Missions

REVIVAL FIRES

Edited by Homer Duncan
Missionary Crusader
2003

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Editor’s Introductory Note 3
Glimpses of Earlier Revivals 5
A Seventeenth-Century Revival in Scotland 10
Jonathan Edward’s Revival 11
How the Fire Fell When They Prayed in Faith 13
Hawaiian Revival 16
Revival in Eastern India 17
We Can-And Must-Have Revival Today 17
Evan Roberts 23
The Awakening in Wales 26
The Spirituality of Evan Roberts 33
The Shantung Revival 50
The Indonesian Revival 51
The Asbury Revival 52
Revivals in Canada 54
How to Start a Cottage Prayer Meeting 58
We Are Racing Before a Hurricane 59
God’s Formula for Revival 63

THE EDITOR’S INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Holy Ghost revivals are born in times of desperation. Many people are saying, “It is too late. We cannot do anything now.” And, they sit back to await the inevitable. Others say, “Don’t you know that the Bible teaches that this age is to end in apostasy?” Yes, I know that, but God -can send revival in the midst of apostasy. The Word of God teaches that there will be a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit before the Second Coming of Christ. We are now hearing the “sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees” (1I Samuel 5:24).

A study of the great revivals in the past should warm the heart of every child of God. It is our prayer that the messages in this little booklet will kindle a fire in your heart. Dr. J. Edwin Orr states, “I am convinced that more work for God could be done in six months of revival than in sixty years of any other kind of effort.” Dr. Robert Hall Glover, closes his book, The Progress of Worldwide Missions, with these words, “A mighty spiritual revival in the Church of Christ is the fundamental need of the hour; it is the only thing that will avail. In view of the tremendous issues involved, both to an embarrassed church and to a dying world, unceasing prayer should ascend to God day and night, from every loyal and discerning heart, for such a revival. When it comes, the problem of missionary recruits will be solved. When it comes, a new volume of missionary intercession will release the omnipotence of God, before which every obstacle will give way, every opposing force will be rendered impotent. The whole enterprise of world evangelization will move onward to its consummation, and the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” If these words were true when Dr. Glover wrote them in 1924, they are more true today.

One of Satan’s tricks is to make us complacent. Just because we do not go to excesses in flagrant sin, he makes us think that we are very good Christians. We are prone to compare ourselves with some poor backslidden Christian and to console ourselves with the thought that we are better than they are. However, when we compare ourselves with spiritual giants, we appear as pygmies in comparison. We think that we are spiritual because we don’t do this or that, but when we look at the lives of men like Evan Roberts, we realize our immaturity.

Praise God for the hope that we have in the Second Coming of Christ. Praise God that when the Outlook is dark, the Uplook is bright. Praise God that we have Victory in Christ. Yes, we have victory regardless of whether or not we appropriate it (or I should better say, Him). As you read these messages, may God stir you anew, and as your faith grows stronger, may you step out on the promises of God. “The people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32).

GLIMPSES OF EARLIER REVIVALS

Compiled by P.E. Howard, Jr.

Martin Luther unearthed from the dust and debris of centuries the great doctrine of justification by faith and restored it to the Church. Surely the Reformation of the 16th century was one of the greatest of all revivals, for it liberated multitudes from the hopeless task of attempting to earn salvation by works, and flooded their hearts with the glorious light of the Gospel of the grace of God manifested in Christ. In his monumental “History of the Reformation,” J. H. Merle D’Aubigne gives a remarkable prayer uttered by Luther as he was about to stand trial at the Diet of Worms.

“This prayer,” writes D’Aubigne, “explains Luther and the Reformation. History here raises the veil of the sanctuary and discloses to our view the secret place whence strength and courage were imparted to this humble and despised man, who was the instrument of God to emancipate the soul and the thoughts of men and to open a new era. Luther and the Reformation are here brought before us. We discover their most secret springs. We see whence their power was derived.” Here is the prayer:

“‘O Almighty and Everlasting God! How terrible is this world! Behold, it openeth its mouth to swallow me up, and I have so little trust in Thee! … How weak is the flesh, and how powerful is Satan! If it is in the strength of this world only that I must put my trust, all is over! … My last hour is come, my condemnation has been pronounced! … 0 God! 0 God! … 0 God! do Thou help me against all the wisdom of the world! Do this; Thou shouldest do this … Thou alone… for this is not my work, but Thine. I have nothing to do here, nothing to contend for with these great ones of the world! I should desire to see my days flow on peaceful and happy. But the cause is Thine … and it is a righteous and eternal cause. 0 Lord! help me! Faithful and unchangeable God! In no man do I place my trust. It would be vain! All that is of man is uncertain; all that cometh of man fails … 0 God! my God, hearest Thou me not?. .. My God, art Thou dead? … No! Thou canst not die! Thou hidest Thyself only! Thou hast chosen me for this work. I know it well! Act, then, 0 God . . . stand at my side, for the sake of Thy well-beloved Jesus Christ, who is my defense, my shield, and my strong tower.’

“After a moment of silent struggle, he thus continues:

“‘Lord! where stayest Thou? . . . 0 my God; where art Thou?… Come! come! I am ready! .. I am ready to lay down my life for Thy truth, patient as a lamb. For it is the cause of justice-it is Thine! … I will never separate myself from Thee, neither now nor through eternity! And though the world should be filled with devils, -though my body, which is still the work of Thy hands, should be slain, be stretched upon the pavement, be cut in pieces reduced to ashes my soul is Thine! … Yes! I have the assurance of Thy Word. My soul belongs to Thee! It shall abide forever with Thee Amen! 0 God! help me Amen!”‘

Showers of blessing visited – Eastern Pennsylvania when George Whitefield came to Philadelphia in 1739. One of his visits to Philadelphia was the occasion for the erection of the building and planning of the Free School, which subsequently became the habitation and one of the earliest trusts of the University of Pennsylvania. Albert D. Belden gives the following vivid picture of Whitefield’s preaching:

“At Philadelphia, the storm of revival broke once again. On Saturday, November 24, he preached to a vast concourse of all denominations in the English Episcopal Church-on Tuesday, the 27th, at German Town, seven miles away, he preached to six thousand persons from the balcony of a house. On Wednesday, back again in Philadelphia, the crowds were so great that the attempt to preach in church was abandoned and the fields were sought once more, On the day of his departure, November 29, the people thronged his door from seven o’clock in the morning, in tears, seeking God. A company of over two hundred horsemen escorted him from the city, and on reaching Chester he was met by some three thousand people, many of whom had come out from Philadelphia, clamoring for him to preach. The justices were in session at the time, but sent word to Whitefield that they would defer their business till his meeting was ended!”

Dr. A. J. Gordon wrote concerning David Brainerd, missionary to the American Indians in the 18th century:

“Now that man did the greatest work by prayer. He was in the depths of those forests alone, unable to speak the language of the Indians, but he spent whole days in prayer. What was he praying for? He knew that he could not reach these savages: he did not understand their language. If he wanted to speak at all, he must find somebody that could vaguely interpret his thought. Therefore he knew that anything he might do must be absolutely dependent upon the power of God. So he spent whole days praying simply that the power of the Holy Ghost might come upon him so unmistakably that these people should not be able to stand before him. What was his answer? Once he preached through a drunken interpreter, a man so intoxicated that he could hardly stand up. That was the best he could do; yet scores were converted through that sermon. We cannot account for it, only that it was the tremendous power of God behind him . . .

“The hidden life whose days are spent in communion with God in trying to reach the source of power is the life that moves the world. By and by, the great moving current of these lives will begin to tell as in the case of this young man not quite thirty years of age. The marvelous missionary revival of the nineteenth century is due more to his prayers than to any other thing.”

Here is a typical entry in David Brainerd’s Journal:

“I set apart this day for secret fasting and prayer, to entreat God to direct and bless me with regard to the great work I have in view, of preaching the gospel. Just at night, the Lord visited me marvelously in prayer; I think my soul never was in such agony before; I felt no restraint, for the treasures of divine grace, were opened to me; I wrestled for absent friends, for the ingathering of souls, for multitudes of poor souls, and for many that I thought were the children of God, personally, in many distant places. I was in such agony till near dark, that I was wet with sweat. Oh, Jesus did sweat blood for poor souls! I longed for more compassion towards them.”

***

Over a hundred years ago Charles G. Finney was being mightily used of God to awaken sinners in our land. Concerning him, George T. B. Davis has written:

“As John Wesley was mightily used of God to uplift the moral and spiritual life of England in the eighteenth century, so Charles G. Finney was God’s chosen instrument in the nineteenth century to kindle revival fires in many parts of the United States, and to exert a powerful influence in molding the future of the nation.

“Like the apostle Paul, Mr. Finney was given a vision of Christ, and a remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which sealed his salvation and called him from practicing law to preach the gospel. Mr. Finney said he seemed to see Christ standing in the room. He fell at His feet and bathed them with his tears. Then he tells how the Holy Spirit flooded his soul with glory.

“What was the secret of Finney’s power? It was prayer-his own prayers and the prayers of others. He said: ‘Unless I had the spirit of prayer I could do nothing. If even for a day or an hour I lost the spirit of grace and supplication, I found myself unable to preach with power and efficiency, or to win souls by personal conversation.’

“Finney had also two remarkable prayer helpers who sometimes went with him to the places where he labored-‘Father’ Nash and Abel Clary. Mr. Beardsley gives this picture of ‘Father’ Nash: ‘He possessed remarkable power in prayer. It was his habit to make a Spraying list,” consisting of the names of those for whose salvation he prayed daily and often several times during the day. The answers to these prayers were sometimes almost miraculous, for he did not confine hit; list to those whom he thought would be reached by the revival, but the most obdurate and unlikely cases were often made the subjects of prayer, with results that were truly astounding.’ ”

***

Describing the American Awakening in the middle of the last century, John Shearer writes: “But the greatest means, and that which was preeminently blessed, was united prayer. Indeed, the Revival of 1858 should be known as ‘The Revival of the United Prayer Meeting,’ for this was not only the fount of the great blessing; it was throughout its course the chief and almost sole, instrument of the Divine Spirit.

“When the American Church awoke to-the full consciousness of the miracle it found that from East to West and from North to South the whole land was alive with daily prayer meetings, and it was in these daily united prayer meetings that the great majority of the conversions took place.

“Two of these meetings are noteworthy. Jeremiah Lanphier, longing intensely for revival, begged a few of his fellow-Christians to meet with him. For some time he was alone in the appointed place of prayer, on September 23, 1857. Later in the day, he was joined by five others. This was the origin of the famous Fulton Street Noon Prayer Meeting in New York, which has continued to this day. When the blessing came this meeting at once increased mightily in numbers and power.

“In Jayne’s Hall, 4,000 met daily to wait upon God. Drawn from every class, they were massed together in a great stillness, broken only for a while by the sobs of the penitent. Then brief, earnest prayers would be offered, often only a few broken sentences. The presence of God, vividly realized, produced a marvelous quietude and orderliness. Brief exhortations, the like a knife. At the end of the hour, the repetition of a single text pierced the heart multitude quietly dispersed and returned to business, but they looked as Jacob looked when the sun rose upon Penuel.”

From these records of revivals of the past, we see that it was when people prayed-fervently and in believing faith-that the windows of heaven were opened, and gracious revivals were brought to pass.

May we not then with confidence lay hold of God today in earnest, with effectual prayers, and in faith believe that He is just as able to awaken and revive His Church in our times as in any day of the past? “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (1saiah 50:1,2).

 A SEVENTEENTH CENTURY REVIVAL IN SCOTLAND

In Scotland, in the year 1630, a young minister named John Livingston was invited to preach to a great assembly of people in the open air. Realizing the importance of the meeting, groups of earnest Christians formed themselves into little companies and spent the night in earnest supplication for God’s blessing upon the gathering. The young minister himself, John Livingston, was a member of one of the companies of all-night intercessors.

The next day as the hour of the meeting drew near, the young man felt utterly unworthy to preach to such a great gathering of people. He felt so insufficient for the task that he was preparing to steal away into the fields. However, his friends gathered about him and constrained him to remain. As the young man spoke, the Spirit of God came upon him in great power. His text was Ezekiel 36:25,26: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you.”

For two hours and a half, the young man spoke with burning lips to the great audience. The heavenly “fire” fell upon the multitude and the scene was like another Pentecost. Rev. John Shearer in his book “Old Time Revivals” tells the story of what happened:

“The Spirit-filled the speaker with a fulness that must be outpoured. The people seemed rooted to the ground in a great stillness. Five hundred men and women, some from the high ranks of society, some poor wastrels and beggars, were converted where they stood and lived from that day as those who had indeed received a new heart and a new spirit. The memory of that day has never died, and the very telling of the story has proved a fount of revival.”

Taken from WHEN THE FIRE FELL by George T.B. Davis.

JOHNATHAN EDWARD’S REVIVAL

The year 1735 opened on Northampton in a most auspicious manner. A deep and solemn interest in the great truths of religion had become universal in all parts of the town, and among all classes of people. This was the only topic of conversation in every company. The noise among the dry bones waxed louder and louder; they seemed to follow their worldly business, more as a part of their duty than for any disposition they had to it. The only thing their view was to get into the kingdom of heaven and everyone appeared to be pressing into it. The engagedness of their hearts in this great concern could not be hid, it appeared in their very countenances.

It then was a dreadful thing amongst us to live out of Christ, in danger every day of dropping into hell. All would eagerly lay hold of opportunities for their souls; and were wont very often to meet together in private houses, for religious purposes, and such meetings when appointed were greatly thronged. There was scarcely a person in town, old or young, left unconcerned about the great things of the eternal world. Those who were wont to be the vainest and loosest, were now generally subject to great awakenings.

The work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing manner, and increased more and more; souls did as it were come by flocks to Jesus Christ. From day to day, for many months together, might be seen evident instances of sinners brought out of darkness into marvelous light and delivered out of a horrible pit, and from the miry clay, and set upon a rock, with a new song of praise to God in their mouths.

This work of God soon made a glorious alteration in the town; so that in the spring and summer following, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God. It never was so full of love, nor of joy, and yet so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God’s presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families on account of salvation being brought unto them; parents rejoicing over their children as newborn; and husbands over their wives; and wives over their husbands. The goings of God were seen in His sanctuary, God’s day was a delight, and His tabernacles were amiable.

Our public assemblies were then beautiful: the congregation was alive in God’s service, and everyone earnestly intent on the public worship, every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister as they came from his mouth. The assembly, in general, were, from time to time, in tears while the Word was preached; some weeping with sorrow and distress, others with joy and love, others with pity and concern for the souls of their neighbors. Our public praises were then greatly enlivened; God was then served in our psalmody in the beauty of holiness.

“While the people in the neighboring towns were in great distress for their souls, the inhabitants of that town were very secure, loose and vain. A lecture had been appointed Enfield; and the neighboring people the night before were so affected at the thoughtlessness of the inhabitants, and in such fears that God would, in his righteous judgment, pass them by, while the divine showers were falling all around them, as to it, supplicating mercy for their souls. When the appointed time for the lecture came, a number of the neighboring ministers attended and some from a distance. When they went into the meeting-house, the appearance of the assembly was thoughtless and vain. The people hardly conducted themselves with common decency. Jonathan Edwards preached. His plain unpretending manner, both in language and delivery, and his established reputation for holiness and knowledge of the truth, forbad the suspicion that any trick of oratory would be used to mislead his hearers. He began in the clear careful, demonstrative style of a teacher, solicitous for the result of his effort, and anxious that every step of his argument should be clearly and fully understood. His text was Deuteronomy 32:35, ‘Their foot shall slide in due time.’ As he advanced in unfolding the meaning of the text, the most careful logic brought him and his hearers to conclusions, which the most tremendous imagery could but inadequately express. His is most terrific descriptions of the doom and danger of the impenitent only enabled them to apprehend more clearly the truths which he had compelled them to believe. The effect as might have been expected. Trubull informs us, that before the assembly was ended, the assembly appeared deeply impressed and bowed with an awful conviction of their sin and danger. There was such a breathing of distress and weeping that the preacher obliged to speak to the people and desire silence, that he might be heard. This was the beginning of the same great prevailing concern in that place, with which the colony, in general, was visited”

HOW THE FIRE FELL WHEN THEY PRAYED IN FAITH

by George T.B. Davis

Every revival in the history of the Christian Church, from the day of Pentecost down to the present time, has been born and cradled in prayer. Pentecost itself followed ten days of prevailing prayer. It seems to be an unalterable divine law that prayer is the only power that will open the windows of Heaven, and send forth a gracious outpouring of the Spirit of God.

The spiritual awakenings throughout the centuries can be traced, in each case, in large measure, to earnest intercessory prayer. In 1899 Dr. R. A. Torrey was pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago and superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute.

A call came to Dr. Torrey to go to Australia to conduct a simultaneous mission in Melbourne. He asked Mr. Charles M. Alexander to accompany him, and there began the remarkable Torrey-Alexander meetings in Australia, Great Britain, and America, during which fully 100,000 persons professed faith in Christ.

When the evangelists reached Melbourne, they found that 1,700 cottage prayer meetings had been held weekly, for some time previous, to intercede for an outpouring of God’s Spirit.

It is little wonder that the fire fell from Heaven. The great Exhibition Hall was too small to contain the crowds that flocked to hear the Gospel, and thousands declared their decision for Christ.

The news of the Melbourne awakening stirred not only Australia but the Christian world. The evangelists spent about six months holding meetings in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Everywhere they went marvelous blessing crowned their labors. Even as they traveled by train, crowds would gather at railway stations to listen to a two or three-minute address by Dr. Torrey, and a Gospel hymn by Mr. Alexander. The lands of the Southern Cross were quickened to a new spiritual life by the visitation of God’s Spirit, and multitudes were swept into the kingdom of God.

After the close of the meetings in Melbourne a woman who had helped to organize the Melbourne groups visited England and was invited to speak at the well-known Keswick Convention. She told the story of the 1,700 cottage prayer-meetings, and how gloriously the windows of Heaven had been opened in answer to their united intercession. The hearts of the Christian workers at the Keswick Convention were deeply moved by the recital, and they decided to form prayer bands throughout the British Isles to pray for revival.

Ere long Dr. Torrey and Mr. Alexander arrived in Great Britain and began their meetings in the leading cities, which continued for a period of three years. The members of the prayer groups all over the British Isles naturally concentrated their prayers on the Torrey-Alexander meetings. The writer joined the evangelists during their meetings in Great Britain, and Dr. Torrey declared that there were no less than twenty thousand people banded together in these prayer groups interceding for their work.

Again prayer was answered, and the British Isles were moved by the most notable visitation of the Spirit of God since the days of Moody and Sankey. The “Glory Song” swept over the British Empire more rapidly than any other song, sacred or secular, had ever done before. I personally saw ten thousand people waiting in long queues for the doors to open at the Royal Albert Hall. The last night in Liverpool thirteen thousand people were packed in the Tournament Hall, while another thirteen thousand outside vainly clamored for admission. Buses and tram cars resounded with Gospel hymns, and errand boys whistled the revival melodies as they made their round of calls. It was the Spirit of God poured out in Pentecostal blessing in answer to believing prayer.

There is little doubt that these prayer circles for revival, and the influence of the Torrey-Alexander meetings, were responsible in no small measure for the outbreak of the great revival in Wales during 1904 and 1905. In fact, Dr. Torrey and Mr. Alexander conducted revival meetings in Cardiff, Wales, only a month or two before the beginning of the Welsh awakening. It is said that in two months in the Welsh revival some seventy thousand persons professed faith in Christ in those remarkable meetings of prayer and praise and testimony.

No one will question the fact that America and Great Britain and other lands sorely need great outpourings of the Holy Spirit at the present time. Moral and spiritual conditions in English-speaking lands are probably lower than they have been for a century. Everywhere one sees increasing signs of apostasy. Infidelity and atheism are blatant in their propaganda and are sweeping like a tidal wave through our colleges and universities. The mad rush for pleasure increases in momentum each day. Vast multitudes have given up all thought of God and spiritual things.

The vast majority of God’s children today are simply playing at prayer for revival. There is no short cut, no magic formula, that will bring revival. There is only one pathway-that of persevering prayer-that leads to the desired goal. There are increasing signs that the Spirit of God is giving many Christians such a burden for revival that they are willing to take time for private and public intercession.

Will you not begin at once to hold cottage prayer meetings in your home, to pray for revival? Do not wait to form a large group. Begin with a few earnest people who are longing for revival. From three to six to ten or twelve persons, are quite sufficient for a splendid cottage prayer meeting.

A glorious revival and outpouring of God’s Spirit in any section of the Church of Christ will doubtlessly mean the kindling of revival flames in many towns and cities throughout the length and breadth of the land.

HAWAIIAN REVIVAL

A mighty spiritual revival in Hawaii, known as “The Great Awakening,” took place from 1837 to 1843. This revival began in the heart of the missionaries, as they gathered for their annual meeting. They were powerfully moved to pray and were so deeply impressed with the need of an outpouring of the Spirit that they prepared a strong appeal to the home churches urging Christians everywhere to unite with them in prayer for baptism from on high. They soon began to witness a deepening of interest in spiritual things.

In 1837 a revival swept the island so that missionaries labored day and night with throngs of anxious souls. On one memorable day at Hilo, 1,705 were baptized by Titus Coan, and within six years 27,000 converts were received into the church.

REVIVAL IN EASTERN INDIA

The largest church in the world at Ongole, India, came into being as a result of Holy Ghost revival. This revival among the Telugu outcasts brought a multitude of souls into the kingdom of God. In 1878 in one day 2,222 were baptized, and 8,000 more within six weeks. This field had been so fruitless that the board at home had been on the point of abandoning it, and only on the earnest plea of the missionaries had this action been postponed. A missionary couple with three Christian Hindu helpers spent the last night of 1853 in prayer. As the first day of the new year began to dawn, the sweet assurance that their prayers had been answered stole into their hearts. A long period of testing had to be faced, but the tide began to turn, and a mighty outpouring of the Spirit brought a multitude into the Kingdom of God.

WE CAN HAVE-
AND MUST HAVE-
A HOLY GHOST REVIVAL-
TODAY!

by Pastor T. Vaughan Lewis,
of New Zealand

My purpose is to write here of what I saw in the Welsh Revival. Some years before the Welsh Revival, F. B. Meyer came to Llandrinded to a Keswick Convention and spoke on the need of a revival and he asked for volunteers to pray for one.

There was a young man in his teens in that service by the name of Evan Roberts, and he accepted the challenge to pray for a revival. I am told that he, prayed continually for thirteen years. He felt the call to preach the Gospel so he went to a preparatory school in Newcastle.

At that time there was a man saved by the name of Seth Joshua. He also had a brother that was saved by the name of Frank Joshua. The Lord mightily used these two men and they went from place to place with a tent, preaching the Gospel.

They came to a place called Llananerch not far from the place where Evan Roberts was at school. Evan and other students went to their meetings and they felt the presence of the Lord in a marked way. One of the choruses that was sung in their meetings was “Bend me lower, lower down at Jesus’ feet!”

As a result of these meetings, Evan Roberts had a fresh revelation of the love of God, and the sacrifice of the Cross, the value of the precious Blood of Jesus.

He also had a fresh revelation of the utter depravity of his own heart. He broke down and humbled himself to the dust, crying, “Bend me, Lord; bend me, Lord; Bend me lower, lower down at Jesus’ feet!”

He felt that his heart was hard in view of the oceans of God’s love, the great Sacrifice of Calvary, and the value of the precious Blood!

When he went back to school, he felt the burden of his unworthiness and the burden of the need of others so much that he did not know what to do.

The burden was so great that he could not stay in school. He went home to Loughor. His parents could not understand his action in leaving school. He kept much to himself in prayer alone with God.

He asked for the loan of the church to hold prayer meetings. At first, they were reluctant in granting this; they thought it strange but at last it was granted.

The Manifest Presence of God!

Although these prayer meetings were not advertised, the people came night after night until the place was packed out.

The vast congregations were singing, “Bend me lower, lower down at Jesus’ feet!” There was a melting process going on-as they were in the presence of God.

The people were having a fresh revelation of the greatness of their salvation-and what it cost God to love a world of sinners lost, and what it meant for our blessed Saviour to give His life a ransom for sinners.

The Holy Spirit was bringing such strong conviction upon the hearts of men and women-that volumes of cries were going up to heaven for mercy and pardon.

Evan Roberts asked the people, if they wanted revival, to do four things:

First, confess all past sins.

Second, any doubtful thing in their lives put it away!

Third, do whatsoever the Holy Ghost asks you to do. It is better, he said, for you to offend man-than to grieve the Lord.

Fourth, confess the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere you go.

As the people were listening to him the Spirit of God was resting on the congregation. Then again they would burst out in singing about the love of God, asking God, in song, for a clean heart.

Then there is a story of a young girl of about 15 years of age going to a prayer meeting. She was filled with the love of God and she wanted to tell the people that she loved the Lord Jesus Christ, but she was very shy and afraid to break the order of the service.

At last, she gained courage and with tears streaming down her cheeks she cried, “Oh, I love the Lord Jesus Christ!” She repeated it many times.

Oh, What a Broken-Hearted Testimony Can Do!

The old deacon in charge did not know what to do as he was on his feet giving the last hymn out. That young girl that night broke the alabaster box in her simple testimony, and the house was filled with the fragrance of it. All in that meeting humbled themselves before the Lord.

They forgot the time. They were there weeping nearly all night. Oh, what a simple testimony from a broken heart can do! At that time there was something in the very air that made people long to give their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heaven On Earth

Suddenly, like an unexpected tornado, the Spirit of God swept over the land. ALL Wales was aflame with a mighty Revival! The churches were so crowded that hundreds were unable to get in.

Meetings were lasting from the early hours of the morning until late in the evening, and many times all night meetings were held. It was like heaven upon earth!

Drunkards and gamblers, thieves and infidels, were saved. Old debts were paid. Confessions of all kinds of sin were made.

In the first five weeks of the revival between 20,000 and 30,000 souls were saved, apart from the thousands that were revived again.

I shall never forget the day when Evan Roberts came to the town where I was living. Hardly any turned up to work that day! I was up very early to secure a seat in the church, but to my great surprise the church was full to capacity at 7:30 A.M. Being small, I pressed through the crowd that was outside and found myself in the gallery.

The place was ablaze with the presence and the glory of God! The vast congregation were singing “Bend me lower, lower down at Jesus’ feet,” and others were crying for mercy.

Thank God, that morning too, I found my Saviour. Hallelujah! About 10:30 A.M. the revivalist Evan Roberts arrived.

I shall never forget him walking up the aisle of that church, and mounting up into the pulpit. He was a tall young man. His face was like the face of an angel.

His eyes burned as if there was a flame in them. I was thinking if grace can make a man look so wonderful, what must the Lord Himself be!

After he mounted the pulpit, he lifted up the Bible and said a few words. Then waves of glory and power came over the whole congregation. You also could hear the people outside who could not come in, singing and praising the Lord.

In the evening the place was full, and hundreds outside. The place was charged with the power and presence of the Lord. Evan Roberts himself could not get into that place, so he went to a service where a few saints had gathered together to pray.

If Evan Roberts was not in that church that night-the Great Revivalist, the Holy Ghost, was there! The main street of that town was filled with people-thousands singing and praying and crying for mercy.

Young men and young maidens singing, “Tell mother I’ll be there, in answer to her prayer.” Others singing “The door of mercy is still open.” Then you would hear again the people singing the main hymn of the revival:-

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Loving-kindness as the floods;
When the Prince of Life, my Ransom,
Shed for me His precious Blood!

Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He shall never be forgotten
Through Heav’n’s everlasting days!

As I am remembering now that night, it cheers me and it creates a deep longing in my heart again, “Renew our days as of old!” (Lam. 5:21).

In the trains and cars people were reading their Bibles, and the daily papers were full of revival news. In the coal mine where I was working, instead of cursing and swearing and calling the name of the Lord in vain, the miners were praying and singing praises to God.

It Was Like Heaven Underground!

Although it was down about 700 or 800 feet in the shaft, and in about two miles into the mine. There were no strikes at that time, and more coal was hewn than ever. Masters and workers agreed so well, and everything went on so smoothly.

The pit ponies did not know what had happened, and for a time they would not work. They were looking as if stunned because instead of being abused they could hear nothing but singing and praying!

I am sorry to say that many of the ministers did not agree with the Revival. Other ministers were greatly used of God.

One minister met an old drunkard who had been mightily saved and told him that the revival was only a shavings fire. “Ach,” replied the saved sinner, “if it is, the Carpenter of Nazareth can keep enough shavings for eternity to keep it going!”

Two men from the north of England came to Wales to see the revival. When they arrived in Cardiff they saw a policeman directing the traffic. He was singing and praising God as he was doing so.

They thought, “He is the one that can tell us where the revival is.” So they inquired of him, and he being a well-built man, rubbed his big chest and said, “Oh yes, I can tell you Where the Revival is-it’s in here!”

Revival-A Refreshing From The Presence of The Lord!

Oh, beloved friend, may I say to those who haven’t seen a revival it is unimaginable, and to those who have seen one, it is indescribable! A revival is not the fizz of a pop bottle, but a fuse with dynamite behind it!

As I am writing tonight, I am carried back in the spirit, and I can remember the thousands crying for mercy, and humbling themselves before God. I feel like crying again.

“Renew our days as of old. Turn thou us unto Thee, 0 Lord, and we shall be turned.” Our confidence today is that the Lord is the same. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

Are we praying for revival? Are we ready for it when it comes? Are we willing to pay the price? Are we expecting it at any moment?

When it comes, beloved, it will produce men that will love the truth and men that will preach the truth as it is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let it come again, 0 Lord! let it come soon! Sweep over this land, and bring in Thine elect! There is a sound of abundance of rain! Be prepared, ye ministers of the Lord!

See that your hands are clean to handle this mighty visitation when it comes! Shall we pray through? Yes, saints of God, take up a Lamentation for this land, and every land!

“O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years… in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2).

(Reprinted from the Herald of His Coming.)

EVAN ROBERTS

by Dr. Fred M. Barlow

When the roll call of the great religious revivals is fully completed, one of those written in that record will undoubtedly be the Welsh Revival of 1904. Gypsy Smith called it the “Acts of the Apostles up-to-date,” and accurately added, “(it) ought not to be called ‘The Welsh Revival’, for I believe it will shake England, and why not the world?” Dr. George T. B. Davis described his thoughts, “This is a picture of what must have occurred in the early church in the first century of the Christian era.” Mr. W.T. Stead, editor of Reviews, wrote back to London, declaring in all seriousness that he could find no trace of the devil in Wales at the present time.’

The devil had not really disappeared, nor had he been destroyed by that revival, but that he had been soundly defeated was undeniable! Theater-going dropped drastically. All across Wales, talented actors and actresses failed to draw any sizable attendances. Foolish jests about the revival indulged in by comedians not only fell flat but aroused indignation. In one village the entire football team disbanded because its members had been converted. Soccer and rugby matches were canceled or rescheduled. Dance halls in area after area were completely deserted. Young women cut up their expensive frocks of which they had been proud, thus making sure they would not succumb to any luring temptations. At Aberdare, Christmas Eve was almost free from any drunkenness, and on Christmas Day there were no prisoners at all in the cells. The Abercarn (a city of 21,000) Police Court did not issue, a single summon one day, something unknown in fourteen years of operation. Reports vary, but in a few months, seventy thousand to one hundred thousand were said to have been saved, baptized and added to the churches.

Probably one of the greatest transformations was seen in the speech of the Welsh miners. These men were marked by their profanity and blasphemy. But Satan possessed tongues were converted to Christ and their profanities gave way to paeans of praise sung or spoken to the glory of God in the lilting beauty of the Welsh brogue.

Humanly speaking, Evan Roberts was the individual that ignited that flame of revival that spread like a forest fire through collieries, cities, aye the whole country. Roberts was only twenty-six years old, a student in preparatory school for the ministry when the revival erupted. He had been a collier and later had been apprenticed to become a blacksmith when he felt called to preach.

He was born in Loughor, a small village near Swansea, and dated his salvation to an evangelistic campaign conducted by Seth Joshua. Roberts had first attended the campaign at the insistence of his grammar school principal. Impressed by the definiteness and fervor of the evangelist, Roberts followed him to the next campaign at Cardigan Bay. In a service where he was experiencing unusual difficulty in preaching, Joshua prayed at the conclusion of the message,’Bend us-bend us,-O Lord!’Many believe the Welsh revival began at that utterance of that sentence because it had a profound place in Roberts’ conversion and was used again and again in his messages.

He commented on his conversion, ‘I would have burst if I had not prayed. What boiled me was that verse, ‘God commending His love.’l fell on my knees with my arms over the seat in front of me, and the tears and perspiration flowed freely. I thought blood was gushing forth. For about two minutes it was fearful. I cried,’Bend me! Bend me! Bend us! … What bent me was God commending His love (Romans 5:8), and I not seeing anything in it to commend. After I was bent a wave of peace came over me, and the audience sang, ‘I hear thy welcome voice.’ And as they sang I thought of the bending at the Judgment Day and I was filled with compassion for those who would be bent on that day, and I wept. Henceforth the salvation of souls became the burden of my heart. . . .”

This crushing, consuming concern finally caused Roberts to cease his studies and go and tell family and friends the burden of his soul. For thirteen months he had been sighing and crying out to God for a great spiritual awakening for his beloved Wales. He went home and the fires of Heaven fell!

His ministry began with the youth in his boyhood church. A crowd came out of curiosity. Roberts bared his soul. “The hours passed unobserved, tears flowed, youth bowed in prayers, some sang, others spoke of their salvation, many testifying for Christ for the first time.” David Matthews, in his book, I Saw The Welsh Revival witnessed of that meeting “It did not break up until midnight with happy youth singing Psalms. The next day the village was agog. . .. The chapel was not closed afterward night or day for many months.”

At first, Roberts stayed in his native Loughor albeit, even there he had little time to sleep, eat, drink, or change clothes. For the slight-built, medium-height, brown-haired youth it was day and night ministry in music, prayer, and exhortation. In his own meetings, Roberts led the music, did not preach, but exhorted before and after verses in songs, and led in testimonies and in prayer. Foulmouthed miners, drunkards, sinners of every stripe hardened youth, who had previously withstood earnest messages of eminent preachers became converted in these meetings. Then glowingly, gloriously, they would testify of their newfound faith.

Some spoke, some sang, as the Lord led them in spontaneous expression.

THE AWAKENING IN WALES

by Mrs. Penn-Lewis

Prayer preceded the first Pentecost, and prayer must always precede any wide outpouring of the Spirit, therefore the true members of Christ all over the world must be drawn by the Spirit within them into “one accord” in asking God to pour forth of His Spirit according to His Word.

Evan Roberts came from a typical Welsh home and was the son of godly parents. At twelve years old he became his father’s right hand in the mine, and shortly afterward commenced regular work underground in the colliery. He was never without his Bible, which he studied in the intervals of work, and so the time went by until one night in the spring of 1904 God seems to have drawn near to him in a very special way. He says that as he prayed by his bedside at night, he was taken up into a great expanse-without space or time-into communion with God.

This was manifestly a crisis in his spiritual life, for hitherto, he says, God was to him “a faraway God,” and he was afraid of Him. But after this, the Lord awakened him night after night, a little after one o’clock, and took him into Divine fellowship for about four hours.

Three months this sacred fellowship lasted, and then came the time, September 1904, for him to go to the Preparatory School at Newcastle Emlyn.

In the providential readings of God just at this time a Convention was being held at Blaenanerch, some eight miles from Newcastle Emlyn, the messengers with the Lord’s message being the same three who had been sent to New Quay at the close of 1903.

The Rev. Seth Joshua had now commenced his mission, and on a Thursday morning took a party of about twenty young people, including a group from New Quay, Evan Roberts, and Sydney Evans, to Blaenanerch, to attend the meetings. The Lord wrought in the brake on that early morning drive as they sang, “It is coming-It is coming-The power of the Holy Ghost-I receive it-I receive it-The power of the Holy Ghost.” Singing and praising, they reached Blaenanerch in time for the seven o’clock service which was being conducted by one of the Missioners. Evan Roberts was already deeply moved but he quite broke down when at the close Mr. Joshua led in prayer, and used the words “Plyg ni, 0 Arglwydd” (“Bend us, 0 Lord.”). The soul in travail heard no words but these. “This is what you need,” whispered the Spirit of God. “Bend me, 0 Lord,” he cried, but even yet the fire had not fallen. At the nine o’clock meeting, the Spirit of God led one and the other to pray, and then Mr. Roberts says:-“I fell on my knees with my arms over the seat in front of me, and the tears freely flowed. I cried, ‘Bend me! Bend me! Bend us!’ What ‘bent’ me was God commending His love, and I not seeing anything in it to commend.” The Holy Ghost had come and melted his whole being by a revelation of the love of God at Calvary, for “God commendeth His own love to us in that Christ died for us.”

The young man returned to Newcastle Emlyn and prayed God to give him the seal of six others set on fire for God, and the six were given. Then the Holy Spirit bade him return to his own people, and speak to them, but he did not obey, although he grew more and more troubled and ill at ease. One Sunday in chapel he could not fix his mind on the service, for always before him he saw the schoolroom in his own village, and all the young people and his old companions sitting in rows whilst he addressed them. He tells how he shook his head impatiently and sought to drive all this away, but God would give him no rest; back and back it came whilst the Holy Spirit whispered clearer and clearer, “Go and speak to these people.”

At last the pressure grew stronger until he could no longer resist, and he said he would go. Instantly the glory of the Lord so filled the chapel that he could not “see for the glory of that light.”

After this, the young man went to an aged minister to ask him whether this was of God or the devil when he replied that the devil was not given to sending people to work like this-he must obey the heavenly vision.

And to Loughor the young student went, in obedience to the voice of God. What God wrought through him we shall see later on. We will first pause a moment to see how God answers prayer. In the brake that morning on the way to Blaenanerch, Mr. Joshua told how it had been laid upon him four years before, to ask the Lord definitely to take a lad from the coal-mine or from the field, even as He took Elisha, to revive His work in Wales. He prayed God to raise an instrument whereby human pride might be humbled-not one from Cambridge, lest it would minister to their pride, nor one from Oxford University lest it would feed the intellectuals of the Church. Not once had this prayer been mentioned until this morning, and it was then revealed, little knowing that the very instrument chosen of God was listening to the words.

To Loughor, his native place, early in November 1904, Evan Roberts went. He says that he consulted the Pastor of his church, who told him that he might try and see what he could do, but he would find the ground stony and the task hard!

The young people came together, and they all sat before him as he had been shown by God. At first, they did not seem touched, but presently the Spirit of God began to work, and six came out for Christ. Then soul after soul came forward, and the most extraordinary results followed. The whole community was shaken. At six the people would be awakened by the sounds of the crowds going to the early morning prayer meeting. The work went on until a local minister said, the entire population had been transformed into a praying multitude. Men and women of whom he had despaired had voluntarily come to Christ. The lives of hundreds of colliers and tinplate workers were transformed. The men went straight to chapel from the mills, and the public-houses were practically deserted.

On November 10th the first public reference to these remarkable scenes was made in a Welsh secular paper, which, from this time to the wonderment of all, devoted columns to the reporting of the work, and did much in the providence of God to noise abroad that which God was doing among His people. Other secular papers did the same, and all men marveled at the sovereign power of God in thus moving the secular Press to report the work of God. From Loughor, the Revivalist, as the young student began to be called, went on to Trecynon and other places manifestly carried on the crest of a mighty wave of the Spirit, which swept like a cleansing tide along the mining valleys of Glamorganshire.

Everywhere the people thronged in multitudes to hear this Spirit-baptized young student! At Loughor he spoke, it is said, with impassioned oratory, but once the overflowing stream had broken out the Spirit of God appeared to put aside “preaching” and use the voice of testimony. “Ye slew, hanging Him on a tree, Him did God exalt,” and “we are witnesses,” was the burden of the message in the days of Pentecost. And this was the Holy Spirit’.s message again through His people, as He bore co-witness by “signs and wonders” wrought amongst the thronging multitudes.

Under the constraint of an unseen power the chapels were filled with eager people at all hours of the day, and the services took their own course under the control of the Holy Ghost. Prayers, testimonies, and singing broke out in seeming disorder, yet acknowledged by all to be the most harmonious order. The Revivalist would enter during the meeting, sometimes unknown to those present until he rose with some word to the people. The burden of his message would be, “Obey the Holy Ghost,” and when one in the meeting would break out into prayer whilst he was speaking, he would calmly “give place,” as we read they did in the early church in the time of Paul.

Indescribable scenes took place at the meetings. Sometimes a very torrent of prayer, and then of song, would sweep over the audience, and hundreds of souls would rise to declare their surrender to God, the congregation bursting out into joyous thanksgiving and hymns of gladness.

But the Revivalist’s special burden always was the “Church.” “Bend the Church, and save the world,” was his cry. The word “bend” in Welsh conveying the meaning of submission to God, and the taking away of resistance to His will. And his one aim seemed to be first to get the Christians right with God so that the Spirit might break out in converting power upon the unsaved. And Calvary was the power both for sinner and saved. The Revivalist would break down in heart-anguished sobbing when he touched the theme. “You would not be cold if you had come here by Calvary,” he would say. “Thanks, thanks for Calvary,” was the burden of many prayers. The hymns rang with Calvary, the one most often sung was “Pen Calfaria” – the Mount of Calvary-an exultant song of triumph telling of Christ’s victory over death and hell at the Cross. Another hymn sung with melting power was “Dyma Gariad”-“Here is love vast as the ocean.” The people sang without books, for these hymns had been in their memories from childhood, but now quickened and used by the Spirit they rang out as never before. Many of the “sweet singers of Wales” were drawn by the Spirit of God into His service, and often would be heard a sweet warbling voice like a nightingale’s trill breaking into a hymn whilst the people were bowed in prayer.

A “Singing Revival” it truly became. Souls were sung to Christ and exulted over in song when won. The spirit of gladness and praise filled all hearts, as thousands rejoiced in a new-found assurance of salvation. The Spirit of God did His own work in convicting, and many were the evidence of His power working through hymn and testimony. A young man would return his prize medal and diploma because he had gained it unfairly. Long-standing debts were paid. Stolen goods returned. Prize-fighters, gamblers, publicans, rabbit-coursers, and others of the class rarely touched by ordinary means came to Christ, and quickly the world knew the results. Public-houses were forsaken. Rowdiness was changed to soberness. Oaths ceased to be heard, so that, it was said, in the collieries the horses could not understand the language of their drivers. The reading of light literature was exchanged for Bible reading, and shops were cleared of their stocks of Bibles and Testaments. Prayer-meetings were held in collieries underground, in trains and trams and all kinds of places.

All the world bore testimony to these practical evidences of the power of God. “Seeing the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it,” “A notable miracle hath been wrought… and we cannot deny it,” said many a one previously skeptical of the practical power of the Christian faith. Managers of works bore witness that the amount of work turned out by the men since the “Revival,” had been more than they had known for years, and Magistrates did not hesitate to make known their approval of the ethical fruits of the awakening.

Far and wide the influences spread, affecting all classes. Political meetings had to be postponed, and Members of Parliament were found taking part in “Revival meetings.” Football teams were disbanded because the men had been converted, and had other attractions now. From one district a Theatrical Company felt it necessary to depart, as there was no hope of audiences, for all the “world” was praying. With one accord the converts put aside the “drink,” and the temperance workers saw the Spirit of God accomplish in three months what they had labored to do for forty years! At the conclusion of a service, dozens of young men would be seen marching to the front to sign the pledge.

The mighty tidal wave swept hither and thither-men knew not how or why. The Spirit of God found His own channels; and districts unvisited by the Revivalist had extraordinary manifestations of the power of God. Lists of converts were sent to the newspapers, giving a record of professed conversions of over 70,000 names by December 1904-just two months only since the life-streams broke out, the number reaching over 85,000 by the end of March 1905! Many of the young people were thrust out by the Lord to share in the services, many leading Revival meetings with the manifest blessing of God. Visitors from all parts of Britain and the Continent began to flock to Wales to see the “great sight” of God breaking forth in mighty power upon the sons of men.

This is the pattern for us as we look at Wales today. The Spirit of God swept through the Principality, and gathered many into the Kingdom-yet by no means did all Wales yield to the lord! The day of visitation ended, and the mighty tide passed on, as it passed on in a comparatively short time from Jerusalem, leaving behind, as it did then, members of the Church to give their witness and continue the Work of the Lord.

In closing, we cannot too earnestly urge upon the people of God the solemnity of the visitation of God which came upon the Principality. God has shown to His people that He can work the same as at Pentecost in an unbelieving age. Will His people heed the lesson?

Let me ask my readers personally, “Have you received the Holy Ghost?” Is it true of you that out of the depths of your life God is pouring torrents of living water? If you answer, “I have sought, but no change has come,” I would ask, “Is Calvary real to you?” Calvary in its full-orbed meaning of Christ crucified for you, and you crucified with Christ! There is no Pentecost in spiritual experience without a preceding Calvary. We have not known our Pentecost because we have not known the full meaning of Calvary. We may “repent,” confess Christ, and seek to obey the Holy Ghost; yea, ask in faith and believe we receive; but if we leave out the crucial condition of the Cross-which is the meaning of Peter’s words, “be baptized,” as interpreted in their spiritual significance by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans, “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?”-we may know some measure of the Holy Ghost in possession of the life, but not the torrential power of Pentecost which the Lord foreshadowed when He said, “Out of the depths of his life shall pour torrents of living water,” (Old Syriac rendering).

And how may this be? Jesus stood and cried saying, “He that believeth into Me… out of… shall flow rivers…” “At that day-the Day of Pentecost-ye shall know… ye in Me and I in you.” Oh soul, yield thyself wholly to God in a faith that will not keep back aught from Him, and the Eternal Spirit will plant thee into the death of Christ, and out of the depths-the deep springs of thy inner life-shall flow rivers, rivers, ankle deep, knee-deep, loin deep, yea even “waters to swim in,” which shall bear thee, and submerge thee, and “everything shall live whither the river cometh.”

“And He showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and the Lamb.” (Rev. 22:1).

The hidden springs of the Awakening in Wales lay deep in the heart of God, thence breaking out to a dying world through the Cross of Calvary. O wondrous Cross!

On the Mount of Crucifixion

Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And heaven’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

THE SPIRITUALITY OF EVAN ROBERTS

by Prof. I. V. Neprash

Among the few who knew Mr. Roberts intimately in the years following the Welsh revival, is Prof. L. V. Neprash. The veil of obscurity which has hung over those years is lifted up for us in these reminiscences.

Prof. Neprash was Founder and Director of Russian Missionary Service with a worldwide ministry, headquarters in Philadelphia. Formerly college professor, pastor in Petrograd and editor of an evangelical journal in Russia, he was exiled to Siberia because of his testimony and influence.

Information reached this country that the man who was used by the Spirit of God to bring 152,000 souls to the Lord during the six months of the Welsh revival a few decades ago, and who through his ministry afterward brought blessing to many more, had passed to his heavenly home. It was my God-given privilege to spend eight months with Evan Roberts in England after the revival. My impressions were so striking that they are still alive in my soul today. One hesitates to publish the unusual experiences of a man like Evan Roberts for fear that someone be tempted to imitate him. This might prove as disastrous as when the sons of Sceva tried to imitate Paul, without having his spirit (Acts 19:11-16).

The Welsh revival was truly a miracle of God. Whole towns were completely dominated by the Holy Spirit, whether Evan Roberts was present or absent-a sure sign that it was a God-sent revival. Not only all the churches but schools and other halls were crowded with praying people. The revival was primarily a movement of prayer, singing and the giving of testimonies.

Such men as F. B. Meyer and G. Campbell Morgan visited Wales to attend the services and returned with the glory of God in their souls. Newspapers could not find words adequate to evaluate the movement. Some opposed it. One well-known London paper sent a reporter to prepare such an account of the revival as would cause the “insanity” of the masses to cease. Upon his arrival, the man heard unusual reports. Businessmen told him they had never witnessed anything like this. They were scarcely doing any business because the people were too occupied with the revival. Nevertheless, money continued to come in. Old and forgotten debts were being paid, and often with interest at the insistence of the debtors. The jails were emptied and the police had little to do. The only objections the stranger heard were made by the saloon keepers and their like. He began to think.

By the time the reporter reached the meeting place it was so crowded he had to climb to the second gallery and occupy one of the few remaining seats. He heard the crowd singing and praying. Testimonies followed each other spontaneously. When Evan Roberts spoke a brief word of encouragement now and then, his speech was like fire from heaven. Convicted people cried to the Lord from the midst of the congregation not waiting for the close of the service. Some went forward and knelt in repentance. Suddenly a strong voice was heard crying from the second gallery, “I am a lost sinner! I need Christ! Pray for me!” It was the newspaperman. The article was written, but he was fired for it.

After six strenuous months, Evan Roberts was exhausted and gratefully accepted the invitation of Mrs. J. Penn-Lewis, the well known spiritual leader and writer, who was once a Keswick speaker, to rest in their home in Leicester. Mr. Roberts went, intending to stay a week, but he delayed returning to Wales. This was misunderstood by many and he was bitterly criticized. His reason for doing this can be understood only by those who know something of his subsequent ministry which was spent in utter devotion to the Lord, battling in the place of prayer against the powers of darkness and wickedness.

Not long before the revival began Mr. Roberts had an unusual experience, similar to that of the Apostle Paul described in I Cor. 12. He was very hesitant to speak of it, but when he once did, the writer, by the grace and favor of God, was present. One hesitates to describe such an experience, but I desire to be faithful and write what I learned.

At that time, four of us were spending a month together on the Island of Guernsey in the English Channel: Evan Roberts, Charles Usher, who was his chief co-worker in the ministry of prayer, Frank Perryman, Secretary of the Overcomer magazine and myself. Mr. Usher, the eldest among us, after some hesitation, asked Mr. Roberts to describe his experience. Mr. Roberts was silent as if asking permission of the Lord. Then he said, “It happened about one o’clock in the morning when someone touched me and I was caught up; whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot recall, but I went higher and higher…” We were hushed and listened reverently as he told more. He had been in the presence of the Most High. However, he uttered no word of what he saw.

He did say, however, that in that time of fellowship with God he received the four principles that guided him all during the revival. In fact, the whole revival was built on them. The first was the most important: The church must get right with God before unbelievers will be convicted. Getting right with God, was the cornerstone of the whole movement. Whenever Evan Roberts began to speak on this point, the unction of the Holy Spirit was marvelously manifested. This was the beginning of revival in every place.

After such an experience, living close to the Lord and being deeply conscious of Him must have become very natural. To the rest of us, however, Evan Roberts’ close walk with God seemed supernatural. His understanding of the laws of the spiritual life and of the mind of the Spirit made us wonder at times even afterward whether or not he was in the body. The spiritual atmosphere in which he moved caused us to be careful both of our words and our deeds. It seemed as if he knew everything, yet he was very ordinary and human. There was no sign of any pretense or- affectation about him at all.

The first time I met, Mr. Roberts was while I was at Spurgeon College in London. I went to Leicester to meet Mrs. Penn-Lewis, who had once been in Russia on a visit. She sent Mr. Roberts a message asking him if he would like to receive a visitor. From the beginning, our fellowship was marked with such unity of the spirit and understanding that Mrs. Penn-Lewis wondered at it. We spent several hours together discussing the things of the Spirit, especially the second coming of Christ and its spiritual consequence. Before I left, he, at my request, laid his hands on me and prayed. The solemnity and even the form of his prayer will never die from my memory.

That night I decided to move from London to Leicester so that I could fellowship with the group who edited and published the Overcomer. First, however, I had to return to London. On my way to the railroad station the next morning I stopped to say goodbye. Mr. Roberts heard my voice and asked me to come upstairs and I gladly did so. We sat down expecting to continue the fellowship of the past evening; but, alas, there was no fellowship. He tried one topic and then another but without success. I tried my best to discover some point of communion but failed. He made another attempt and asked some question concerning Russian grammar. I wondered that a man of his spiritual depth would be interested in such a trivial matter. We both became uneasy, and presently he left the room without even excusing himself. I waited, thinking he would come back, but he did not.

The situation was awkward. After more waiting, I decided to leave for the railroad station. On the way through the office downstairs I saw him conversing with others. He did not even look at me when I said goodbye. Such apparently rude behavior mystified me. During the four-hour train ride to London I considered the incident and finally, God gave me light on it. The explanation was very simple.

That morning I had been busy with the details of arranging for my room and board. After listening to only a short prayer at breakfast, I had gone to fellowship with a man of God. I had prepared myself with neither Bible reading nor prayer and was therefore dull in spirit. He sensed it, and had tried to bring me up spiritually so that we could fellowship in the spirit, but left when he could not accomplish it.

This discovery shocked me and I have never forgotten the lesson. Had he been polite, excused himself, and muttered some empty words, it would have been different, and I would not have been given such a startling lesson. How often I thought of it during those eight months of fellowship! I learned by experience that spiritual fellowship can only be had on a certain plane and when one is willing to pay the price. Substitutes accomplish nothing. The platitudes of society did not exist for Mr. Roberts. He would do anything to bring the other person up spiritually, but he would not step down spiritually for the sake of pleasing anyone. The price of such a standard is high, but he was ready to pay it.

This readiness to pay the price colored his dealings with everyone. On one occasion a young teacher listened intently as he described some of the mysteries of God. Not being able to stand it any longer, she exclaimed, “Mr. Roberts, how fortunate you are to know all these things! I wish I knew them also.” There was no doubt of her sincerity and longing. Mr. Roberts turned to her and solemnly asked, “Are you willing to pay the price?” The young lady hung her head and did not answer. She never came again.

He was willing to pay any price to see his Lord glorified, and was often criticized for it. Others misunderstood him, and his motives were misjudged; however, he was dead to such things when the glory of the Lord was at stake. While on the Island of Guernsey, he went one Sunday morning to a service at a large church. Someone recognized him and sent a note to the pastor. This dear brother allowed himself to be puffed up at having such a listener. When the message was over, the pastor solemnly declared himself and the church highly honored to have such a man of God present. He then asked Mr. Roberts to lead them to the throne of God in prayer. Everyone stood and waited. There was silence. The pastor, thinking that perhaps his request was not clear, repeated it. Everybody waited and there was silence again. The pastor repeated the request more loudly. Still, there was no response. Someone spoke up, “Pastor, Mr. Roberts left.” This simple lesson of giving all the honor to the Lord and his unwillingness to encourage human pride accomplished more (as I was told several times on that island) than any sermon he could preach or any prayer he could offer.

Evan Roberts would never be a partner to anything that lowered the dignity of Christ and His Word. The secret of his deep spirituality was his complete devotion to the Lord and his utter hatred for sin and Satan. No wonder the Lord honored him so highly.

He had become very sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. This was probably his chief reason for staying in Leicester and not returning to the revival in Wales. He went for only a week of physical rest. While meditating on the different phases of the revival, to his utter amazement, he discovered -that during those months of blessing, not only the Spirit of God but also the devil was being manifested. Like many of us, he could scarcely believe it, but the evidences were there. This discovery prompted him to remain another week to better descry the devices of the evil one in order that he might know how to guard against them. Such a discovery proved too grave a threat to the kingdom of darkness and it stirred Satan against Evan Roberts. The enemy subjected him to experiences such as I do not feel free to describe. A man of less spiritual discernment would have disregarded these things and would have continued his public ministry. Evan Roberts could not. When I recall his experiences, I am deeply disturbed at some of the strange things taking place in revivals the Lord is so graciously sending to America in these days.

Two experiences can be mentioned as they came to Evan Roberts during the revival. Once while sitting on the platform, Mr. Roberts turned to the pastor and said, “146 … What is it?” The pastor said he did not know. “It is so strong in my mind-146,146. Does it mean anything to you?” The pastor said, “No.” So the matter was dropped.

The service went on and the outpouring of the Spirit was manifest. Conversions followed and many surrendered to Christ. Everyone rejoiced. After the service, the pastor turned to Mr. Roberts and said joyfully, “Brother Roberts, I know what it is! How marvelous! I just counted the converts; there are 146 of them.” Evan Roberts rejoiced with him. It was an elevating experience – God’s foreknowledge revealed. How marvelous!

However, something changed after that service, for the keenness of his spirit was absent. So far, Mr. Roberts had been filled with one passion only, to see souls saved. After that, as he discovered later, he became interested in numbers and began to look for them.

I hope this will not be misunderstood. Evan Roberts was not against large numbers, and sincerely rejoiced when large crowds heard the Gospel and many came to Christ. It was a matter of emphasis, both in his spirit and in his work.

Another experience was even more costly. It was his custom to stay in the backroom to pray after everyone else had gone into the service. He used this time to prepare his heart in fellowship with God for the ministry of the Word immediately following. On one such occasion, he was greatly amazed to see the whole room filled with a supernatural light and he trembled at such a manifestation of the Heavenly Father. Encouraged by it, he went to the service and many souls were saved.

This experience was on Wednesday. The Sunday following he reached a city where a particularly decisive service awaited him. There was much empty curiosity and much opposition in this important city. A failure would strengthen the opposition; a victory would encourage the people of God. With this in mind, Evan Roberts knelt to pray in the backroom after the others had gone to the platform. He felt a strong opposition from the enemy against which he struggled, but no break came. He began to feel the weight of the air, the room became so dark he felt it was as black as the darkness of Egypt. Twice the leader came for him. But he continued to pray. Finally, without a sign of victory, he went to the platform. There was some blessing because many others were also praying, but no visible victory. The opposition rejoiced that night, for there was no overthrow of their forces.

Months after this, while he was resting at Leicester and analyzing his experiences during the revival, he came to the conclusion that both of his experiences, the light as well as darkness, had come from the enemy. He could scarcely believe it. Yet, he could not escape the conclusion. Before this, every victory had been won on the basis of faith alone in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. The strategy of the enemy to bring defeat at that important meeting was to switch him from the basis of faith and direct his attention to impressions and feelings. To begin by trying to discourage him with darkness was useless, for his faith would remain unshaken. The unusual light accomplished the enemy’s purpose. He confessed that after the experience of the supernatural light he began to look for more manifestations and his position of faith was thus weakened. The experience of darkness came after he had already weakened himself by turning from the basis of faith to that of impressions.

Such costly experience stayed with him and serves as a warning to all those who are being used by the Spirit of God. They are expected to walk by faith and not by sight. Although costly to him and even to the Lord’s work, such experiences later proved of tremendous controlling value for his daily walk and work.

So many mysteries of God were revealed to him that his expressions startled many and caused them to misunderstand him. Once during the time when Mr. Roberts, Mr. Usher, Mr. Perryman and I were on the Island of Guernsey, we were following our custom of spending the evening in prayer. Mr. Roberts was standing by a wall, while we were kneeling. He directed us, “Pray that you won’t love the devil anymore.” No one prayed. He waited. Still, there was silence. How could he ask us to pray such a strange prayer? How could he even suppose that we who were Christian workers, could love the devil? Was I not the pastor of one of the largest evangelical churches in Russia, the editor of one of two largest gospel magazines in that country? And both Usher and Perryman were older and more advanced in their knowledge and insight. It was not pride, but wonder, that he could ask us to pray such a prayer. Finally, Mr. Usher expressed our thought. Mr. Roberts saw that we did not get the point, so he diluted his phrase with explanation.

“Brethren, he asked, how do you show your love to the Lord?”

This was clear to us. “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”

“By doing something that pleases the Lord, you show your love to Him, don’t you?”

“Yes”, we said.

“Are you doing anything that pleases the devil?”

There was no answer, everything was clear. We cried unto the Lord for freedom from any form of love for the devil.

It has been said that the ministry of Evan Roberts after leaving the revival was greater than when leading it. This is true. His was a ministry of prayer. The sensitivity of Evan Roberts’ spirit was something to which I could never become accustomed. It was not only that his words were strange, but his whole manner of praying. There was a tone of authority; one almost expected the results to follow the words immediately. Sometimes he would stay in his room praying for half a day, or even all day long. On one occasion he stayed two days, and when he came down, he looked to me as if he had been through a tremendous physical struggle. He was completely exhausted. Real prayer is costly.

From Mrs. Penn-Lewis and others, I learned the meaning of it. They cautioned me not to make any inquiries. He seemed to be constantly alert and ready to respond at a moment’s notice to the guidance of the Spirit. Sometimes he walked and talked freely in the garden behind the house. Once he showed me how to pronounce the letter W. Then, unexpectedly, he would turn and leave, not even excusing himself. When called to his ministry of supplication he was dead to anything else. In his room, he would search the mind of the Spirit for guidance. Perhaps he would be impressed to pray for a missionary in China. He would then pray for that unknown missionary as if he had just received a cable from him asking for special prayer for protection. He would continue, responding to the leading of the Spirit of God, until there was relief, and then he would be as sociable as ever.

Evan Roberts was pursuing his ministry of prayer for the whole body of the saints. It was not necessary to be personally acquainted with him. When I was exiled to Siberia upon my return to Russia and resuming my ministry, I escaped from the place assigned and had to wander constantly for two years. Had I been caught, I would not be writing these lines. At that time I felt somebody’s prayers constantly surrounding me. The lord made the way of escape out of most dangerous circumstances.

Sometimes we spent each evening in prayer for weeks at a time. Mr. Roberts usually directed the prayer when present. We prayed for souls bought by the Lord on the cross but still under the power of darkness. This was a struggle. There were so many causes for intercession. The name of the Savior was blasphemed by so many, neglected by others, and dishonored even by His followers. They had to be freed and changed. The prince of this world was showing his power in politics, literature, the structure of society, and above all, among careless Christians. No wonder so much of Mr. Roberts’ praying was a struggle in the name of the Lord against-the power of darkness. It was not easy to stand such a method of spiritual warfare. I well remember one evening; the warfare seemed so strange to me, that I was ready to get up from my knees and leave forever. However, there was this consciousness that here was a man with a spirit so mightily used of God, and so deeply taught, that my yardstick was too short to measure it. That kept me on my knees. For that decision, I shall always thank God. The lessons learned were unforgettable.

Human life is understood only when it is measured in the light of eternity. No earthly yardstick is adequate to reveal the meaning of life. All of joys and sorrows, our plans with their successes and failures, our relations to others, to the Church, to the Kingdom of God, and to God Himself-all these change when we see them in the light of eternity as a part of the eternal existence of which life here is only a small portion. Life and all its details become tremendously important when we apply the measure of eternity to them, and see them in the light of the Scripture: “…for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men,” which means that the underworld, the good angels, who are our friends, and also men watch us. Blessed is the man to whom this simple truth has been made evident by the Spirit of God, and to whom the spiritual world is as real as is the physical. The Lord Jesus lived that way. Paul speaks about it. It was evident in the life and attitudes of Evan Roberts. He was conscious that all he did either helped or hindered men on earth, angels in heaven and demons in hell.

The Welsh revival not only brought tens of thousands to Christ but tremendously encouraged Christians around the world. It demonstrated that God is willing to pour out His blessing like a river wherever His people are ready to receive it and pass it on to others. What that revival must have meant to the kingdom of darkness! No wonder there was opposition. Some were against it because of sin, others because of misinformation, still others through ignorance or jealousy. Once during the revival, Evan Roberts was preaching with great difficulty. His sensitive spirit could detect the difference between the enmity of a sinful heart and opposition from a decided will. Recognizing the opposition, in this case, to be caused by the latter, he stopped preaching and said,

“There is willful opposition here to the Word of God and to the Spirit of God. It hinders His manifestation in our midst. Let us all go to prayer and ask that those who oppose the Holy Spirit will either repent or leave the service.”

During the prayer, four men got up and left. Mr. Roberts felt the change in atmosphere and continued to preach. All four of the men who left were ministers. Perhaps they had allowed jealousy from the abyss to take hold of their hearts. Maybe they were saying, “Why can such a simple miner do these things which are our right?”

Years after the revival, the enmity had not died out. In fact, it increased in some ways, because of the abiding results. How strange it was to me, a young Christian at that time, to learn that one of Mr. Roberts’ chief assistants during the revival became his fiercest enemy. He instigated a plot with several other men in Wales and traveled hundreds of miles to Leicester in order to kidnap Evan Roberts. Well, do I remember going to his home and seeing policemen around the house and a captain at the door. At the corner was a man in a car, a medical hypnotizer, into whose care they planned to entrust the “revivalistic.” Fortunately, the police in Wales had informed the Leicester police in time.

This served as an inspiration to other sinners to show their hatred to Christ and His servant. However, Evan Roberts knew the spiritual laws and practiced them. Once he was on a streetcar with Mr. Usher. Some working men recognized Mr. Roberts and began to sneer at him. After most of the other passengers had gotten off, this group surrounded Mr. Roberts cursing and blaspheming menacingly. Mr. Usher, being a strong man, had difficulty restraining himself, but Mr. Roberts sat peacefully as if he were in a rocking chair at home. Even after their leaving the car, the loud cursing followed them until the tram bore the revilers out of earshot.

Mr. Usher turned to Mr. Roberts and asked, “Tell me, please … I do not understand. How could you keep quiet when such blasphemous language was used?”

Mr. Roberts quietly answered, “What do you do when your window is open and there is some bad odor or loud noise outside?”

“I close the window.”

“I did the same. I closed my spirit.”

Mr. Usher learned the lesson (and so did I). His spirit had been open to all those curses. No wonder there was disturbance and burning inside. Evan Roberts’ spirit was closed, and he held his peace, meditating probably on Christ and His victories. I found this attitude and method effective later when I came back to Russia. The life of a minister in Russia was not, and is not, easy. Closing of the spirit was often necessary in order to bear it all and to be able to pray for the persecutors. This is possible. Evan Roberts knew the secret and practiced it.

There was an experience to which the writer was a witness. It was very strange, throwing light not only on the spirituality of this man of God but also on the unseen world and its activities. Again, one almost hesitates to describe it.

Mr. Roberts’ mother died in Wales. Notice was sent to him, but he did not attend the funeral. While we were sure he had a good spiritual reason, he never explained his action to anyone.

This started much criticism. All those who were waiting for a slip thought they had found it. The protests grew. People wanted to know why. How could he dare not to go to his mother’s funeral? It is hard to understand how a matter so personal could occasion such a widespread campaign of criticism as was launched against Mr. Roberts. I remember well seeing the headline of the morning edition of one of London’s leading newspapers: The Idol of the Nation Fell! How the enemies of God rejoiced that they had at last something to chew on! All who had some grievance against God, His church, or Christians used this as an opportunity to spread their venom. The smear campaign was disgusting. Not only clippings but whole issues of papers poured into the Overcomer office in Leicester from all over the country. They were looked over, discussed, and prayed against-yes, prayed against.

Evan Roberts soon sensed the danger. It disturbed our peace; it diverted our minds and spirits from our chief ministry, prayer. Mr. Roberts made a decision and requested that it be strictly followed. The secretary was instructed to throw out all the newspapers without opening them.

The most unusual and startling thing happened. It was an eye-opener to me, a young Christian. It gave meaning to the activities of the unseen world, and this revealed the value of the prayer life of that man of God. When the order was given to throw out the papers unopened, the newspapers stopped publishing the articles. The devil does not work in vain. When his enemy refused to be disturbed, he ceased inciting the writers and the publishers. This lesson cannot go deep enough.

When the newspapers no longer printed the articles, letters increased and what letters they were! There were curses from unbelievers, rebukes from Christians, and even reproofs from Christian leaders. They covered all sorts of subjects, including his mother’s funeral. How startled I was to see a letter from the leader of a worldwide Christian organization. It was not a rebuke. He simply forced on Evan Roberts the imaginary things he had garnered from the newspapers. Handfuls of such letters came with every mail. They were read and discussed. They were prayed about, but peace was still lacking. Every evening, as mentioned before, we usually spent in prayer; but praying again became irregular, fragmentary and dealt, not with eternal issues, but with a smear campaign, with names and expressions of some writers of letters. The enemy knew what he was after, and succeeded for a time.

Again Mr. Roberts was the first to see the danger and the meaning of the smear campaign. The secretary was instructed to throw such letters in the wastebasket without mentioning them. The same startling result followed; letters stopped coming. Who stopped them? It is a mystery, yet the fact was there. It supplies a practical lesson even to Christians on how to watch and pray in order not to become a tool of Satan. Blinded by him, one’s motives may appear well-meaning and seemingly righteous, yet they accomplish his evil desires.

The peace of God again ruled in the hearts of the prayer warriors. The times of prayer were again refreshing, and the pulse of spiritual intercession was beating normally. We were able to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit again.

The spiritual sensitivity of Evan Roberts was difficult to measure with a natural psychological yardstick, however, the evidences were there all the time. The cook and maid quarreled in the kitchen in the back of the first floor while Mr. Roberts was on the second floor in the front room of the large house. Unexpectedly the kitchen door opened, Mr. Roberts entered, looked at those dear Christian sisters, and simply asked them, “Were you quarreling? I lost freedom in prayer.” They hung their heads in shame, and he went back to his room.

The usual place for evening prayer in the summer was a cottage in the garden. Often Evan Roberts was with us, but sometimes he stayed in his room. Once while he was away, Mrs. Penn-Lewis exclaimed, “Praise God for this wonderful change and victory! What a wonderful thing it is to be solely in the possession of the Spirit of God! I wish Mr. ……. (naming a Christian leader, one of the writers of those letters) knew about it.” She recalled the newspaper campaign, and how the Lord gave victory.-Then unexpectedly the door opened and Evan Roberts entered. He looked around and said quietly, “Did you talk about those things?” Mrs. Penn-Lewis confessed her fault, and he left to continue his struggle, according to the leading of the Spirit, for His victories in this world.

An internationally known Christian leader came from London to see Mr. Roberts. I think he would forgive me for mentioning this experience. I had been in this man’s services in his Regent Park Chapel in London, had some discussions of personal problems with him, and found him to be a spiritual giant. His life and writings attest this fact. He entered the house and told Mrs. Penn-Lewis the purpose of his coming. Mrs. Penn-Lewis sent a maid upstairs to call Mr. Roberts. The maid returned and whispered something to Mrs. Penn-Lewis, who immediately became uneasy. The visitor sensed the trouble and guessed the fact. Mrs. Penn-Lewis confirmed that Evan Roberts would not come down. This was too much for the saintly Dr. Meyer, who could go to Buckingham Palace and see the king. There was silence.

Mrs. Penn-Lewis was a soul deeply taught in the laws of the spiritual life. She began to speak quietly and said, “I do not know the purpose of your coming, but perhaps you meant to scold Mr. Roberts, and who knows, perhaps a heated discussion would have followed, etc…” Dr. Meyer, a spiritual man, understood and confessed, “Yes, I had something rather harsh to tell Brother Roberts; perhaps it is better we do not meet.” He was at peace. Soon the door opened and Evan Roberts entered. They met in a most friendly way and were soon sitting close together discussing spiritual matters, especially the necessity of implicitly obeying the Spirit of God. Dr. Meyer missed his train, then another, and when he had to leave to catch the last train, Mr. Roberts gladly went to the depot with him, so that they could continue their fellowship and discussion. The fellowship was most blessed.

Although Evan Roberts delayed returning to Wales, he was present with the Christians there in spirit. The last twenty years of his life he stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Williams. Mr. Roberts and I never ceased to correspond. Occasionally a food package was sent to him. His letters are most valuable, although too personal to be made public.

Mr. Roberts wrote very little during his life, but not long ago Mrs. Williams sent a poem which was his last.

Consecration

Here I have built my altar,
The wood I’ve placed in order;
The sacrifice is ready now,-
Send Thou, 0 Lord, the fire. 

My soul is weary, weak and lustful,
But to the end I will be faithful;
Though hellish hosts revile forever,
I’ll lay myself on Christ, my Savior.

Together with the poem, a photo of Mr. Roberts was enclosed, taken just before he passed away. We wonder how this man was received in the Glory land, one who knew so much more than others of the spiritual world. How meaningful must have been the greeting, “Well done.” He was known to be a humble man, but this experience must have humbled him still more. One of his severest trials during the revival was his being the object of men’s worship. A friend of his once told me of finding him lying on the floor crying to the Lord to bring this to naught so that all the glory should go to God alone.

There is a plan to place a monument to Evan Roberts in the town where the Welsh Revival started. No monument of dead matter can compare with the memorial that already exists in those who were touched by the spiritual tide that began in the Welsh revival. That is his best memorial. Two men went from the Welsh revival to India, and in a few months, about 30,000 souls were brought to Christ. Others went to the Island of Guernsey. While spending a month there, I marveled that there was not a single saloon on the whole island. When I asked a local pastor whether they had some strict laws, he answered, “None. The brewers on the continent tried their best to establish themselves here, spent large sums of money, but failed because of the revival that took possession of the island ten years ago.” The test of time proved it was real.

One is reminded of the black man who came from the United States to England. Being a member of the Salvation Army, he went to see the headquarters. In the office, he saw the portrait of the founder of the Army. The picture of William Booth made a profound spiritual impression on him, and as someone entered the room, he saw the black brother on his knees before the picture and with uplifted hands pleading, “Lord, do it again! Lord, do it again!” We say the same of Evan Roberts, and the Welsh revival, “Lord, do it again!”

Reprinted from The Alliance Weekly.
Copyright 1956 by I. V. Neprash
All rights reserved, including those of translation.

THE SHANTUNG REVIVAL

The following message gives excerpts from a Southern Baptist Revival taken from the book, THE SHANTUNG REVIVAL by Mary K. Crawford.

In 1931 God began to work mightily in Shantung. It seems needless to say that the revival was born out of prayer groups who were asking definitely for revival. None of the revivals has the least taint of sensationalism.

We had been praying for three years that this special worker should come to Pingtu. God truly sent her to us, and the revival for which we have been praying has begun. A large audience of pastors, evangelists, workers, Christians, and students filled the large Church. As the teaching on sin from the Bible was given, the Holy Spirit carried the message to every heart. A holy quietness filled the church so that all could hear every word.

More people have been saved the past year than perhaps in any year in the history of the work here. The churches have never been on such a high plane spiritually as now. Practically all the preachers, teachers, Bible women, and missionaries have had a blessed experience in the deeper things of the Holy Spirit, and have more real victory and power than they had ever known before.

God’s power came mostly during prayer services, while studying earnestly the Holy Spirit and His work by men and women who met separately in rooms of the Church. People were broken up and wept for their sins. There were then special manifestations of the Spirit’s power and great rejoicing. Nothing like it has been seen in old Tsinan. A young man, for years only a nominal Christian, came forward confessing his sins and placed on the table ten dollars which he had wrongfully received. Others also brought money which did not belong to them, and a number brought funds which should have been given to the Lord. A wealthy man, who had been only an average Christian, has become a great leader, and so have others.

God’s Spirit is doing wonderful things in the capital of Shantung and elsewhere in our Mission as a result of earnest prayer, preaching and teaching of His Word. Pray that the fire may continue to spread and that God will likewise bless His people in the homeland.

THE INDONESIA REVIVAL

When Stanley Mooneyham, vice president of international relations for Billy Graham Evangelist Association, reported on the miracles (CHRISTIAN LIFE Magazine, November 1967), he said, “What the Holy Spirit is doing in Indonesia today is more like another chapter added to the Book of Acts than anything else. The Indonesia Bible Society which tries to chart the results has found it impossible to keep up with the statistics. Churches in Central Java for example, which reported 30,000 members in 1961, now number more than 10,000-almost doubling annually.”

Revival began in the city of Soe on the island of Timor of the Lesser Sunda group and is continuing through the work of evangelistic teams.”

In his book, INDONESIA REVIVAL- Dr. George W. Peters, Professor of Missions in the Dallas Theological Seminary, lists the following things as abiding fruit of the revival.

1. The church has vibrant life.
2. The church has a love for the Bible and the Lord.
3. The church has a new life of fellowship.
4. The church has a core of Christian workers.
5. The church is open to the Holy Spirit.
6. The church as a remarkable religious impact.

THE ASBURY REVIVAL

By Robert Coleman

To these accounts I might, add one of the most vivid experiences of revival in my own life. It climaxed in February 1950 on. the campus of Asbury College in Kentucky. For a time the Spirit manifested Himself in such power that classes had to be suspended, and day and night for nearly a week we simply waited upon God. Before the initial effect of the revival had subsided, practically every person on the campus knew what it was to feel the touch of heaven. As the witness was carried by Spirit-filled students and faculty to neighboring cities and states, thousands more were converted or awakened in a new way to Christian obedience. The emotional intensity of those thrilling days passed, but the reality of God which we experienced still continues in the lives of many.

During the first days of the revival and the little college community became “An island of prayer” attracting persons for miles around by its other-worldly atmosphere. Reporters who came to see what was happening were awestruck by the magnetism of the movement. One reported, “I have never seen such happy people.” Hearing the prayers, confessions, testimonies, and singing in a setting of such transparent sincerity, he called it an “unbelievable demonstration of religion.” Some cameramen with NBC Television had tears in their eyes as they reverently moved about taking films of the proceedings. The men representing the press seemed to be aware that they were walking on holy ground. One reporter, unaccustomed to such things, stated that “it seemed an intrusion to be present.”

Indeed, it was like being transported to another World-a world in which our spirits were truly free. For the most part, we were utterly honest with ourselves and with one another. The sham of superficial religion was gone. Praise of God was as natural as breathing. All we wanted was for Christ to be exalted and His will done on earth as it is in heaven. A convert of the revival expressed it when he wrote home to his parents:

How I wish you were here. It is wonderful what the Lord is doing. I have such peace and joy I can’t express it. I can’t write much because I have been in heaven for three days, eaten three meals, had about three blessings and walked about three hundred miles telling the people that Jesus saves … People are coming from all over trying to figure it out.

One of the thousands who came was a prominent basketball coach in the state. He has written his first impression:

My most vivid memory of that day was when I opened the doors of Hughes Auditorium. Although I could not explain it then, I know now that it was the Presence of the Holy Spirit. There was a certain feeling about His Presence that gave me a sense of peace and surrender … Several students were kneeling at the altar, and a young man was on the platform exhorting. Afterward, a series of young people came to the platform and gave their testimonies. Many told of the calls they had received during the meeting to go to foreign mission fields. Many said they had found the Lord for the first time, while others spoke of spiritual victories in their homes where mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters had been converted during the last forty-eight hours. One could tell those testimonies were real and convincing. I was so impressed and so moved by the Holy Spirit that I could not fight any longer the call of God for my life. I made my way to the altar and very quietly but sincerely surrendered my life to Him.

From Dry Bones Can Live Again by Robert E. Coleman. Copyright 1969 by Fleming H. Revell Company. Used by permission.

REPORTS OF REVIVAL IN CANADA

“If You Ask Me”
By Ralph and Lou Sutra

“Where did this move of God Start? “This probably is the most often asked and most difficult question to answer. Could it have begun in the heart of the late Duncan Campbell who told Canadian audiences how God showed him the entire Dominion of Canada in flames of revival fires?

“Could it be in the testimony of lay people sharing their faith with others in Prince George, B.C.? Could it be in the heart of the Prince George pastor who could not sleep one year in prayer-burden for revival?

“Could it be in the heart of the British Columbia woman who has been praying for four years that God would use our ministry for revival? Could it be in the heart of the Saskatoon pastor who could not do anything but PRAY in his study for several months for revival-before the crusade came?

“Could it be in the step of faith exercised by pastor and people of another Saskatoon church to cancel a missionary convention and become a part of what God was doing?

“Or, was it in the hearts of Spirit-filled, praying people in closets around tho world-calling on God for revival? At any rate, we may all wait until we get to heaven to be able to know the real answer. To God be the glory!”

A church in Portland, Oregon, invited Brother Philip Grabke from Canada as guest speaker, and Pastor R.E. Grabke, of the Immanuel Baptist Church in Portland, writes about the meetings:

Jesus said, “And greater things shall ye do. ”

What did He mean? Perhaps we are seeing this in the spiritual awakening that is moving across our land. Indeed, in Portland, Oregon, we have seen the Book of Acts come alive.

More than 2,000 Christians have discovered the power of the Holy Spirit. Many with suicidal tendencies, mental depressions, and strange behavior patterns-have been completely delivered! Hundreds of marriages have been healed; in some cases, parties were separated and had filed for divorce.

Scores of pastors confessed the sin of pride, self-effort, and frustration in their ministries, but now are experiencing joy and boldness in preaching the Gospel.

Within my own life, God had to touch my son physically, and bring other things to bear upon my soul until I was completely crushed and wanted more than anything else to be a broken vessel, available for His use in whatever way He saw fit, and that for His glory.

Restitutions are being made and the secular press is aware that something unusual is happening. The New York Times, a New Jersey radio station, and an author, Kurt Koch, from West Germany, called up long-distance inquiring as to what is taking place in Portland, Oregon.

When we, as a church prayed for revival and invited Brother Philip Grabke as guest speaker, we weren’t expecting such a miracle. Although Brother Grabke returned to Canada long ago, the meetings are now in the eleventh week, with no end in sight.

We cannot understand all this, but who can deny the reality of the power of God when it is demonstrated in such a manner. We do not know why God has chosen this time and place, but one thing is obvious-the timing is God’s, the work is the Lord’s, and the glory is His.

In each church where revival has come, there has been a purifying of the church. The Holy Spirit never splits a church-He purifies it. For years we have played church, giving lip service to God, and have worn spiritual masks. Now God has revealed that this Pretension is sin.

Spiritual pride and self-will are particularly grievous to the Holy Spirit. These are sins which have crippled the effectiveness of the Christian church. We can hardly become the light of the world when sin has prevented us from being reflectors of the One Who is the Light. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world.” (John 8:12).

Before the revival, we could not give out the NEW LIFE FOR ALL. We could not witness with power-until the Holy Spirit had complete control of our lives. Our church had the best organization and the best program that we thought was possible.

We were doing our best to do God’s work. But the Holy Spirit showed us that He did not want our service. He wanted to work through us and speak through us. We needed to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive unto God, so that we will no longer ask God to help us in our Christian ministry, but allow Him to work through us as we present our bodies as living sacrifices unto Him!

Some have asked for the formula, and some have come to the meetings merely to see something spectacular, and so missed the blessing. But others, on their faces before God, with broken and contrite hearts, and with all humility, prayed:

“O, God, turn the searchlight of Your Holy Spirit upon me and reveal anything in my life that is displeasing to You. I confess it as sin. I give You every area of my life-my home, my family, my possessions, my future, my will. Now fill me with the Holy Spirit, and I thank You for doing so.”

We know that whatever we give to God, He takes; and whatever He takes, He uses. One result of this commitment has been freedom and boldness in sharing one’s faith. The greatest gift manifested was love… love for fellow Christians and love for the unsaved.

Here we see the oneness of the Body in Christ. (Eph. 1:15-23).

The outgrowth of the revival is evangelism, but judgment must begin at the house of God. At one of the meetings, a young woman concerned about her rebellious children first gave herself to the Lord, then committed her children to the Lord.

When she got home at 3:00 A.M., she found that her children had accepted Christ at the very moment that she had turned them over to the Lord.

It is impossible to evaluate properly the work of the Holy Spirit of God. We can see only a little of what God is doing, and perhaps understand it less. It certainly is not within our province to defend the Holy Spirit’s work, or even to explain it.

We had prayed for revival, but our faith was small. We limited God. When man does God’s work the result is failure. When God does His work through a man that is under the Holy Spirit’s control, WE CAN EXPECT A MIRACLE!

God means for us to live “continually revived!” Each moment we can know and experience Jesus Christ living the fullness of God in us. Our lives can be filled with great joy, peace, and overpowering love. Holy living can and should be our normal, daily experience.

What must we do then to walk daily “in the light as He is in the light?” (1 John 1:7). We must individually yield ourselves, entirely, unconditionally, to God.

Thus, we become His vessel to do with as He pleases. We no longer exist to in any manner please ourselves, but to in all things please Him. (John 5:30).

We ask God the Holy Spirit to completely fill and control us for His purpose and glory. In other words, we each come under new management, the management of God Almighty. Praise God for the simplicity of His plan!

When the Holy Spirit is given free reign to dictate God’s perfect will to us, we truly begin to conform to God’s plan for our lives. Sin, both subtle and blatant, becomes exceedingly sinful in our eyes.

We continually ask the Holy Spirit to turn the searchlight of His conviction upon any area of our life that is displeasing to Him. Faults (sins) are specifically confessed to God and “one to another.” (James 5:16).

Revival is never a finished product. God has planned that we realize fully the power of the Blood of Jesus in our daily walk. He desires that we be repenting and praising children of His, quick to manifest a humble and a broken spirit. (1 John 1:9).

The Holy Spirit is a reviving Spirit. Let Him freely work in your life. Be obedient to His directives. Let Him make you like Jesus-and you will realize what it means to live continually revived!”-G. Dirks.

Printed by permission of Revival Fellowship News,
Box 584, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

HOW TO START A COTTAGE PRAYER MEETING

 by Dr. John Zoller

No one can estimate the glorious results that have come to pass from cottage prayer meetings held in Christian homes. If hundreds and thousands of cottage prayer meetings could be started in our country, where God’s children would meet weekly to pray earnestly for revival, surely the windows of Heaven would speedily be opened, and a great spiritual awakening would sweep over our land. We are all longing for revival, and revival comes in answer to earnest, persistent, united, intercessory prayer. Will you start a cottage prayer meeting in your home?

Do not wait to secure a large number before beginning a cottage prayer meeting. Start with only a few and let the number increase as the Lord blesses the gathering.

1. Set a definite day and hour and hold to this period. To change it will only bring confusion to your group and community. Choose a day and hour most suited to all. Some will meet in the morning, others in the afternoon, and yet others in the evening.

2. Begin on time. This is important if the meeting is called to begin at 7:30, do not wait until 8 o’clock or later, just because some members are late in arriving. This is a common fault and is a weakness you must guard against.

3. Do not continue too long. An hour and a half is the longest time any meeting should continue, and I’m not so sure but if we held the meeting to one hour the interest would remain at a high peak.

Two of the best features of cottage prayer meetings are their friendliness and their informality. If possible have some hymn sheets or songbooks on hand, and spend a few minutes in gospel singing. Next, have either a brief Scripture reading or ask each of those present to recite a verse from the Bible, especially a verse on prayer.

Avoid ruts and monotony. Occasionally allow five minutes or so for reporting answers to previous prayers-a time of testimony and praise. Discourage long, drawn-out speeches or reports.

In prayer group work, it is so vital to have all of the group concentrating in prayer with the one who audibly prays. In this way there will be definiteness with God and each request will have the benefit of the faith and prayers of all present. Too often our prayers are lacking in definiteness.

The Devil will do all he can to discourage you, to get you to quit, to keep every group member from attending. But all he can do is suggest things. He cannot make you do what you do not want to do. He can’t keep a member from the meeting if this member really wants to come. Please remember this.

God is raising up thousands of prayer partners and groups. May God grant that in response to a mighty volume of intercessory prayer, we shall speedily see a great spiritual awakening with multitudes of souls being born again into the Kingdom and quickened in the Faith and that revival fire may be kindled all over the world.

WE ARE RACING BEFORE A HURRICANE!

 by W.C. Moore
Editor of the Herald of His Coming

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually” (1 Chronicles 16:11).

It is our bounden duty, those of us who are ministers of the Gospel, to get a word from the Lord, and then to faithfully give it to the people, regardless of how our message is received-or rejected.

“Do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10).

If we have no word from the lord for the people – it is our absolute duty-to wait upon the Lord, in prayer and fasting-and in faith, believing that He will give us His message for the people to whom we minister. (Psalms 27:14; Isaiah 40:29-31).

Do we at all realize the tremendous responsibility that rests upon those of us who are ministers of the Gospel? Every one of us is responsible to God-as to the use of the talents that He has entrusted to each of us. (Read Matthew 25:1-46).

“We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ … Every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10,12).

And ministers of the Gospel are especially accountable, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” (Luke 12:48).

“The priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 2:7).

“It is Time To Seek The Lord, Till He Come And Rain Righteousness Upon You” (Hosea 10:12).

It is time to seek the Lord UNTIL Revival fires burn! Till Souls are convicted of sin! Till believers are filled with the Holy Spirit!

“Blow The Trumpet In Zion” (Joel 2:15).

And, in order to get the people to seek the Lord UNTIL Revival comes-they first must be awakened! The shrill blast of the trumpet of God must jar them awake!

Their sinful slumbers must be rudely broken into-for their own good – and for the good of the Church at large!

So, preachers of the Glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the people … let the … ministers of the Lord weep. . .” (Joel 2:15-17).

“Then will the Lord be jealous for His land, and pity His people. Yea, the lord will answer and say unto His people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen.” (Joel 2:18-19).

“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things… Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh … And … whosoever shall Call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered.” (Joel 2:21,23,24,28,32).

The gathering is to seek the Lord for Revival-not to have in mind the building up of our particular denomination-for the whole Church needs Revival! All the world needs Christ! He alone is the Answer to individual needs, and to ALL the problems that are distressing the nations of the earth!

“Gather my saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” (Psalms 50:5).

Jesus, the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour, is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5), and “Unto HIM shall the gathering of the people be.” (Genesis 49:8-10).

Behold a congregation of people. The pastor stands behind the pulpit. The people sit in the pews-listlessly waiting for the service to start.

When, suddenly-the pastor puts a trumpet to his mouth and blows a shrill, penetrating blast!

The whole place is immediately electrified! People start from their seats! They catch their breath! All eyes are open-all ears are attent-to see what this sudden siren blast means!

No lounging in the pews now! No wandering eyes! No wandering thoughts either anymore, but with the startling notes of the trumpet still ringing in awakened ears – all are on the alert to find out what is coming next!

The Spirit Of God Inspired The Prophet Joel To Write As He Did

and the very same Holy Spirit today -is calling on pastors, evangelists, the leaders of God’s people-to Blow The Trumpet In Zion, and to sound an alarm in God’s Own Holy Church!

Are We Doing This?

or are we just waiting for disaster to overtake us-while we fool around and talk of trivial, passing things?

God Help Us!

The very same Holy Spirit Who gave Joel the foreknowledge of coming events-that same Holy Spirit of God is today making His messengers to know that dark, terrible days are already upon us-and that now is the time to arouse all Christians everywhere from their slouching sleep of death!

Oh, Pastors, Oh, Evangelists

BLOW THE TRUMPET!

Blow the shrill, penetrating blast of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21).

Rouse, Jolt, Stir the slumbering saints-before it is forever too late! Your responsibility, ministers of the Lord, in this hour of dreadful crisis-is great!

Rouse the people-even if, in so doing, you must frightfully shock them! Better an aroused, an awakened Church-on fire for God, seeking His face, gathering in the Gospel Harvest before the harvesting season is over-better a Church on her feet, fighting the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12)-even if she gets a bit bruised in the awakening-than a sleeping Church, all unaware of the approach of deadly enemies-all unconscious of approaching bondage, torture, and unutterable doom!

Fellow Ministers Of The Gospel! To Your Knees In Prayer! Travailing Prayer! And To Your Feet-With God’s Trumpet In Hand!

Because-“If the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” (Ezek. 33:6).

“So thou, oh son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.” (Ezek. 33:7).

God Does Not Call His preachers To Be Ostriches, And To Bury Their Heads In The Sands Of Idle Indifference, And Criminal Unconcern-In the Midst Of Today’s Terrible Crisis!

The Word of God tells us to “AWAKE thou that steepest, and arise … See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph. 5:14-17).

First, get thoroughly awakened to present-day dangers yourself-then, with all your might, and with all the anointing of the Holy Spirit that God will give you- Warn The People before it is forever too late!

GOD’S FORMULA FOR REVIVAL

People often ask, “Why don’t we have revival today as they did in days gone by?” God is sending Holy Ghost revival in parts of Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia. God’s formula for revival is simple, but the price is high-much higher than most of us want to pay. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

1. “If my people.” Revival must begin with the people of God.

2. “Shall humble themselves.” We are too proud to confess our sins, we are too proud to admit that we have done wrong. We are too proud to go to our brothers in Christ and to rectify our mistakes.

3. “And pray.” It takes time to pray; it costs to pray. We have to be right with God to pray. The kind of praying that is meant here is not the insipid, self-centered kind of praying that is practiced in some modem prayer meetings. Can you imagine intelligent people praying for a sick dog when the whole world is on fire and is slipping into eternity without God?

4. “And seek my face.” This is out of date in evangelical and fundamental circles.

5. “And turn from their wicked ways.” But instead of doing this we wipe our mouth as an imperious whorish woman and say, “I have done no wickedness.” The doctrine of repentance is out of date in most churches.

6. “Then will I hear from heaven.” “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He

will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1,2).

7. “And will forgive their sins.” “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1: 7). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

8. “And will heal their land.” God can renew, restore and revive if we will turn to Him.

Habakkuk prayed, “O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: 0 Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” We now stand on the threshold of the Great Tribulation when God’s wrath will be poured out on a sin-cursed earth. We need to pray, “BEFORE wrath remember mercy.”

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