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We now turn our eyes to Cardinganshire, to a little village called New Quay, lying on the fringe of Cardigan BayWith Christ in the School of Prayer, greatly
influenced his life at this time. He was greatly burdened about the
indifference among all Christians around him and concerned also about
the apathy of his own young people in the church. He called the young
people before him and talked seriously and earnestly to them about
obeying the Spirit. This was in the early part of the year 1904. and 15
miles from a railway station. Here the Lord had been quietly preparing
instruments for the coming awakening. The Rev. Joseph Jenkins had been
deeply concerned about the absence of pathos in his own voice when
preaching, and he desperately sought a deeper life in Christ. Dr.
Andrew Murray's book,
In a Sunday morning prayer meeting for young people, the pastor asked for testimonies of spiritual experience. Several attempted to speak on different subjects, but the minister would not allow that. At last, a young girl named Florrie Evans, who had been gloriously converted a few days before, got up, and, with a tremor in her voice, said, "I love Jesus Christ with all my heart."
These simple words sent a thrill throughout everyone present. The fire was ignited there, the flames of which spread soon to Blaenanerch, New Castle-Emlyn, Capel Drindod and Twrgwin. This was the beginning of the visible manifestations of the Spirit's breaking out in lifestreams, which afterwards would touch thousands of souls.
The blessing in New Quay became soon noised abroad. Doors began to open on every hand, and these young people, between 16-18 years of age, led by their minister, conducted meetings throughout the south of the country. The fire was gaining strength, presently to leap forward in irresistible flames. Conventions were conducted in West Wales for holiness of heart and life in which the Spirit used mightily such men as W.S. Jones, E. Keri Evans, Jake Thickens, Seth and Frank Joshua, John Pugh and R.B. Jones.
In August 1904, in the city of Cardiff, the renowned evangelist R.A. Torrey held a great mission which resulted in a mighty ingathering of souls.
In November of the same year in Rhos, North Wales, the churches invited the cultured preacher, R.B. Jones, to conduct a campaign there. This man had entered into the Spirit-filled life the previous year, at which time his entire ministry was changed. He now had a burning message to proclaim. A correspondent for "The Liverpool Post" wrote concerning these meetings, "If I had been asked a month ago whether a revival was probably in Wales, I should have answered no. It seemed to me that the higher criticism had wrecked the ordinary machinery of a revival and that until theology had been reshaped, nothing would be done to disturb the prevailing apathy."
Howbeit, in Rhos, right from the very beginning, the professing Christians were broken down before God and began to remove the hindrances in their lives, to the fill surrender to Christ and the reception of the Spirit in His fullness. After this, the floodgates of heaven were opened, and the Spirit was poured out mightily. The numbers grew until the churches were crowded out nightly. Four weeks after our beloved brother left Rhos, a Wrexham paper said that "the whole district is in the grip of an extraordinary spiritual force which shows no sign of relaxing its hold."
The meetings were carried on by the people themselves, although the pastors were present. From 10 o'clock in the morning until six in the evening, the meetings went on. In the street, in the train, in the homes, this strange power upon the town was, in hushed and reverential tones, the theme of conversation. In the evening, after the service, there were great processions marching through the town singing hymns.
This is copyrighted material from James Stewart's book Invasion of Wales by the Spirit through Evan Roberts,PO Box 6068, Asheville, NC 28816. available from Revival Literature,
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