The opening meeting on Sunday was a disappointment. The Spirit was grieved because of the criticism of the Christians against the youthful revival party. What could these young women of 18 and 20 years of age know and tell of the deep things of the Lord?

On Monday, Ebenezer Congregational Chapel in Aberdare was crowded with 1000. There was no sign in this service of anything exceptional. But, on Tuesday, the whole neighborhood was aroused, and people remained home from their work so they could attend the early morning prayer meeting, which lasted for four hours. Immense crowds gathered from all directions. In the evening service, young Evan gave out an opening hymn which was to become one of the glorious hymns of the revival: Heavenly Jesus, ride victorious, gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh.

There was a spontaneous outburst of prayer and praise. The revivalist walked through the chapel clapping his hands with holy ecstasy. When the meeting was in an intense state, Roberts clearly and positively proclaimed that a mighty revival was coming to all Wales, and they in Aberdare were only opening the gates for it. By the end of these meetings, the whole of Wales and Britain knew that the Holy Spirit had come to the principality.

From Aberdare, the young prophet went to Pontycymmer, a mining town in GAWR, one of the western valleys of Glamorganshire …. From there he traveled on to the other surrounding parts.

It was plainly evident now to everybody that God had answered the agonizing prayers of His people and had sent a mighty spiritual upheaval. A sense of the Lord's presence was everywhere. His Presence was felt in the homes, on the streets, in the mines, factories and schools, and, even in the drinking saloons. So great was His Presence felt that even the places of amusement and carousal became places of holy awe. Many were the instances of men entering taverns, ordering drinks and then turning on their heels and leaving them untouched.

Wales, up to this time, was in the grip of football fever when tens of thousands of working-class men thought and talked only of one thing. They gambled also on the result of the games. Now, the famous football players themselves got converted and joined the open-air street meetings to testify what glorious things the Lord had done for them. Many of the teams were disbanded as the players got converted, and the stadiums were empty. Beneath the ground, miners gathered for worship and Bible study before they dispersed to the various sections of the mines. Even the children in the schools came under the spell of God.

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,