United Kingdom

The State of the Welsh Church

Prior to the 1904 Revival

The land size of Wales is almost
equal to that of the State of
Louisiana.

► Church membership in Wales was declining 1890-1904.

► All denominations confessed loss of power in pulpits and worldly spirit in the pews.

► Low attendance Sundays & prayer meetings, a Divine visitation was the only remedy.

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How the Revival Started

Extraordinary Prayer

► In 1899-1903, prayer groups, specifically for revival were established.

► In the summer of 1903, young people in the village of Pencoed began regular prayer meetings for revival on a mountaintop, and large crowds joined them.

► In 1903-1904, the Baptist minister W.S. Jones invited young ministers to form a covenant of prayer for revival in various centers around Wales.

► The first Keswick Convention in Wales was held in Llandrindod. This convention awakened even more prayer for revival.

► By spring and summer of 1904 there were many locations in Wales that began to experience tremendous conviction of sin during meetings. This movement increased the level of prayer and the united prayer meetings began to be conducted in each church..

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A Few of the People Involved

Evangelist Rosina Davies

Evangelist Rosina Davies

► Rosina Davies began holding services in the village of Treorchy in January of 1904. It was reported at this time that

“the awakening of the churches was spreading in North and South Wales.”

► She conducted 256 evangelistic meetings in Wales during 1904. Some of them, like the services at the Congregational Church in New Quay, were said to be accompanied with tremendous power.

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Rev. Joseph Jenkins

► Rev. Joseph Jenkins, in February of 1904, was the pastor of the Methodist Church at New Quay.

Rev. Joseph Jenkins, Pastor of the
Methodist Church in New Quay

► On February 14, 1904, following a Sunday morning service, wherein young people stayed after to discuss spiritual topics, one of the youths at the New Quay Methodist Church, Florrie Evans, made a public confession of her faith with these simple words,

“I love Jesus Christ with all my heart.”

That testimonial broke the ice at New Quay and it ignited a fire that began to spread, not only through the churches of New Quay, but also the region.

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Presbyterian Evangelist
Seth Joshua

Evangelist Seth Joshua

► The Presbyterian evangelist Seth Joshua held evangelistic services at New Quay, and in other locations, with significant results. On September 20, 1904, Seth Joshua wrote in his journal, 

“The Revival goes on. I cannot leave the building at New Quay until twelve and even one o’clock in the morning. I have closed the service several times, and yet it would break out again quite beyond the control of human power.”

► Seth Joshua is best known for his direct influence on a young man who would become the leading face of the Welsh Revival – Evan Roberts. It was at an evangelistic service on September 29, 1904, in Blaenannerch, that Seth Joshua wrote:

“Grand meetings to-day at Blaenannerch and many cried for mercy. It was a remarkable thing to hear one young man, Evan Roberts. He caught at the words and prayed,’ Bend me, 0 Lord’, and this became one of the most frequent petitions of the Revival.”

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Evan Roberts (age 26 in 1904)

Evan Roberts (age 26 in 1904)

As in most revivals, there is always one figure that is used by God in an extraordinary manner. Evan Roberts was that person during the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival.

Roberts also gained notoriety due to his enigmatic personality and behavior. Here are a few of the things that made him stand out from others:

► The gifts of the Holy Spirit, like prophecy, words of knowledge, etc., were common with him.

► He testified of having unique encounters with God.

► The conviction power of God accompanied his ministry, and there were many that would cry out in agony due to the illumination they received of how severe and damning their sins were.

► His services were accompanied by unusual manifestations of God’s power, often causing people to become prostrated upon losing all physical strength.

The Beginning of Evan Roberts’ Ministry

► Like his father, Roberts was a coal miner till September 1902, when he began to work as a blacksmith. During these developmental years, Roberts had multiple encounters with God, some of them quite extraordinary.

► September 13, 1904, Roberts enters a preparatory school in the village of Newcastle Emlyn. This was in preparation for him being granted admittance to a ministerial school.

► September 21, 1904, the students at the Newcastle Emlyn school requested that they be granted permission to attend the services being conducted by Seth Joshua at Blaenannerch. Permission was granted, and classes were canceled for a week.

► September 29, 1904, Roberts was at a morning service with Seth Joshua officiating. Joshua challenged everyone to be bent (toward the Lord’s will). This was taken to heart by Roberts, and he was bowed over in agony of spirit, prostrated for a long time, sweating profusely. After this he rose with demonstrative joy. This prayer of “Bend Me,” became a central prayer during the revival.

Concerning this particular event, an eyewitness, David Matthews, says the following about what he saw in his book, “I Saw the Welsh Revival“:

Almost in desperation, the evangelist [Seth Joshua] prayed fervently at what seemed to be the close of the difficult meeting, “Bend us—bend us—bend us, O Lord!” Speaking humanly, many believe that this very sentence gave birth to the revival. It became famous. Evan Roberts repeated it times without number. A young woman sprang to her feet in terrible soul-agony—Maggie Evans…  At this moment, the silent form of a young man [Evan Roberts] rolled off his seat into the aisle. He appeared to be only semi-conscious. God alone knows how the miracle happened. A lady sitting opposite the young man assured me that he lay prostrate for a considerable time on the floor of the church, sweating profusely.

Evan Roberts: The Face of the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival

Cloud the Size of a Man’s Hand

During the summer and fall of 1904 there was an increased awareness by many that the outbreak of revival could happen at any moment. There were those that testified of “bursting” with anticipation. To prepare for this event, Roberts drew up plans for young people to conduct evangelistic visits to towns and villages in every county in Wales.

► On October 6, 1904, Evan Roberts and his friend Sydney Evans attended a revival service in Twrgwyn, in which Joseph Jenkins officiated. On the return of the two young men to Newcastle Emlyn, where they were both residing and attending school, Roberts asked Sydney,

“Do you think that it is too much to ask God to save one hundred thousand in Wales?”

► October 30, 1904, Evan Roberts sensed he needed to leave school, go back to his hometown of Loughor, and start ministering to the youth at his home church (Moriah Methodist Chapel in Loughor). He consulted with the headmaster of the school and he agreed that it was the leading of the Lord, so Roberts made his plans for returning the next morning – October 31.

Moriah Methodist Chapel in Loughor

Home Church of Evan Roberts

► October 31, 1904, Roberts conducted his first address to young people, following the church’s regular prayer meeting. He shared his vision with them and he communicated the following four directives he said he received from the Lord:

1. We must confess before God every sin in our past life that has not been confessed.

2. We must remove anything that is doubtful in our lives.

3. Total Surrender. We must say and do all that the Spirit tells us.

4. Make a public confession of Christ.

Evan Roberts

 ► Following October 31, Roberts conducted meetings each evening, specifically for the youth. This was aimed at addressing sin and renewing obedience to God. There was also the teaching on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. These meetings ran from 3-5 hours in length.

► Within a week, parents began attending the meetings, being impressed with the dramatic changes they saw in their children. The services at Moriah Chapel were filled to maximum capacity (800).

► On November 9, 1904, the newspaper from Cardiff reported on the revival taking place at the Moriah Chapel. The writer indicated that crowds were so large that many were unable to enter the building, and that the street going toward the church was lined with people from one end to the other.

► A prominent feature of the services was the terrible conviction of sin, and many were shocked at the scenes. Some were on their knees for a long time, unable to utter a word, being in deep distress and agony of soul due to their sins. Others were prostrated under divine influence, unable to rise for long periods of time. Others wept with deep groaning due to the condition of their souls.

► November 12: All day payer meetings were being held in homes throughout the town.

► Services would often run seven or more hours, with no one wanting to leave.

► Store owners were closing their shops early in order to obtain a seat in the chapel. The workers from the mines would come to the church still in their working clothes.

► The grocery shops in Loughor were cleared of food products by those who had come from long distances to attend the revival services. The people lost all consciousness of time and had no desire to return home.

Evan Roberts (center) and the young lady singers who travelled with him.

Spreading the Revival

By mid-November Roberts began traveling to towns throughout Wales, experiencing much of the same results he experienced in Loughor. Unique things began to transpire, as people were converted to Christ PRIOR to the arrival of Roberts in the towns where he was to be speaking. Here are a few of the locations where he ministered (there were many, many more).

► Ferndale: December 8-10. Roberts’ success in other towns motivated the ministers of Ferndale to stand with him. They threw all their influence in favor of the meetings, and the results were amazing (873 salvations).

► Tylorstown: December 12-13 – two hundred were converted and joined the churches in the town prior to Roberts’ arrival.

► Morriston: December 29-30 – 1,300 converted to Christ prior to Roberts’ arrival. The Congregational Church could seat 1,500, but only one-third of those arriving for the services could enter.

Other Young Evangelists

Sydney Evans (evangelist)
Friend of Evan Roberts

Dan Roberts and Sydney Evans often traveled separately from Evan Roberts, each of them having a team of singers. Their strategy was to spread the revival simultaneously in different parts of Wales.

Dan Roberts (evangelist)
Brother of Evan Roberts

Evan Roberts (center) and the young lady singers who travelled with him. Some of them would travel with other evangelists like Sydney Evans and Dan Roberts.

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Evan Roberts

Results of the Revival

► Orders to the Bible Society for Scriptures from Wales during November and December 1904 were over three times the amount for the corresponding months of 1903.

► Churches were filled each evening till midnight, and lesser meetings went on all day, beginning at daybreak. Churches were packed for prayer meetings.

► January 10: The London Times reported that the whole population had been suddenly stirred by a common impulse. They said entire congregations were to be found on their knees in fervent prayer

► The Cardiff police reported a 60% decrease in drunkenness and 40% fewer people in jail at the New Year.

► The great wave of sobriety which swept over the country caused severe financial losses to the liquor trade and closed many of the taverns (bankruptcies).

Evan Roberts

► Political meetings and even soccer matches were postponed.

► All-day prayer meetings were held in many of the major cities of the British Isles, according to the London Times.

► Employers noticed a great improvement in the work produced by their employees.

► Coal miners crowded into prayer meetings that lasted till 3:00 a.m. and then washed, ate breakfast, and returned to work.

► Soul-winning spread through the coalmines. Cussing stopped. Even the coal miners’ horses were puzzled when the men, who had used cussing and kicking to get them to move, could not understand the commands.

► Judges had no cases to be tried.

► By December police were out of work. They went with the crowds and formed quartets to sing during church services.

► The illegitimate birth rate dropped 44 percent in two counties within a year of the beginning of the revival.

► According to revival historian J. Edwin Orr, there were

• 70,000 converts in two months.

• More than 100,000 first-time converts became members of churches in 6 months.

• 100,000 more backsliders came back to the churches.

Above Picture: Hot Spots of the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905

After 4 months of revival, from November 1904 till the end of February, 1905, the Western Mail (Cardif, Wales newspaper), received reports from 146 locations in Wales (pictured above), giving the number of people who had joined their churches. The number they reported was 76,566 new church members. There were many more, but the newspaper only received reports from those 146 locations.

Revivals are Contagious

The contagiousness of this revival spread throughout the world.  It created a hunger that left people with the earnest desire to see the same for their own communities. The revival spread to: Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Korea, Africa, France, Czech, Belgium, India, China, the United States, and many more locations.

Open air meeting conducted by Evan Roberts in the north Wales island of Anglesey (July 4, 1905).

Today

When accounts of the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival are read today, there is still that stirring, or hunger for God to do the same in our day.

“LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).

Sources:

A Diary Of Revival The Outbreak Of The 1904 Welsh Awakening by Jesusman
An Eyewitness Account of the 1904 Welsh Revival
Evan Roberts His Life and Work by J. Tudor Rees
Evan Roberts, The Great Welsh Revivalist And His Work by D. M. Phillips
I Saw the Welsh Revival by David Matthews
Seth and Frank Joshua by T. Mardy Rees
Story of the Liverpool Mission by Gwilym Hughes
The Flaming Tongue by J. Edwin Orr
The Awakening of 1904 by J. Edwin Orr
The Prayer Ministry Of Evan Roberts by Peter-John Parisis
The Welsh Revival by W. T. Stead
The Story of My Life by Rosina Davies
Timeline of the Background to 1904-5 Welsh Revival by John Hayward

Return to List of Revival Stories

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