doors. - Rev Owen Murphy

Erasing God from Contemporary Culture: The Cause of Spiritual Malaise

Before I unfold more of the story of the Hebrides revival, however, I would like to apply these circumstances to the church today. For reasons that I outline in my book Turning the Tide in the West, the Gospel has been airbrushed out of today’s culture and several generations have grown up without any knowledge that there is a God who loves them and that He has provided a way for them to return home to God. The all-out attempt to erase all mention of God from the contemporary marketplace of ideas has left generations of young people with little or no idea of their spiritual heritage. This present tide of godlessness has resulted in a cultural malaise for which there is no human solution. 

The Devastating Effects of Godlessness on Today's Youth

The effects on our youth culture are particularly marked with epidemic levels of psychological disorders, self-harm, drug abuse, and even suicide. At a time that ought to be the most joyous and happiest time of their lives, increasing numbers of young people find no reason to be alive. If these facts don’t drive believers to their knees and ask God to intervene in these days then I don’t know what will.

The Prayerful Beginnings of the Hebrides Revival

In the years following World War II, it was a concern for the young people of their community that motivated the church leaders in the Hebrides to call their people to prayer. It is hoped that these stories of revival will have the same effect today.

As the story unfolded, we see that the Lord first moved two elderly ladies, and then the church leaders to seek the Lord for revival. Rev. Duncan Campbell who the Lord was to mightily use in the revival tells how two elderly women, Peggy and Christine Smith, one was 84 years of age and the other 82 and completely blind. Unable to attend their local place of worship, they spent much of their time in prayer. These two ladies became burdened by the appalling state of the spiritual life of their community that they committed the situation to prayer. They were challenged by God to lay hold of His promise of revival recorded in Isaiah 44:3 and they prayed fervently that the Lord would fulfill this promise in their community.

A verse gripped them: "I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground." They were so burdened that both of them decided to spend so much time in prayer twice a week. On Tuesday they got on their knees at 10 o'clock in the evening and remained on their knees until 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning--two old women in a very humble cottage. - Duncan Campbell

After upholding their situation in prayer, these ladies challenged their minister to call the office-bearers in the church to prayer. Their logic was, “you’ve tried everything else: why not try God?” These godly leaders followed the advice of these godly women and this led to a movement of prayer that was to ignite a wonderful move of God. In a sermon preached during this revival, Rev. Duncan Campbell described the revival as a time ‘when God Stepped Down.’

Covenant-Keeping God: The Key to the Hebrides Revival

Amongst those who were deeply concerned about the desperate spiritual condition of the churches, was a small group of faithful men who lived at Barvas. In the plan of God, Barvas was the district that became the center of the outbreak of revival. As they met for prayer in a wooden barn, these men were greatly burdened for revival in their community. As they prayed, it suddenly dawned upon them, like a flash of light, the great fact of God as a COVENANT-KEEPING God who had made COVENANT PROMISES!

"If this is true," they reasoned, "we can enter into a covenant with Him, and, if we keep OUR part of it, then HE MUST KEEP HIS!" Then they realized that God has in fact already given a "covenant promise" for REVIVAL. Immediately the words of God in 2 Chronicles 7:14 came to them:

"If My people which are called by My name,

shall humble themselves, and pray,

and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven…"

That night they entered into a solemn covenant with God, to take upon themselves the "burden" for revival for the community, to humble themselves, and to prevail in prayer UNTIL REVIVAL CAME!

Waiting Upon God: The Covenanters' Determination to Prevail in Prayer

For months they waited and gathered in the little barn three nights a week to wait upon God until 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning, determined to wrestle with God until the answer had been given. Then, one night, a young man who was a deacon from the Free Church, arose from his knees and began to read Psalm 24:

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?

Or who shall stand in His holy place?

He that hath clean hands and a pure heart—

he shall receive the blessings of the Lord."

"Brethren," he said, "We have been praying for months for revival, waiting before God, but I would like to ask you now: ARE OUR HEARTS CLEAN? IS THE HEART PURE?" In response to this searching challenge they fell upon their knees in confession, and rededication, and again began to travail in prayer, even more earnestly. An hour later, three of them were lying prostrate upon the floor—they had PRAYED UNTIL THEY WERE EXHAUSTED! 

By five o'clock revival had come. The barn was suddenly filled with the Glory of God, and the power of God that was let loose in that barn shook the whole community of Lewis.

Resources

When God Stepped Down Rev Duncan Campbell

http://ia800503.us.archive.org/31/items/SERMONINDEX_SID0562/SID0562.mp3

Duncan Campbells Testimony

http://ia802802.us.archive.org/9/items/SERMONINDEX_SID0560/SID0560.mp3

http://ia902802.us.archive.org/9/items/SERMONINDEX_SID0560/SID0560.mp3

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