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The spiritual landscape of Carryduff, a quaint village in County Down, Northern Ireland, is richly layered with stories of God’s sovereign interventions across generations. From the profound outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the 1859 Ulster Revival to the humble, prayer-filled origins of Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church in the 1960s and 1970s, the area has been marked by fervent faith, deep conviction, and transformative gospel work. These epochs, separated by over a century, reflect a continuum of evangelical zeal in Ulster—rooted in prayer, biblical fidelity, and a burden for souls. Drawing from historical records, newspaper accounts, revival chronicles, and denominational testimonies, this article explores the 1859 Revival’s sweeping impact, with a focused lens on Carryduff, before tracing the modern establishment of Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church. Together, they illustrate how God’s grace has sustained a witness in this corner of Ulster, inspiring calls for fresh revivals in our day.
To read more about the 1859 Revival in Carryduff which includes the information below, click on the link below.
The Beginnings of Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church: From Murphy’s Loft to a Faithful Witness
Building upon the evangelical foundations laid during the 1859 Revival, the story of Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church represents a modern chapter in the village’s spiritual narrative—a testament to God’s providential guidance, fervent prayer, and the pioneering spirit of faithful believers in Ulster’s evangelical tradition. Rooted in the separatist ethos of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster (FPCU), founded by Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951, the Carryduff congregation emerged from modest, makeshift beginnings in the 1950s and 1960s, with the witness taking shape through youth fellowships and early evangelistic efforts.
The Early Witness: From Youth Fellowship to Murphy’s Loft
The origins of the Free Presbyterian witness in Carryduff trace back to the formation of a young people’s fellowship following the June 1955 Jack Schuler crusade at Belfast’s Kings Hall. This fellowship provided a vital space for young believers to learn to pray publicly, share the Gospel, and grow in faith. Initially connected to Carryduff Presbyterian Church, the group encountered challenges that led to its relocation to Murphy’s Loft in Carryduff, near Belfast—a simple, informal venue that became the hub for continued Gospel outreach.
Murphy’s Loft served as the setting for grassroots gatherings in the late 1950s and early 1960s, fostering a sense of community and spiritual hunger among young people disillusioned with perceived compromises in mainstream Presbyterianism.
Among those involved in the Carryduff fellowship at Murphy’s Loft was Dr. Frank McClelland, who later reflected on these formative years in a testimony given at Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church. Dr. McClelland described how he initially made a false profession under pressure in an inquiry room, only to live with years of inner conviction until a genuine conversion during the 1955 Jack Schuler mission at the King’s Hall brought true peace and assurance. He recalled the early youth fellowship gatherings at Murphy’s Loft, the hearty singing, and the powerful preaching of Rev. Ian Paisley, whose ministry profoundly influenced him. His connection to Carryduff continued through these early days, and he went on to serve faithfully in ministry, eventually spending nearly 50 years in North America while always regarding Carryduff as home.
In May 1959, a visiting preacher to the loft, Burt Wheeler, led to the conversion of Mr. Wilfred Crawford, a founding member of the Free Presbyterian witness. On 4 May 1960, a pivotal Gospel mission led by Rev. Ian Paisley took place, during which, the late Rev. James McClelland—then just 18 years old—found faith in Christ. Alongside his friend Harry Agnew, he prayed a sinner’s prayer, drawing on the promises of 1 John 1:7 (“the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”) and 1 John 1:9. This conversion experience ignited a lifelong passion for evangelism and marked a key moment in the emerging witness.
From 1960 to 1964, Robert Lowe, Wilfie Crawford, and the McClelland brothers immersed themselves in the Carryduff fellowship at Murphy’s Loft, learning to share testimonies and evangelise. Influential speakers, such as Pastor Fenton and Mrs. Seth Sykes (whose singing at the organ deeply moved them), shaped their approach to ministry. These gatherings at Murphy’s Loft embodied the FPCU’s principle of “starting small but standing firm,” mirroring Paisley’s own beginnings in modest venues, and laid essential groundwork for future development.
The Derelict Killynure National Schoolhouse: A Symbol of Revival from Ruins
As the witness developed, attention turned to a more permanent base. The physical foundation of Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church lies in the historic Killynure National Schoolhouse, which was located at 87 Killynure Road, Carryduff, Belfast, BT8 8EB.
Built in 1817 through public subscriptions, and adopted into the National Schoolhouse register after the Stanley Letter (1831), this modest structure served as a local school for nearly two centuries, undergoing refurbishment in 1871 to accommodate growing needs. It educated generations of children until 1968, when a new primary school opened in Carryduff, rendering the old building obsolete. For several years afterward, the schoolhouse fell into disrepair—derelict, vandalised, and abandoned, its windows smashed and interiors stripped by neglect and mischief.
It was in this unlikely setting that the next phase unfolded. In 1976, the late Mr. Robert Lowe, a local resident of Killynure deeply concerned about the spiritual vacuum in his neighbourhood, saw potential in the forsaken building. Motivated by a burden for souls and aligned with the FPCU’s emphasis on gospel outreach, Lowe approached the fellow trustees of the property. With their approval, he spearheaded efforts to repurpose the space for Christian ministry, specifically to establish a Free Presbyterian Sabbath School aimed at teaching the truths of the Gospel to local children.
A Dramatic Act of Faith: Crawling Through the Window and Praying on the Floor
The origins of this endeavour are steeped in a remarkable story of determination and divine calling, often recounted in Free Presbyterian circles as an emblem of Paisley’s bold evangelism. Before formal renovations began, the building was locked and inaccessible, its doors barred due to years of disuse. Undeterred, the late Mr. Robert Lowe and Rev. Ian Paisley—then the dynamic founder and moderator of the FPCU—took extraordinary measures to claim the space for God’s work. According to cherished oral histories and denominational testimonies, the two men crawled through a side window of the vandalised schoolhouse, entering the dusty, debris-strewn hall. Once inside, they knelt (or even prostrated themselves) on the bare floor, pouring out their hearts in prayer. Their supplication was specific and fervent: that God would sovereignly open a Free Presbyterian witness in Carryduff, a place where biblical separation, sound doctrine, and soul-winning evangelism could flourish amid the spiritual and political turbulence of 1970s Northern Ireland.
This act of faith echoed the FPCU’s founding principles—Paisley’s own journey from a small gospel hall in Crossgar to a denomination emphasising protest against ecumenism and modernism. The prayer in the schoolhouse hall was not mere symbolism; it marked a spiritual consecration, invoking God’s blessing on what would become a beacon of light in County Down. As Paisley later reflected in various sermons, such humble beginnings reminded believers of biblical precedents, like Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls amid opposition, or the early church meeting in homes and upper rooms.
The Foundational Gospel Mission: Led by Rev. Ian Paisley
The renovated schoolhouse’s inaugural event was a pivotal two-week Gospel Mission in 1976, led by Rev. Ian Paisley himself. This campaign was a direct outgrowth of the earlier prayers and gatherings, designed to evangelise the Carryduff area and establish a firm Free Presbyterian presence. Paisley, known for his thunderous preaching and unyielding defence of Protestant truth, drew crowds with messages centred on sin, repentance, and salvation through Christ alone. His sermons, often drawing from texts like Malachi 3:10 or Acts 3:19, emphasised God’s ability to “open the windows of heaven” and bring “times of refreshing.”
The mission was marked by deep conviction and spiritual breakthroughs. Several souls were converted during the meetings, experiencing the Holy Spirit’s power in ways reminiscent of Ulster’s historic revivals, such as the 1859 Awakening or the 1975 Ballymena Mission (also led by Paisley). Attendees recall an atmosphere of solemnity, with prayers echoing through the newly restored hall and testimonies of changed lives emerging. This event not only launched the Sabbath School but also solidified the work as an outreach arm of Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast, under Paisley’s oversight.
For the next two decades, the Killynure site operated as a non-constituted mission station, hosting weekly Sabbath Schools in the afternoons and evening services at 8:30 pm. Services were led by visiting FPCU ministers and lay preachers, supervised by Rev. David McIlveen of Sandown Road FPC and the Martyrs Memorial Kirk Session. With help from local contractor Mr. Wilfred Crawford, the trustees renovated the interior and exterior, including building a new pulpit for gospel proclamation—transforming the vandalised relic into a house of worship.
As families grew in conviction and numbers, the group petitioned for full congregation status, which was granted on February 18, 1996. Three years later, on March 31, 1999, Rev. David McLaughlin was ordained and installed as minister, ushering in an era of growth with new conversions and community engagement.
Legacy and Ongoing Witness: Bridging Past and Present
From the fervent prayer meetings of 1859 to the early fellowship in Murphy’s Loft and the prayerful consecration of the Killynure Schoolhouse in 1976, Carryduff’s spiritual heritage reflects God’s faithfulness across eras. The 1859 Revival’s emphasis on conviction and renewal finds echoes in the FPCU’s commitment to separation and evangelism, reminding us that true awakening begins in humble places—whether a schoolhouse in Antrim or a loft in Carryduff. Today, Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church continues to proclaim Christ, hosting services, family nights, and outreach events. As the congregation looks back, it echoes Paisley’s vision: a witness that started in ruins but stands as a “mighty oak” for God’s glory.
For more on the church’s journey, visit carrydufffpc.org or follow @CarryduffFPC on YouTube, Facebook, or X. May these stories inspire renewed prayer for God’s work in our generation!