Evan Roberts and

the Welsh revival of 1904

When Seth Joshua began his week of meetings at Newcastle Emlyn in September 1904, for the first few days there seemed to be none of the blessing he had experienced during the previous week in New Quay. Then on Tuesday 27th he recorded in his journal, "A large number were blessed this evening. Some students received blessing and confessed salvation. The Lord will certainly move this place. The yearning is here among the people."

Joshua had a deep sense of assurance that God would soon reveal His mighty power and the students he mentioned were from the local ministerial preparatory school conducted by John Phillips. It was amongst these young men the Holy Spirit was already at work, for on the following day one of them named Sidney Evans became stirred by the conviction that although he was preparing for the ministry, he had not fully yielded himself to Christ. After much striving and heart-searching, Evans was moved to declare openly his complete submission to the Saviour in the evening meeting and as Joshua noted later that night, "Souls were melted and many cried out for salvation. Praise the Lord for this evening service."

But the working of the Holy Spirit was not confined to Joshua's meetings at Newcastle Emlyn. Another student, Evan Roberts was present at the service on Tuesday evening, but on the following day he had arranged to attend the two-day "conference" at Blaenannerch together with a party of his fellow students. Roberts was already twenty-six years old and had only just begun his first term of ministerial training at Newcastle Emlyn. His comparatively late entry was due to his reluctance to undertake a formal course of instruction which he felt might quench his zeal, and because of this he had worked for more than ten years as a collier and then a blacksmith. From his boyhood in his home chapel of Moriah in Loughor, Evan Roberts had known a compelling desire to honour God in every aspect of his life and to serve Him faithfully. This had increased to the point where he was constrained at last to leave his employment and prepare for the ministry. In explaining his decision to a friend, Roberts wrote,

"... On examination I find the following motives constrain me: (1) The passionate longing of my soul for ten years which I cannot quench... (2) The voice of the people of God... (3) God's infinite love together with the promise of the Holy Spirit. Last Sunday night while thinking about the greatness of the work and the danger of my dishonouring God, I could not but weep. And I prayed that the Lord should baptize you and me with the Holy Spirit." This letter and other writings by Roberts at the time revealed a characteristic which was common to many who were seeking God so earnestly, namely that the deep longing of their hearts was inseparably linked with an unshakeable confidence that a visitation of the Holy Spirit would be granted. This willingness to take God's promises on trust and to look to Him to honour His Word was also experienced by the prominent leaders in the religious awakenings in Wales of 1859 and 1735.

God Draws Near

Another experience which Evan Roberts shared with those in earlier revivals was an overwhelming sense of God's presence drawing near to him. This moment of intimate communion was granted to Roberts in the spring of 1904 and can be best described in his own words.

"One Friday night last spring, when praying by my bedside before retiring, I was taken up to a great expanse - without time and space. It was communion with God. Before this I had a far-off God. I was frightened that night, but never since. So great was my shivering that I rocked the bed, and my brother, being awakened, took hold of me thinking I was ill. After that experience I was awakened every night a little after one O'clock. This was most strange, for through the years I slept like a rock, and no disturbance in my room would awaken me. From that hour I was taken up into the divine fellowship for about four hours. What it was I cannot tell you, except that it was divine. About five o'clock I was again allowed to sleep on till about nine. At this time I was again taken up into the same experience as in the earlier hours of the morning until about twelve or one o'clock... This went on for about three months."

By the time Roberts began his studies at Newcastle Emlyn, the process of preparation wrought in his heart by the Spirit was almost complete. In the sovereign providence of God, the meetings led by Seth Joshua which took place during the second week of term continued this work to the point that on the opening day of the Blaenannerch conference Roberts described his spiritual condition as "waiting for the fire to fall." The main sermon that day was preached by Rev. W.W. Lewis of Carmarthen on the text "among whom ye shine as lights in the world," (Phil. 2 v15) and his message was endued with an unction which Rev. John Thickens, the organiser of the conference, believed could only have been God-given.

Power From On High

The party of students including Evan Roberts arrived on the second day in time for the early morning session which was again led by Lewis. The meeting was closed in prayer by Seth Joshua and as he implored God to have mercy upon them and make them submissive to His Will, Evan Roberts felt one phrase of the prayer burning In his heart -"0 Lord, bend us." The words remained indelibly impressed on his mind throughout the interval for breakfast and afterwards when the meeting was resumed, the power of the Holy Spirit became so compelling that Roberts fell to his knees in tears. The truth of Romans 5 v8, "But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us," flooded his whole being and caused him to plead with God to bend him to His will. After this he experienced a profound sense of peace, followed by a feeling of great "compassion for those who must bend at the judgement." Finally, in Roberts' own words, "the salvation of the human soul was solemnly impressed upon me. I felt ablaze with a desire to go through the length and breadth of Wales to tell of the Saviour."

After that "most terrible and sublime day" at Blaenannerch, Evan Roberts was irrevocably committed to serving God in whatever way he was called. His life was in God's hands and the flood of revival blessing was about to be released.