Three fourths of the congregation attended them regularly, and an earnest and tender spirit was manifest in the remarks and prayers.
During this same week of prayer, Messrs.

Burbank and Knapp, at Bitlis, aided by the native preacher Simon, afterwards pastor of the church, commenced a prayer-meeting at the dawn of day, which was so crowned with spiritual blessings, that it was continued, daily, for more than six months.

The attendance increased from twenty to sixty, and was at one time nearly a hundred.

The church had then only five members; and at the communion season in March, each of these five men publicly confessed his sins, and formally renewed his covenant.
Many were in tears.

Some in the congregation, who had thought themselves Christians, when they saw the church thus making confession, were amazed, and felt that they were themselves lost, and literally cried, as did the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner." This was the commencement of the first revival of religion in Bitlis.