75th Anniversary - How it all began

The Revival Movement Association was founded 75 years ago by Mr William Ernest Allen, a young man born near Hillsborough, who was converted in 1933.  Ernie and his four sisters were deeply impacted by the godly life of their mother, Martha Girvan.  Indeed, when Ernie was born in April 1918 she told the rest of the family that he was going to be a missionary.

Ernie’s conversion, at the age of 15, had a profound effect on his life.  He later said, “In 1936 God called me to devote my life to the evangelisation of the world.  During the years that followed He led me to study the great revivals of the past and the influence they had on the spread of the Gospel.  Living for years in the Word of God and under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and looking on the struggles, prayers, labours and triumphs of men like Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther and those who followed them, I began to see that the greatest days of the church had been the days of revival.  Every movement that has blessed the world originated from vital blessing in some soul.”

In 1938 Ernie went to the Bible College of Wales in Swansea where he studied for ten years.  This prolonged time at Swansea (due to World War II) taught Ernie many valuable lessons, including trusting God to supply all his needs and learning to wait on God in prayer.  For nearly ten years the writings of reformers and revivalists were the tools God used to stimulate, stir and shape Ernie to seek God for revival.

In 1949 Ernie compiled seven Revival Series booklets, which were published under the name of Revival Publishing, and were circulated worldwide.  Upon his return to Northern Ireland, Ernie devoted his time to the ministry and began to accept invitations to speak at churches, halls and conferences.   

The Revival Publishing name was changed to Revival Movement Association and was formally inaugurated on 19th January 1952 with Dr Oswald J Smith of the People’s Church in Toronto, Canada subsequently taking on the role of Honorary President and Ernie that of General Secretary.  

Following reports of revival in northwest Scotland, early in 1953 Ernie invited Duncan Campbell to take a series of meetings in Northern Ireland.  These meetings were very well attended and challenging to those who came.
During ten years of revival ministry, Ernie never forgot the early promise God had given him – “If you give your life to me I will give you a life of blessing.”  In 1953 Ernie married Kathleen Hull from Portavogie who proved to be an able partner in the ministry.  The 1950’s were a decade of blessing.  Over 100,000 booklets and magazines were circulated in many countries, challenging Christians to seek God for revival.  Reports came from all around the world of people who had been blessed by reading the “Revival Series” booklets.  The stage was set for the expansion of the ministry.