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Andrew Murray
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 A Ministry dedicated to preserving the truth and accuracy of the infallible Word of God. |
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| The Revivals Page 25 | |
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Return to Revivals Main Index >> The Revivals "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" Psalm 85:6
Revival Spirit Spreading In England All over England a new spirit of prayerfulness and expectation has been awakened in connection with what we call our "ordinary services," and ministers and people now are beginning to realize that it is gloriously possible to have an outpouring of the Holy Spirit with-out the presence of a special missioner. And when once this conviction gets a firm grip of the imagination and heart of the people, the revival will soon follow. Statistics give but a very faint idea of the growth and prevalence of this revival, and yet a few figures taken at random show how the flame is spreading. At Dowlais there were 1,000 inquirers before Evan Roberts arrived; at Ebbw Vale they have had 1,500; Risca and Cross Keys, 1,250; East Glamorgan Baptist churches report 7,250 of whom 6,500 are expected to be-come members; the Rhondda Baptilt churches alone have 3,000 new members; Tredegar, regarded as about the most difficult soil for evangelism, is rejoicing over 1,400 inquirers, 300 of whom came to Christ during the four days' visit of Sydney Evans and his helpers. And so we might go on, for it is believed that the numbers now in North and South Wales do not fall short of 70,000. Drunkenness is still on the decrease. Superintendent Cole, at Pontypridd, reports a gradual decrease in the number of police-court cases, and a distinct improvement in the morals of the district. Last Saturday not one case of drunkenness was reported at the police-court from Llynfi Valley (20,000 inhabitants), only one from Garw Valley, and none from Bridgend, Ogmore Valley, and Porthcawl: so the court at Bridgend was able to rise at 12:45, some hours earlier than usual. On a re-cent day at Newport there were only two cases before the court, and this so soon after the white gloves' sitting; and throughout Monmouth-shire there is a marked diminution in drunkenness, whilst in many localities swearing, once so common, has altogether ceased. At the recent International Rugby football match at Cardiff, when 40,000 people were present, a Baptist minister from Bristol told me that he only heard one oath, and he at once reproved the offender, who thanked him for the rebuke, shook hands, and said it should not occur again. This was an hour before the match began, and the conversation attracted much interest. As soon as the incident passed over someone who witnessed it struck up "Throw Out the Life Line," and the chorus was instantly caught up by 10,000 voices. This alone speaks volumes! The Welsh are supposed to be a Bible-reading people, and judgingby the numerous and apt quotations in their prayers they know a great deal more about the contents of the Book than the average man to whom we are accustomed to listen in our English prayer-meetings. And yet again and again when Evan Roberts has tested the congregations it has been found that even among Christian people Bible readers are in a minority. Those who have confessed their neglect have promised to amend their ways, and they have so far kept their vow by purchasing Bibles in large quantities. The increase in the sales has been very great. A bookseller at Ton, in the heart of the Rhondda, who has been eighteen years in the trade, says the increase has been most marked -- "tremendous" is her word for it -- and there has been a corresponding decrease in the sale of low class literature. So say two booksellers in the neighboring town of Pentre, who add that the most remarkable increase has been in the purchase of pocket Testaments by young men. At Neath a bookseller states that before the revival he regarded Bibles as dead stock but in recent weeks he had cleared out all his old stock and has had to get further supplies. To some of his customers the Bible was quite unknown, and they carried it off as a hoarded treasure. Along with this there has been a decided slump in penny dreadfuls. Good news comes from the Garw Valley, from the Rhondda and else-where to the effect that the churches are realizing the importance of providing suitable accommodation for social clubs under Christian management. The peril of backsliding is very great if no provision is made for enabling young workingmen to spend their leisure hours sensibly, and under conditions that are healthy for their morals. The need of Institutional Churches in these densely populated districts is recognized, especially considering the large number of public houses and drinking clubs. It is certain that these "houses of Satan" will make a determined effort to win back their former patrons as soon as the first glow of the revival is over. One notable convert who had a very lucrative commission agency in the sporting world, which he instantly abandoned on his conversion, has spoken out very forcibly on this question, and it is satisfactory to find that it is being discussed thoroughly in the local papers. A young collier, just up from the pit, told me the now familiar tale of the effects of the revival on a large proportion of the 1,100 men who work in his pit. He told me, too, of one public-house that formerly sold five barrels of beer in the week, but has only sold half a barrel in the last six weeks, and as a consequence has changed hands. This was con-firmed the next day by a young solicitor whose mother most hospitably entertained me, and who had traveled the previous day with a wealthy brewer. A month ago he was laughing heartily at the revival, but now he and the owners of two other breweries in the neighbor-hood are finding out that when public houses cease to consume, they cease to give orders, and all three now admit that the last month has been the worst for the trade that they have known. One of these firms that formerly had to borrow horses to keep pace with the heavy demand on barrels has not only ceased to borrow, but has been compelled to part with three of its own horses that were out of work, but were feeding heavily. Many English people may not know that the Welsh collier always speaks of his comrades who work along with him in his own section in the pit as his "butties" -- "pals" is the English equivalent perhaps in the vernacular of the street. "Butties" are very loyal to one an-other, and if one of their number is in trouble, or is being bullied by others, his "butties" always rally to his aid. I make this statement as introductory to one of the most pathetic interruptions of which I have yet heard in a revival service. A minister was dwelling very vividly on the Saviour's sufferings, and picturing the scene between Gethsemane and Calvary, when they scoffed at Him and spat upon Him. A young collier was so moved by the story that he sprang to his feet and exclaimed passionately, "Oh, where were His butties?" Such was this rough pitman's commentary on Matthew 26:56, "Then all the disciples left Him and fled." -- Correspondence London Methodist Times The Story Of Evan Roberts' Early Life "The child is father of the man" (Wordsworth). "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth" (Lamentations 3:26-27). "A servant of Jesus Christ, called...separated unto the gospel of God" (Romans 1:1). Evan Roberts is the son of godly parents. His mother desired that, if it were the will of God, one of her sons should be a preacher. And when Evan was born she said: "I have another son to serve God now; and perhaps he may one day be a preacher." He was born at Loughor, a village eight miles from Swansea: and in his case, as also at the birth of six other sons and three daughters, prayers and hymns of thanksgiving were heard in the happy cottage home. He received his share, and no more than his share, of his mother's care and love. They were all trained in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. |
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