Again, when a spiritual harvest depends almost entirely upon one personality, we know that there's no true revival. The glorious fact and outstanding feature of the mighty awakening in Wales was that the sense of the Lord's presence was everywhere throughout the entire nation, altogether apart from the young revivalist. Glory to God! It wasn't the presence of Evan Roberts that was felt but the mighty presence of God. Evan Roberts was only one of the broken instruments which the Spirit of God was using. As we have already mentioned, there were crowds of pastors and evangelists reaping mighty harvests simultaneous with the ministry of Evan and Dan Roberts, Sydney Evans, Sam Jenkins and "The Singing Sisters." For example, R.B. Jones was conducting meetings in Amlych, in the Isle of Anglesey in the north of Wales, in January 1905, and found that revival had even then reached the northernmost point in Wales, although young Roberts had never been there.

In Amlych, the capel mawr (big chapel) was crowded. The theme of the preacher's message was from Isaiah, chapter 6. A tremendous sense of conviction of sin settled upon all present. The hearers were crushed beyond despair. The uppermost cry was "Could God forgive? Could God cleanse? When the messenger came to the words of telling of the "live coal from off the altar" - the cleansing fire from the place where the blood was shed, Calvary - and the live coal touching the confessedly vile lips, the effect was electrifying. One who was present at that meeting says it was absolutely beyond any metaphor to describe. As one man stood, first with a sigh of relief and then with a delirious shout of joy, the whole audience of 1200 people simultaneously sprang to their feet shouting, "Diolch iddo!" (Thanks be to Him.) The glory of God so shone upon the pulpit that the evangelist fled to the vestry completely overcome. He couldn't stand the brightness of the glory of the presence of God.

In the Awakening in Wales, it was the presence of thousands of young converts exulting in the thrill of their new-found Redeemer that carried all before it. These were drunk with the new wine of the Spirit and were oblivious to everything else than their blessed Lord Jesus. Like the young converts in the Book of Acts, they went everywhere preaching the Word without the authority of men, having the ordination of the Spirit. Even little children won many souls for Christ.

Some readers may criticize such enthusiasm and call it only religious emotionalism, and yet, these same critics believe in full expression of the emotions in the football stadium. I, myself, know the frenzy of the tens of thousands who pack the stadiums in Britain, as I played before them when I was beginning a professional football career. They were hypnotized and drunk with the sport. They packed the stadium in all kinds of weather, oblivious to all the elements. Yet, I found many of these same people were criticizing me for being "emotionally upset" when, with burning words, I pleaded with them to accept Christ as their Savior. The world believes in emotion in the world, but not in the church.

I have before me some treasured copies of The Evening Express and The Evening Mail of Cardiff, published during these blessed days. The Evening Express, along with other Welsh newspapers, published a weekly paper exclusively devoted to the progress of the revival, because the revival was the biggest thing in the mind of all Wales. One page of this weekly is devoted to the "Doings of the Churches" and is divided into several sections, such as Anglican, Primitive Methodist, Baptists, Y.M.C.A., Christian Endeavor, etc., etc. The paper also carries two or three hymns with words and music. The large advertisements are devoted to the sale of Bibles and hymn books, which could be purchased from different Christian publishers in Britain. There's also a column called "Revival Harvest." These reports are complied by different correspondents throughout Wales who seek to bring before the readers each week the movements of the Spirit. The towns appear in alphabetical order from Aberaman to Ynystawe.

From time to time, there is what they call "A Revival Map of Great Britain," showing how the revival is spreading. For example, in the edition of Jan. 18, 1905, are the following words beneath the revival map: "The above map shows the districts affected mainly by the revival. The shading shows the degree of the intensity of the Awakening. Wales stands first, then Cornwell, then, afterwards the portions lightly shaded." Many of these issues also carry revival cartoons.

Reports from the different villages and towns throughout the nation, gleaned from several of these papers, eloquently reveal that it wasn't Evan Roberts, but the Lord Jesus, who was the center of the attraction. The believers in Wales are intensely proud of their young prophet, and woe betide anyone who seeks to criticize him, but they don't idolize him. They know that he wasn't the secret and cause of the success of the Awakening, but only one of the chosen instruments.

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,