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The recordings and artefacts of Bangor’s earlier beginnings date back to circa 500BC, during the late Bronze Age, where significant treasures found in the three Ballycroghan Swords. Otherwise, there really is not much noteworthy during this period history of Bangor, or at least there are few major events worth talking about through the coming 1,000 years. Until the arrival of Christianity in Bangor and the establishment of Bangor Abbey.

Establishment of Bangor Abbey (558AD)

The early history of Bangor centres around Bangor Abbey which was established by St Comgall in 558. The Abbey was widely recognised as a centre of learning and its importance is highlighted in the Mappa Mundie which showed Bangor as one of only four settlements in the whole of Ireland. At the time of Comgall’s death in 602 there were 3000 monks under his guidance. The most famous of these monks was Columbanus who along with 12 colleagues left Bangor in 585 to spread Christianity throughout Western Europe. Columbanus and his followers set up monasteries in many parts of Europe including France, Germany Austria Switzerland and Italy. The Swiss city of St Gallen which was founded on the spot where one of the monks Gall had erected his hermitage.

800 Viking Raids

The monastery at Bangor continued to flourish until the late 8th Century when the Vikings began raiding monasteries along the Irish Coast looking for treasure. They raided Bangor on a number of occasions and finally destroyed the monastery and stole its treasures in 824. Fortunately, some of the manuscripts created in Bangor had been taken by missionary monks to the continent to escape the Vikings and have therefore survived. During the Viking invasions and occupation, many monasteries were plundered and monk’s put to the sword. Churches and libraries burnt to lead to a decline in Christianity in Ireland.

1123 Malachy restores Abbey

In 1123 Malachy was appointed Abbot and began to revitalize Bangor’s Christian Heritage. He built the first stone church in Bangor and the remnants can be seen today in Malachy’s wall which runs parallel to Abbey Street. The Abbey was finally dissolved by James I.

1605 Plantation by Scots

In 1605 James I granted lands in North Down to a Scotsman James Hamilton and he was the founder of the present town of Bangor. He began building new houses and introduced a large number of fellow Scots to inhabit them. Bangor became a borough in 1613 and was given status as a port. In 1637 Hamilton built the Customs House and watchtower (now Tower House). Hamilton’s direct line of descent died out in 1670 but in 1710 the heir to Bangor lands Anne Hamilton married Michael Ward of Castle Ward and the Ward family were to play an important role in the expansion and development of Bangor over the next two centuries. Colonel Robert Ward improved the harbour, erected several cotton mills and promoted the local textile industry. However Bangor’s time as an industrial town was relatively brief as following a series of the fires in the cotton mills in the 1850’s they were closed down. In 1852 his grandson the Hon RE Ward built Bangor Castle which is now the Town Hall.

1865 Coming of Railway

Then Bangor began to find a new role with the coming of the railway in 1865. It began to become established as an important seaside resort and attract many affluent businessmen and professionals from Belfast who were able to enjoy the pleasant environment and commute to work by rail or paddle steamer. This led to a more than doubling of the population and a building boom of many of the Victorian villas which overlook the seafront today. RE Ward’s sole heir was his daughter Maude who married Lord Clanmorris from Mayo in 1878. She died in 1941 and is buried in Castle Park. She had ten children including Barry Bingham who won the VC at the Battle of Jutland and his valour was recognised by the presentation of the gun from a German submarine which now sits close to the War Memorial in Ward Park.

Early Twentieth Century

The early years of the 20th Century saw many new developments in Bangor. Between 1905 and 1914 the Marine Gardens, Ward Park, Ballyholme Park and Stricklands Glen were acquired for the benefit of residents and tourists. This expansion slowed down following the First World War but developments accelerated again in the 1930’s with the building of the Tonic Cinema, Pickie Pool and Caproni’s Palais De Dance. Unfortunately these buildings have all been demolished but at the time they were widely praised and recognised as state of the art developments.

More Modern Times

In the years following the Second World War Bangor continued to grow both as a tourist resort and a commuter town for Belfast city centre. However, by the late sixties, Bangor’s role as a tourist attraction changed as many tourists particularly from Scotland and North of England who previously spent a week in Bangor sped off to any cheap package holidays in the sun. In addition to the increase in private cars Northern Ireland tourists came for the day and would no longer stay overnight. As a result, Bangor’s tourist role declined with hundreds of guest houses and hotels closing down. At the same time Bangor’s population grew rapidly particularly during when the seventies and eighties some fled Belfast to avoid the troubles and by 2011 it had passed 60,000.

The serious situation in Ulster today is comparable with the tragic days of the early 1920s. Politicians are at their wits’ end and God’s people are praying for another revival.

In the 1920s Ulster was dispirited by serious unemployment and mass emigration. A reign of terror brought fear and a sense of hopelessness. Politicians had no answers. In the mercy of God a measure of deliverance came in an unexpected way. A time of revival swept away much of the terror and brought peace back to a stricken land.

The instrument God was pleased to use was the unlikely William Paterson Nicholson. Born in Bangor, Co. Down, in 1876, he went to sea at the age of sixteen and for seven years lived the life of a godless young man. But his mother never stopped praying. On a short visit home in 1899 he told his mother that her prayers had been answered and that he had put his trust in Christ for salvation.

His training at the Bible Training Institute in Glasgow made a deep impression on him. James Orr brought a new dimension to his understanding of Bible truth. James Denny gave him a new appreciation of the person and work of Christ, while Alexander Whyte’s fierce exposure of sin and the remainders of sin in the hearts of the unregenerate made such an impact on him that this became one of the main features of his preaching.

His fame as a speaker spread far and wide and in 1925 he spoke at the Jubilee Convention at Keswick. More surprisingly when Dr Stuart Holden was unable through illness to conduct a mission at Cambridge University in 1926, Nicholson was asked to take his place. His friends were afraid that he would prove a misfit, but the records of the union show that more than a hundred undergraduates professed faith in Christ.

The truths he emphasized

The secret of his usefulness under God lay in his total commitment to the infallible Word of God. His missions always began with a series of searching messages to the converted. He believed in the power of God’s law to convict the sinner and he preached the law as a preparation for the gospel. Few preachers exposed the nature and effects of sin as he did. The sinner was not a sick man who needed help but a dead man who needed life.

He expounded clearly and faithfully the atoning work of Christ on the cross. His emphasis on the blood as the only means of redemption was made in almost every address. He was scathingly severe in his condemnation of theological liberals and Unitarians and all others who questioned the deity of Christ and the power of his atoning blood.

His application of the Word was personal and pointed as he stressed repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He never presented an ‘easy believism’ or stooped to cheap ‘decision making’. His confidence in the sovereignty of God was evident in all his preaching. His work was a lasting work because it was based on salvation by grace alone.

The blessings that followed

Nicholson’s introduction to his ministry in Ulster was as difficult as it possibly could have been, for his first mission was in his home town of Bangor. But he survived the test and the people, some out of interest and some out of curiosity, came in large numbers to hear him. Many entered into a saving relationship with Christ. Throughout the province, over a period of about three years, thousands were converted. Reports presented to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland stated that over a hundred congregations of the church had been blessed in a singular way. In Belfast’s Shankill Road Mission more than 2000 professed faith in Christ. Newington Presbyterian Church, Belfast, reported that in a three-week campaign 1100 people had been counselled. St Enoch’s Presbyterian congregation recorded that 1,500 had sought the Lord and his grace. In the towns and villages of Ulster many more thousands came to know the Lord.

In the wider sphere of Christian work there were notable evidences of blessing. Membership in the Christian Endeavour movement increased from 5000 to 10,500 in three years. Church membership in many cases doubled. The number of young men who offered themselves for the work of the gospel ministry showed a marked increase and many congregations were refreshed and strengthened by the addition to office of godly elders and Sabbath school teachers.

The practical results of Nicholson’s preaching were equally striking. The years that followed the partition of Ireland in 1921 were filled with strife and bloodshed and the horrors of a threatened civil war. Many citizens had been armed since 1912. Fear and suspicion stalked the streets of Belfast and the province as a whole was filled with anxiety and distress. In the providence of God the blessings of revival averted disaster and these, coupled with faithful preaching from many pulpits, healed the wounds of the stricken province.

The restitution of stolen property was another feature of this work of grace. Many of the workers at the Harland and Wolff’s shipyard, at that time one of the largest in Europe, had come under the influence of the gospel. A special depot was set up to deal with the large quantity of stolen goods that were returned by workmen who had been converted.

W. P. Nicholson’s memory is still revered by many who thank God for his ministry, although his later work in Ulster did not have the same impact. He died on 29 October 1959 and was buried in Bangor cemetery.

The serious situation in Ulster today is comparable with the tragic days of the early 1920s. Politicians are at their wits’ end to try to find an acceptable solution. God’s people are praying for another revival. They are anxious to avoid the counterfeit as appears in the various forms of decisionism and in different aspects of the charismatic movement. There is no room for complacency. The day of small things is not to be despised. There must be unwavering confidence in the sovereignty of God and the power of his Word. There is much encouragement for those who pray, for God’s promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 is faithful and guarantees fulfilment: ‘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 will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’

Adam Loughridge

‘THE TORNADO OF THE PULPIT’

A PRESBYTERIAN PREACHER AND EVANGELIST BORN IN BANGOR, CO DOWN. WP NICHOLSON WAS NICKNAMED ‘THE TORNADO OF THE PULPIT’

William Patteson Nicholson (1876-1959) was a Presbyterian preacher and evangelist born in Bangor, Co Down. Nicknamed ‘The Tornado of the Pulpit’, Nicholson spent his early years on his father’s cargo ship, but began to preach in 1899 at the age of 23. He was known for his ‘men-only’ meetings and straightforward language. In the Belfast shipyard of Harland & Wolff, a ‘Nicholson shed’ was erected to house stolen tools that newly converted workers returned as a result of Nicholson’s preaching!

In the year 1900 a ‘massed band’ of four people marched out-of-step down the main street of Bangor in Northern Ireland. The two members with uniforms were Salvation Army lassies; the other two were young men. One of these men had a mind as keen as a razor’s edge; the other (according to the first) “hadn’t enough brains to give him a nucleus for a headache.”

The young man who headed this little parade was beating a tuneless tambourine. He had recently vowed that for Christ’s sake he would go anywhere and do anything, at any cost. Then this silly thing in the streets of his home town had turned up. He had been walking down the street when this Salvation Army lassie had asked him to stand with the other three at the street corner to witness for Christ.

It hadn’t the faintest smell of the heroic about it. Theories he formulated in his armchair looked heroic. But in the heat of the battle, a swivel-chair theologian’s theories perish. For this young man it was tough to get things in line when he actually faced his Goliath.

“Daft Jimmy,” the nitwit who stood with the Sally lassies, wore a red jersey. On the back of it in white letters was written the startling non-scriptural text, ‘Saved from Public Opinion.’ Maybe the nitwit hadn’t enough wit to be scared of anybody, but the young leader was scared. Moreover, wide-eyed cynics showered the band with unsubdued catcalls. What a baptism! His public enemy number one was public opinion. His meeting with God had been a mountaintop experience. Now he was in the valley of humiliation.

IN THE BELFAST SHIPYARD OF HARLAND & WOLFF, A ‘NICHOLSON SHED’ WAS ERECTED TO HOUSE STOLEN TOOLS THAT NEWLY CONVERTED WORKERS RETURNED AS A RESULT OF NICHOLSON’S PREACHING!

To make bad worse (as the Irish say it), it seemed by some pre-arranged signal that every friend, every relative, and every enemy of his passed the corner as he stood there bashfully. Notice that I said ‘passed’ – thus marking the meeting’s total ineffectiveness.

Seeing the dilemma, one of the Army lassies suggested that the four kneel down and ask the Lord to “take over.” Poor Billy! As they knelt there, a brother offered a ‘telegram’ prayer which Billy wished had been as long as the 119th Psalm. Then something happened. When Billy arose from his knees, he was through forever with any sensitivity to public opinion. His reputation died and had a public funeral in that street meeting. (To die and be buried publicly doesn’t take long!)

To the jeering spectators, this street meeting may have looked like comedy. But to this young man it was sweeter than the ‘Triumphal March’ in Verdi’s opera Aida. It was a glory march to celebrate a greater victory to him than that of Nelson at Trafalgar or King William III at the Battle of the Boyne. Billy was triumphant. He had just lost what he never wanted to find again and had just found what he never wanted to lose. He lost his reputation and fear of man, and found the joy and peace of the overflowing fullness of the Spirit. Hallelujah!

That meeting was his inauspicious, comic introduction into a world of evangelism. Who was this young man? None other than WP Nicholson (better known to millions as just WP). He was as Irish as the turf, and as rugged as the hills of Donegal.

WP’s middle initial might well have been ‘C’ for courage. At 15 he sailed away from home as an apprentice seaman. His was a harsh training. He had been at sea in old sailing vessels as long as five months at a time without seeing land. He had weathered Cape Horn in a hurricane. He had fought overweight men bare-fisted. His fighting was ‘all-in and no-holds-barred’.

WP was saved in 1899 and he knew it. Months later (and only a few hours before his famed street meeting episode in Bangor) he had had an old-fashioned liberation from sin. Presbyterian though he was – full-blooded, pedigreed, and blue-stockinged – after the Spirit liberated him, he began to weep and sing and rejoice like any old-fashioned Free Methodist.

Because of his meetings, many men are in the ministry today, battering the strongholds of Satan and snatching souls from the burning. One of these is my friend Andy Mays, the old drunk who was saved in Billy’s meeting.

The first night Andy Mays attended the meeting, he itched on his chair. “Nicholson won’t get me in there again,” he vowed as he left the service. But the next night Andy was there. As he left, he repeated his vow. The third night Andy sat up on the ‘top deck’ of the seating. But the higher you are, the further you fall. That night Andy fell right into the hands of a merciful God.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LEONARD RAVENHILL

Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) was an evangelist and author who focused on revival and prayer. He is best known for his book ‘Why Revival Tarries’, which sold over a million copies worldwide. Ravenhill wrote this article in 1957.

July 23

O THAT WILL BE GLORY
Words and Music by Charles H. Gabriel, 1856–1932
God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
Think of stepping on shore, and finding it heaven!
Of taking hold of a hand, and finding it God’s hand,
Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial air;
Of feeling invigorated, and finding it immortality,
Of passing from storm and tempest to an unbroken calm,
Of waking up, and finding it Home!
—Unknown
The text for “O That Will Be Glory” was inspired for author and composer Charles Gabriel by his good friend Ed Card, superintendent of the Sunshine Rescue Mission of St. Louis, Missouri. Ed was a radiant believer who always seemed to be bubbling over with the joy of the Lord. During a sermon or prayer, he would often explode with the expression, “Glory!” (Incidentally, there is a biblical precedent for this practice. See Psalm 29:9.) Ed Card’s smiling face earned him the nickname “Old Glory Face.” It was his custom to close his own praying with a reference to heaven, ending with the phrase “and that will be glory for me!” It is said that Mr. Card had the joy of singing this hymn just before his home going—with the pleasure of knowing that his Christian life had been its inspiration.
Charles H. Gabriel was one of the best-known and most prolific gospel songwriters of the early 20th century era. For most of his hymns, Gabriel wrote and composed both the words and music. His gospel songs were especially used during the large Billy Sunday evangelistic campaigns of the 1910–1920 decade. “O That Will Be Glory” has been translated into many languages and dialects.
When all my labors and trials are o’er and I am safe on that beautiful shore, just to be near the dear Lord I adore will thru the ages be glory for me.
When, by the gift of His infinite grace, I am accorded in heaven a place, just to be there and to look on His face will thru the ages be glory for me.
Friends will be there I have loved long ago; joy like a river around me will flow; yet, just a smile from my Savior, I know, will thru the ages be glory for me.
Chorus: O that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me; when by His grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory, be glory for me!

    For Today: 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Revelation 14:13

Reflect on this truth—One moment of heavenly glory will outweigh a lifetime of suffering. Live with the assurance that God’s tomorrow will make today’s struggles worth it all. Anticipate this joy by singing as you go—

July 22

A CHILD OF THE KING
Harriett E. Buell, 1834–1910
We are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. (Romans 8:16, 17)
As children of the heavenly kingdom, we should learn to enjoy and possess the rich spiritual blessings that belong to us as heirs of God’s riches.
• We have been justified and made acceptable to God—Romans 5:1
• We have been adopted into God’s royal family—Romans 8:16, 17
• We have been given a citizenship in heaven—Philippians 3:20
• We possess the indwelling Holy Spirit—1 Corinthians 6:19
• We have been placed into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love—Colossians 1:13
• We have the promise that the best is yet to come—a heavenly home—1 Corinthians 2:9
Whether you are great or small in God’s kingdom, you are still God’s child. An infant is as truly a child of its parents as is a full-grown person. You are as dear to your heavenly Father as the most prominent member in His family.
Harriett Buell wrote the words for “A Child of the King” one Sunday morning while walking home from her Methodist church service. She sent her text to the Northern Christian Advocate, and it was printed in the February 1, 1877 issue of the magazine. John Sumner, a singing school music teacher, saw the words and composed the music without Harriett Buell’s knowledge. The hymn has been widely used since then to remind believers who they really are—bearers of God’s image (Genesis 1:26) and children of the King of kings.
My Father is rich in houses and lands; He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands! Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, His coffers are full—He has riches untold.
My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men, once wandered o’er earth as the poorest of them; but now He is reigning forever on high, and will give me a home in heav’n by and by.
I once was an outcast stranger on earth, a sinner by choice and an alien by birth; but I’ve been adopted; my name’s written down—an heir to a mansion, a robe, and a crown.
A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there! Tho exiled from home, yet still I may sing: All glory to God, I’m a child of the King.
Chorus: I’m a child of the King! With Jesus, my Savior, I’m a child of the King!

    For Today: Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:1–7; Ephesians 1:5; James 2:5

As an heir of God and a citizen of heaven, strive to make your walk and actions consistent with this high calling. Sing as you go—