In the early 1900s, Gazaland was generally referred to as parts of the countries now known as Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The countries at that time were referred to as Rhodesia and Portuguese East Africa.
The revival started at the Rusitu mission station, and spread throughout South Africa, and as far north as the Belgian Congo.
Introduction
The central character in this revival story is Rees Howells (1879-1950), from Brynamman, Wales. Howells is mostly known for his lifestyle of prayer and intercession. He is also known for having started the Bible College of Wales.
This story will focus on six years of his life as he and his wife Elizabeth were called to be missionaries to the southeast side of Africa, in the area now known as Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Howells was greatly impacted by the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival and worked several years on the tail end of that revival, experiencing significant results for several years. It was from those experiences that he was catapulted into his revival ministry in Gazaland.
Lay It All on the Altar (Missionary Calling)
Rees Howells married Elizabeth Hannah Jones on December 21, 1910, and in 1912 they received a clear call to become missionaries with the South African General Mission (now Serving in Mission). They were to link up with John and Catherine Hatch, the only missionaries serving at the Rusitu mission station located in Melsetter, now Chimanimani, Zimbabwe).
The town of Melsetter, now Chimanimani, Zimbabwe
The challenge with the Howells’ missionary calling was that they had a newborn son who, prior to his birth, the Lord had directed them to name Samuel. And now, with their missionary calling to be in a rural area, they wouldn’t be able to take him with them. They then were like Elkanah and Hannah in 1 Samuel 1, who left their son, Samuel, in the custody of Eli the High Priest. (Surprisingly, Elizabeth’s middle name was Hannah.) The ones who took custody of Samuel were Rees’ uncle and aunt.
The pain of not being able to take their son with them was beyond words. When Rees asked his wife how she had been able to endure the pain, she said that she kept singing the line from the hymn “Trust and Obey”:
But we never can prove the delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay,
As Rees and Elizabeth prayed about their pain, Rees said the Lord responded with these words:
For everything you give up for Me, there is the hundredfold; and on this you can claim 10,000 souls in Africa.
And that is what they experienced!
Missionary Preparation
During the next few years, the Howells had to make preparation for working in a remote African mission station, far from hospitals. Both were required to take courses in nursing and medicine, as well as Elizabeth taking a maternity course. As part of Rees’ training, he spent six months dispensing medicine for a doctor.
On July 10, 1915, the Howells departed from England on the R.M.S. Walmer Castle
Extraordinary Prayer
When the Howells arrived at the mission station in Rusitu, they were expecting to follow the typical process of spending their first few years on the field in language learning and cultural assimilation. But what they found was that their mission team partners, the Hatches, had been spending much time in prayer for revival, and they realized that the Howells not only had experienced the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival firsthand, but they were still carriers of the fire and had been a blessing to many others since.
The time in language and culture learning was then waived as the Hatches felt as though the Howells were the answer to their prayers. So, from their first days on the mission field, the Howells were immediately plunged into a ministry of stoking the flames of revival.
Rees and Elizabeth Howells, with son Samuel (circa 1912)
What Happened
Rees Howells immediately began preaching and teaching on revival during the first six weeks after their arrival at Rusitu, and it had an instant effect upon the Christians.
During a small group meeting of about 12 people in the Howells’ home, on a Friday evening, Elizabeth Howells taught them the song: “Lord, send a revival, And let it begin in me.”
The Holy Spirit was sensed during that time, and throughout the following week that song stayed with the people wherever they went. By the following Thursday it was obvious that there was a change.
On the following Thursday night during a Bible study when the four missionaries met together, while on their knees praying, the Lord spoke to Rees saying that revival was coming. Rees then told them there was no need to continue to pray for revival as he had confirmation that it was coming. Their faith for revival was so profound that they expected it at any moment. They waited like this for two days, and then on Sunday it happened, and according to Rees Howells:
The Sunday was October 10 – my birthday – and as I preached in the morning, you could feel the Spirit coming on the congregation. In the evening, down He came. I shall never forget it. He came upon a young girl, Kufase by name, who had fasted for three days under conviction that she was not ready for the Lord’s coming. As she prayed she broke down crying, and within five minutes the whole congregation were on their faces crying to God. Like lightning and thunder the power came down. I had never seen this, even in the Welsh Revival. I had only heard about it with Finney and others. Heaven had opened, and there was no room to contain the blessing.
I lost myself in the Spirit and prayed as much as they did. All I could say was, “He has come!” We went on until late in the night; we couldn’t stop the meeting. What He told me before I went to Africa was actually taking place, and that within six weeks. You can never describe those meetings when the Holy Spirit comes down. I shall never forget the sound in the district that night – praying in every kraal [homestead].
The next day He came again, and people were on their knees till 6 p.m. This went on for six days and people began to confess their sins and come free as the Holy Spirit brought them through. They had forgiveness of sins, and met the Savior as only the Holy Spirit can reveal Him. Everyone who came near would go under the spell of the Spirit. People stood up to give their testimonies, and it was nothing to see twenty-five on their feet at the same time.
At the end of one week nearly all were through. We had two revival meetings every day for fifteen months without a single break, and meetings all day on Fridays. Hundreds were converted – but we were looking for more – for the ten thousand, upon whom He had told us we had a claim.
At Rusitu Mission: Rees Howells center; Elizabeth far right. The other couple is Mr. and Mrs. Condy.
Revival Spreads to Mount Silinda
About 46 miles south of Rusitu was a large mission station at Mount Silinda. This ministry had a large staff of doctors, ministers, school teachers, etc. They heard about the revival at Rusitu and sent an invitation for Rees to come and minister to them.
This is the account of what took place after the Howells arrived:
At the first meeting, at 9 a.m. on Thursday, the building was crowded, and the missionaries told how the blessing had come to Rusitu, and what were the conditions of blessing. After two or three of the Rusitu Christians had given their testimonies, crowds began to cry for mercy, and to confess their sins, the numbers being so great that it was impossible to help them all, though the meeting lasted till one o’clock in the day. All met again at 2 p.m. and there was a wonderful time, the men who had held back somewhat in the morning coming forward in confession of sin, and completely broken down, teachers, evangelists, and scholars all praying and confessing, and this went on without any confusion, under the Spirit’s control, until sunset.
Extraordinary Prayer for Revival to Spread
While Rees was praying for the Lord to send Revival blessings to other areas, he began to intercede by “pleading His word” from Malachi 3:10:
And try me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
It was then that Rees said that in the Spirit he
saw the Holy Ghost descending on all the mission stations.
For fifteen months beginning in October, 1915, the Revival continued in Gazaland, centered on the mission stations at Rusitu and Silinda. It was then that a request came to all the mission stations from the head office of the South African General Mission headquarters in Cape Town, asking the missionaries and Africans to give half an hour every morning, from 7 to 7:30, to pray specially that every station might receive the same blessing as had been experienced at Rusitu.
The Revival Spreads to All Mission Stations
In 1917, the Howells were invited to a gathering of missionaries with the South Africa General Mission in Durban. Rees expected to be one of many speakers, but was asked to speak each day for the entire period of three weeks. Eventually, an invitation was extended to the Howells to go on an extended tour of all the mission stations. According to the 1916 newsletter South African Pioneer, there were around 26 stations at that time. To make visits and effectively minister at each location took the Howells several years, traveling over 11,000 miles. They continued their revival ministry until 1920, when they returned home.
Location of mission stations operated by the South African General Mission. These are some of the locations where Rees Howells ministered, with revival blessing coming to all of them.
Results of the Revival
► Many thousands were converted
► Many young men and women were prepared for a lifetime of Christian ministry.
► Every mission station received a fresh impetus for the continuation of their work.
Furlough, and Change of Plans
The Howells eventually returned to Wales for furlough at the end of 1920. They clearly intended to return to continue their missionary work after a break. The mission board insisted that the Howells should get a few weeks rest, but they found they were in high demand, and they were non-stop for three years stirring revival fires wherever they went.
Because doors opened to them everywhere and there was tremendous blessing, the mission board wanted to have Rees spend five years traveling all over the English-speaking world, giving his testimony. This was what Rees wanted, but God had other plans.
Immediately after preaching at the Llandrindod Convention of 1922, a minister asked Rees to join him for prayer. The purpose for the prayer meeting was to ask God to provide the urgent need for a Bible training school in Wales. Little did Rees know, that he was the one that the Lord would use to start that Bible college, and that is another part of the story of Rees Howells.
Samuel, Elizabeth, and Rees Howells. Samuel eventually became the Director of the Bible College of Wales.
Sources
► Rees Howells by Wikipedia
► Rees Howells – Intercessor by Norman P. Grubb
► Flashpoints of Revival by Geoff Waugh
► South African Pioneer; Vol. xxix. No 10: November 1916 by South African General Mission
► The Intercession of Rees Howells by Doris Ruscoe
► The Story of Melsetter by Shirley Sinclair
► Understanding Revival and Addressing the Issues it Provokes by Mathew Backholer
Blog Posts or Websites
► Samuel Rees Howells A Short Biography by ByFaith Media
► South Africa General Mission/ Rusitu Mission by The Rhodesia Study Circle
► Standing in the Gap: Rees Howells (Part 1) by David Edward Pike
► Breakthrough in Healing: Rees Howells (Part 2) by David Edward Pike
► Marriage & Call to Mission: Rees Howells (Part 3) by David Edward Pike
► Revival in Gazaland: Rees Howells (Part 4) by David Edward Pike
► The Bible College of Wales: Rees Howells (Part 5) by David Edward Pike
Video
► Rees Howells – Intercessor – The Bible College of Wales by Revelation TV
Return to List of Revival Stories
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