06 - The Revival Everywhere

Chapter 6 THE REVIVAL EVERYWHERE

Before we introduce you to a typical revival meeting, it is necessary for all who pray for revival to know the principles that govern the Spirit’s working and how He will work when He is allowed to in your own local church, town and country. The awakening in Wales teaches us many outstanding lessons, one of which is that while God uses human instruments such as Evan Roberts, He is in no way lim­ited to the personality of one man. When Christians and the unsaved alike follow a popular preacher instead of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, then we know that it is not a true revival.

Again, when a spiritual harvest depends almost en­tirely upon one personality we know that there is no true revival. The glorious fact and outstanding feature of the mighty awakening in Wales was that the sense of the Lord’s presence was everywhere throughout the entire nation, altogether apart from the young revivalist. Glory to God! it was not the presence of Evan Roberts that was felt but the mighty presence of God. Evan Roberts was only one of the broken instruments which the Spirit of God was using. As we have already mentioned, there were crowds of pastors and evangelists reaping mighty harvests simultaneous with the ministry of Evan and Dan Roberts, Sydney Evans, Sam Jenkins and "The Singing Sisters". For example, R. B. Jones was conducting meetings in Amlych, in the Isle of Anglesey in the north of Wales, in January 1905 and found that revival had even then reached that northernmost point in Wales although young Roberts had never been there. In Amlych, the capel mawr (big chapel) was crowded. The theme of the preacher’s message was from Isaiah, chapter 6. A tremendous sense of conviction of sin settled upon all present. The hearers were crushed beyond de­spair. The uppermost cry was "Could God forgive? Could God cleanse?" When the messenger came to the words telling of the "live coal from off the altar" - the cleansing fire from the place where the blood was shed, Calvary - and the live coal touching the confessedly vile lips, the effect was electrifying. One who was present at that meeting says that it was absolutely beyond any metaphor to describe. As one man stood, first with a sigh of relief and then with a delirious shout of joy, the whole audience of 1200 people simultaneously sprang to their feet shouting "DIOLCH IDDO!" (Thanks be to Him.) The glory of God so shone upon the pulpit that the evan­gelist fled to the vestry completely overcome. He could not stand the brightness of the glory of the presence of God. In the Awakening in Wales, It was the presence of thousands of young converts exulting in the thrill of their new-found Redeemer that carried all before it. These were drunk with the new wine of the Spirit and were oblivious to everything else than their blessed Lord Jesus. Like the young converts in The Book of Acts, they went everywhere preaching the Word without the authority of man, having the ordination of the Spirit. Even little children won many souls for Christ.

Some readers may criticize such enthusiasm and call it only religious emotionalism, and yet these same critics believe in full expression of the emotions in the football stadium. I, myself, know the frenzy of the tens of thousands who pack the stadiums in Britain, as I played before them when I was beginning a professional football career. They were hypnotised and drunk with the sport. They packed the stadiums in all kinds of weather, oblivious to all the elements. Yet I found many of these same people criticizing me for being "emotionally upset" when, with burning words I pleaded with them to accept Christ as their Savior. The world believes in emotion in the WORLD but not in the CHURCH.

I have before me some treasured copies of The Evening Express, and The Evening Mail of Cardiff, published during these blessed days. The Evening Express, along with other Welsh newspapers, published a weekly paper exclusively devoted to the progress of the revival, because the revival was the biggest thing in the mind of all Wales. One page of this Weekly is devoted to THE DOINGS OF THE CHURCHES and is divided into several sections, such as ANGLICAN, PRIMITIVE METH­ODISTS, BAPTISTS, Y.M.C.A., CHISTIAN ENDEAVOR, ETC. ETC. The paper also carries two or three hymns with words and music. The large advertise­ments are devoted to the sale of Bibles and hymn books, which could be purchased from different Christian pub­lishers in Britain. There is also a column called REVIV­AL HARVEST. These reports are compiled by different correspondents throughout Wales who seek to bring be­fore the readers each week the movements of the Spirit. The towns appear in alphabetical order from ABERA­MAN to YNYSTA WE. From time to time there is what they call "A Revival Map of Great Britain", showing how the revival is spreading. For example, in the edition of January 18, 1905 are the following words beneath the revival map: "The above map shows the districts affected mainly by the revival. The shading shows the degree of the inten­sity of the Awakening. Wales stands first, then Cornwell, then afterwards the portions lightly shaded." Many of these issues also carry revival cartoons.

Here are some of the reports from the different villages and towns throughout the nation, gleaned from several of these papers. They eloquently reveal that it was not Evan Roberts but the Lord Jesus who was the centre of the attraction. The believers in Wales are intensely proud of their young prophet and woe betide anyone who seeks to criticize him, but they do not idolize him. They know that he was not the secret and cause of the success of the awakening, but only one of the chosen instruments.

BLAENAVON. On Saturday evening a band of young lads between the age of 14 and 16 held prayer meetings in the different places in the principle streets.

DOWLAIS. At a recent prayer meeting, attended by no fewer than 214 persons, the proceedings resolved themselves into a huge Bible class. This great interest in the Holy Scriptures is the result of the present revival.

BRYNCETHIN. The services have now been held here nightly for fifteen weeks and a large number of converts have been added to the Free Churches. For the sake of educating the young converts it has been decided to have a Bible class for two nights in every week and these classes are very largely attended.

RHOS. Visitors to the revival meeting continue to pour in from the Lake District; Birkenhead, Liverpool, and the adjoining districts.

TREMADOC. The revival has had and continues to have a marked effect here. The chapels have been over­flowing up to two and three o’clock in the morning.

NEWBRIDGE. An official of the Colynen collery, when asked how the religious fervor had expressed itself underground, said: "This is a blessed time. When I go around on my inspection now I rarely ever hear a blas­phemous word of oath. There is a glorious change for the better."

CARDIGAN. A meeting in the Tabernacle Calvinist Methodist Church where the Rev. Seth Joshua was conducting a mission was prolonged till after midnight. It was a wonderful gathering and will long be remembered for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Most of the 1200 people present were on their knees praying simulta­neously and they remained in this attitude for about 2 hours and many persons are known to have accepted Christ.

HOLYHEAD. In this important town a drunken man is a thing of the past and the police are having an easy time of it. 500 converts have been reported.

PONTYPOOL. The missionary enthusiasm is running high amongst the 200 converts at the Tabernacle and at a recent meeting it was decided to divide them into groups and to hold services at different cottages.

Street disturbances have become conspicuous by their absences and the fact that there has not been a single fight at the bottom of High Street, which is always re­garded as the "prize ring of Pontypool", is put down to the good influences of the Revival.

COEDBOETH. This quiet neighbourhood has felt a strong spiritual visitation for the past three months. The total number of converts is now 210 and many more are expected. There have been united prayer meetings three nights a week and on the rest of the evenings each church holds meetings at its own place of worship. Remarkable scenes have been witnessed. The women have daily prayer meetings, morning and afternoon. Young men and young women are preaching in the open air with great success and many drunkards have been converted. The life of the whole churches have been reformed.

BLAENAVON. All the churches in the town recently had a combined procession through the streets and now a second parade has been arranged.

BERTILLERY. As the result of the special week of meetings there have been about 1500 converts.

BRITHOIR. A meeting near the railway station ­the continuation of a previous prayer meeting - was attended by many persons from clubs and public houses and continued till near midnight. Then they went to the nearby Chapel and the gathering broke up at 2 a.m.

AMMANFORD. Half a dozen young people cannot meet accidently in the street without joining in praise. Recently a group of children met on The Cross and began to sing and pray. Ultimately they were joined by men and women and the result was a grand open air prayer meeting. Ammanford is a new town. Young people, full of enthusiasm, frequently walk three or four miles over the mountains to villages, farms and hamlets to hold meetings.

TREHARRIS. At Brynhyfryd Welsh Baptist, forty candidates were recently baptized making a total of 138 Baptisms. 220 have recently been saved in this church.

RHONDDA VALLEY. A scene which may be wit­nessed any morning in dozens of pits in South Wales is carried out every morning here at 5 a.m. Scores of miners hold a service before going home from the midnight shift. The Superintendent starts a hymn, "In the deep and mighty ocean", and then the pit reechoes the song. An old man whose grey head is tinged with coal-dust falls on his knees to pray. Others do the same. The service attracts men from different workings and flickering lights are seen approaching the improvised temple. "Now, boys, those of you who love Christ, UP WITH YOUR LAMP!" cries a young miner. In a second, scores of lights flicker in the air and another song of thanks sets the mine ringing.

ABERTILLERY (again). The work goes on. Great things have taken place in the Salvation Army Hall but services are held nightly in practically every chapel in the neighborhood. There are now 2500 converts.

ANGLESEY. The Isle of Anglesey has been stirred from end to end by the revival. At the 55 Methodist chapels there have been 1116 converts, 276 at 15 Inde­pendent chapels, 366 at the 24 Baptist places of worship and 116 at the 8 Weslian Churches, making a total of 1,673 converts for the 102 chapels.

CARNARVON. A score of volunteer missioners numbering 150 from the local churches of the town have undertaken house to house visitation to invite the people to come to the churches.

REVIVAL FERVOUR IN DURHAM, (England). Revival fervour still spreads in North West Durham in the North of England. Those connected with the cause for a long period remember no such general awakening during the last 20 years. There has been an upheaval which has been the general topic of conversation through­out the whole district. All over Durham marvelous scenes are taking place and the chapels are packed every night with souls being saved.

GARW VALLEY. Underground meetings are being held in nearly all the colleries. The early converts are among the most ardent workers and their efforts are proving very successful. At one of these underground meetings, no fewer than 36 men surrendered themselves to Christ.

GARNDIFFAITH. At Pisgah 40 conversions are recorded. A man 70 years of age stood up and confessed Christ as his Saviour. Although late, he felt that he was glad that he had at last found peace and joy. A young man had been praying for his father and he asked that his petition might be answered that night. Just then his father came to the meeting and made a full surrender. A man who had been a great drunkard and blasphemer and who had starved his wife and children by missing his work for weeks at the time, found his way into one of the meetings and, with tears streaming from his eyes, he cried aloud for forgiveness. He prayed that God might find a way to his wife’s heart and she, too, soon cried for pardon. Shouts of praise and joy were raised.

GLYNNEATH - The two independent churches ADDOLDY AND CAPEL-Y-GLYN which had been on unbrotherly terms for a period of nearly twelve years have been reconciled and united meetings have been held. The two ministers shook hands before a united church of nearly 400 members.

HAFOD. Underground prayer meetings at the Trevor pit have been conducted by Mr W. Rogers who is known as the converted footballer.

PENTRE. The ministers of all the chapels recently exchanged pulpits for a day with the idea of breaking down denominationalism.

MAESTEG - An insurance agent told a reporter that at practically every house he called at after Christmas he was met by the wife with a happy smile and these words, "This is the happiest Christmas we have ever had." Their husbands had been converted and stopped their wastage of money in gambling and drunkenness.

CARNARVON. Details have just reached us of wonderful meetings. The influence of the Holy Spirit is felt most powerfully by men and women alike. Strong men pale and tremble. Young men and women storm the gates of heaven with overwhelming importunity and overpowering effect. The whole congregation is complete­ly melted into pronounced weeping and sobbing. Large numbers are finding the Lord. Two well-known repro­bates came forward and sank on their knees and began to beat their breasts. The Bible Society’s records show that over three times the number of Bibles are now being sold since the revival broke out. The book-sellers say it is no trouble now to sell Bibles; the trouble is to get them. A lovely story is told of a child of four in an infant class who held up his hand to call the teacher’s attention.

"Well?", inquired the teacher, "What is it?"

Swift and telling came the words, "Please, teacher, do you love Jesus?" The arrow reached its mark. There and then the teacher came to the Lord and she later went out to India as a missionary.

Someone overheard one child ask another, "Do you know what has happened at Rhos?"

"No, I don’t, except that Sunday comes every day now!"

"Don’t you know?"

"No, I don’t."

"Why, Jesus Christ has come to live in Rhos, now."

Longstanding debts were paid, stolen goods returned, drinking taverns forsaken, oaths ceased to be heard so that it was said in the mines the horses could not under­stand the language of their drivers. Political meetings had to be postponed as members of the Houses of Parlia­ment were found taking part in the revival meetings. Theatrical companies made sure that they did not come to Wales as they knew that there they would go bankrupt. Magistrates were presented with white gloves in many places to signify that there were no arrests. The prisons were empty. Even in the universities, revival scenes were commonplace day after day for months. The mighty tidal wave swept through the land. The Spirit of God found His own channels, and districts which were never reached by Evan, Dan, or Sydney, had extra­ordinary manifestations of the power of God. I have before me, as I write, my cherished copies of some news­papers of that day in which were posted each week a tabulated form of the lists of converts in each town for that week. Over 70,000 names of converts are reported just two months after the lifestreams broke out!