New book tells fascinating story of NI’s mission halls
Anew book presents a photographic record of more than 100 mission halls in Northern Ireland, showing in vivid detail how each one of these buildings, built to preach the gospel, is unique.
Many of the halls were established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in the decades following the 1859 spiritual revival when, it is believed, around 100,000 people here came to faith in Christ. Many cottage meetings were established as a result, partly because people couldn’t travel long distances to church and partly because they were looking for a more evangelical message than existed in the churches. Subsequently, as more and more people joined these cottage meetings, purpose built mission halls were constructed.
Many of these halls are still preaching the gospel today — and the photographs show the love and care which has gone into creating every piece of furniture and artefact. The hardback, 362-page book also records a history of each hall and reveals the great inventiveness of the people: for example, the folk of Ballynafie Mission Hall, Portglenone, used an old railway carriage in which to meet before finding a wooden building; at The Commons, near Carrickfergus, seating came from utility buses used during the Second World War; and at Derrycrew Mission Hall, near Loughgall, the seats came from Belfast International Airport which was getting rid of its old furniture to prepare for a refurbishment.
And the people were undeterred should any obstacles arise in their way. One example of this indefatigable spirit was among the people of Camagh Mission Hall, Armagh, which was established in the 1930s. The people originally met in an old disused outhouse in a farmyard and theirs was the only regular Sunday evening meeting for miles around. However, in 1939, a Presbyterian man who was strongly opposed to the meetings stuffed the chimney with hay before a meeting in an attempt to smoke the people out. While deeply saddened, the people were offered a piece of ground six miles away to build a hall — and from then on the meetings flourished, with attendees coming from some distance away on foot and bicycle.
History of Mission Halls throughout Northern Ireland, by Judith Cole, Ambassador International, £25, available from Judith by telephoning 0788 428 1235