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The Revivals
From: Classic Books for Today #156
By S. B. Shaw (1905)
(Used by Permission)

"Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"   Psalm 85:6

Thirty-Four Thousand Conversions in Wales
By George T.B. Davis

I have just returned from a two days' visit to the storm center of the great Welsh revival which is sweeping over Wales like a cyclone, lifting people into an ecstasy of spiritual fervor. Already over 34,000 converts have been made, and the great awakening shows no signs ofwaning. All observers agree that the movement is fully as remarkable as the memorable revival of 1859-60. It is sweeping over hundreds of hamlets and cities, emptying saloons, theaters and dance-halls, and filling the churches night after night with praying multitudes. The policemen are almost idle, in many cases the magistrates have few trials on hand; debts are being paid, and the character of entire communities is being transformed almost in a day. Wales is studded with coal mines, and it is a common occurrence to have prayer meetings held a thousand feet under ground amid the tinkle of horses' bells and the weird twinkle of the miners' lamps.

Mr. Lloyd George, a member of Parliament, and the foremost Welsh statesman of the day, speaks of the awakening as a great earthquake. He says: -- "All those who love Wales must wish the revival God-speed. It is certainly the most remarkable spiritual movement this generation has witnessed. Person-ally I believe it is destined to leave a permanent mark on the history of our country. The most important thing to urge in connection with it is that the religious leaders of Wales should see in time that the great forces which have been aroused into activity should not be wasted in mere outbursts of emotion. Let them in time overhaul their denominational machinery, and adapt it to the new and greater demand upon its resources which has been created by this remarkable upheaval, which seems to be rocking Welsh life like a great earthquake."

The leader of the revival is Mr. Evan Roberts, a young man only twenty-six years of age, who was a collier, and was later apprenticed to become a blacksmith. Then he felt a call to the ministry, and was a student in a preparatory school when the Spirit came upon him in such power that he felt impelled to re-turn to his native village of Loughor and tell the people of God's love for them. He did so, and, as he spoke, the fire fell from heaven upon the community. The people were so inflamed that they crowded church after church until four o'clock in the morning. The flame spread from district to district throughout South Wales with almost incredible swiftness, and soon scores of towns were being shaken by the power of God. From the beginning, however, Mr. Roberts has been the leader of the movement, and wherever he goes the revival reaches fever heat. The foremost Welsh newspapers devote columns to his meetings daily, and his photographs and souvenir post-cards representing him are sold everywhere. Some idea of his sudden fame may be gained from the fact that sixty newspaper representatives endeavored to interview him in two days recently.

It was my good fortune to take two meals with Mr. Roberts, and to attend three meetings he conducted. But let me give the readers of the Witness my impressions of the meetings and of Mr. Roberts in or-der as they were formed during the visit.

At noon on Tuesday I wired one of the leading Welsh newspapers, asking where Mr. Roberts would speak that evening. The reply came back that he would be at Swansea for the next two days. At 2 p.m. I left Liverpool with an American friend, and we arrived at Swansea at 9:30 p.m. Hastening to a hotel we found it filled with visitors, who had come to "catch the fire" of the revival. A second place we found in a similar condition, but at the third place we secured accommodation, and then hastened to the church, which was fortunately situated in the down-town district. It was 9:45 when we reached the place, and even at that hour there were some scores of people in the street seeking admission. But the gates were closed and guarded by policemen, for the church was al-ready packed to the doors. Going up to one of the policemen I whispered that I was an American journalist, and that my friend and I were from Chicago.

These words acted like a magic charm, for he at once asked us to come to another gate, where we were speedily admitted and ushered into the building. My first impression! How am Ito de-scribe it? As we entered the door I beheld a room meant to seat about 700 people, crowded to suffocation with about 1,500. But this was not the chief thing that attracted us. Up in the gallery a young lady -- almost a girl -- was standing, praying with such a fervor as I had rarely, if ever, witnessed before. One hand was upraised, and her tones were full of agonized pleading, and though it was in Welsh, so that I could not understand a word she uttered, yet it sent a strange thrill through me. Then a young man arose, and with rapt upraised face prayed as though he were in the presence of the Al-mighty. The entire atmosphere of the room was white-hot with spiritual emotion, and my chief thought was: "This is a picture of what must have occurred in the early church in the first century of the Christian era."

A hymn was now started, and my attention was riveted on Evan Roberts, who stood in the pulpit and led the music with face irradiated with joy, smiles, and even laughter. What impressed me most was his utter naturalness, his entire absence of solemnity. He seemed just bubbling over with sheer happiness, just as jubilant as a young man at abaseball game. He did not preach; he simply talked between the prayers and songs and testimonies, and then rarely more than a few sentences at a time. Imagine a Christian Endeavor meeting where those present are wrought up to a pitch of holy enthusiasm until they are literally "on fire," and you will have an accurate picture of the proceedings at Trinity Chapel that night.

To my surprise the meeting terminated at 10:30. The reason for this, it was explained, is that Swansea is a city of nearly 100,000 population, and the people must go to their work early the next morning; and also that Mr. Roberts was usually ending the meetings at about this hour so as to avoid a nervous collapse.

The next morning my friend and I went to the place where Mr. Roberts was staying, and were not only successful in securing a cordial interview, but were also invited to have luncheon with him. In appearance the young evangelist is of medium height, slender, brown-haired. He is extremely nervous in temperament, and his pallor showed the strain of the meetings upon him. When asked for a message for America, he grasped my hand and gave me the following:

"The prophecy of Joel is being fulfilled. There the Lord says, `I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.' If that is so, all flesh must be prepared to receive. (1) The past must be clear; every sin confessed to God, any wrong to man must be put right. (2) Everything doubtful must be removed once for all out of our lives. (3) Obedience prompt and implicit to the Spirit of God. (4) Public confession of Christ. Christ said, `I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me.' There it is. Christ is all in all."

The afternoon and evening meetings we attended were very largely like the first one, save that in each meeting the mood of Mr. Roberts was different. At the afternoon meeting, while describing the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, he broke down and sobbed from the pulpit, while scores in the building wept with him. The meeting had been announced to begin at 2 p.m., but be-fore 12 the building was packed, although it was at the edge of the city. It was with the utmost difficulty, aided by the police, that your correspondent and his friend squeezed themselves in at the rear door, and then we stood near the pulpit scarcely able to move an arm. The air was stifling, but the people minded this not a whit. They had forgotten the things of earth, and stood in the presence of God. The meeting began about noon, and went on at white heat for two hours before Mr. Roberts arrived, ending at 4:30 p.m.

At the evening meeting Mr. Roberts was silent much of the time. For full twenty minutes he sat or stood motionless with closed eyes. But the meeting went on just as fervidly as though he were speaking. It was strange indeed to hear some one praying undisturbed while a hymn was being sung; or to hear two, three or four engaged in prayer at the same time; yet, as has been so often remarked, there was perfect order in the midst of the seeming disorder. It was the Lord's doing, and it was marvelous in our eyes!

Presently a young girl -- not over sixteen years of age -- arose in the gallery, and began to pray. I under-stood not a word she said, but in a few seconds, in spite of myself, the tears were streaming down my cheeks. I looked up, and lo! old gray-haired ministers of the gospelwere likewise weeping! There was a something in the very tones of her voice that lifted one above the world, and pierced to the core of one's heart. I learned later that she was pleading with God that certain people might be reconciled with her. She loved them, but they did not love her, and she pleaded that they might be led to do so that night.

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