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THE RELIGIOUS REVIVAL IN WALES - No. 4 Awstin |
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2. WELCOME AT TROEDYRHIW | |
TROEDYRHIW, Wednesday, Feb. 1. It was with open arms that Mr Evan Roberts was welcomed today at Troedyrhiw, a prosperous mining township a few miles below Merthyr. Pretty well all the chapels of the place were thrown open all day, and, although the evangelist was not expected to be present, the morning services were well attended, and were of a particularly fervent character. People were preparing to go to the meeting as early as eight o’clock in the morning. In the afternoon and evening again the various chapels were crowded. Mr Roberts’s reception was more than cordial - it was affectionate. The fact of his having been assailed was often more or less directly referred to, and had evidently created widespread sympathy with the young missioner. This warmly sympathetic feeling, indeed, was reflected in the services, particularly in the prayers. Advantage was taken of a meeting held at Carmel Baptist Chapel in the morning of passing a resolution of strong protest against the strictures of the Rev. Peter Price of Dowlais, the author of an article strongly criticising the revival. Mr Roberts attended at Carmel Baptist Chapel in the afternoon, and, though not the slightest indication was given as to where he would attend, the building was soon crowded. It was evident from the very commencement that this was no ordinary meeting, even for a revival meeting. The whole congregation was swayed with great feeling; the prayers were sublime in their eloquence, and the singing was thrilling - expressive now of penitence and sorrow, and then a massive overpowering outburst of thanksgiving and praise, and Mr Robert’s arrival was the signal for increased fervour. The evangelist was accompanied by Miss Annie Davies and Miss Mary Davies. Presently, Mr Roberts stood up, not to speak much, but to make the
declaration that someone had “decided,” and all that was
necessary was that he should be asked to stand up, and immediately a
convert as announced. A man was praying that God should save that afternoon,
“Oh, He is saving,” rejoined the missioner; “there
is another one who has yielded,” and at one came the announcement
of another convert. “Diolch iddo” (“Thanks be to him”)
then rang out. The evangelist, as it startled by having just made some
discovery, stopped the singing. “There is another one; there is
another here,” he exclaimed quickly, and immediately came the
reply, “Here she is.” “Yes, that’s right; diolch
iddo,” he gleefully rejoined, and a peal of praise followed. His
countenance soon assumed a serious aspect. He buried his face in his
hand, and was evidently engaged in prayer, and he again interrupted
the singing with the declaration that another soul had “decided
for Christ.” This time the response was not immediately forthcoming.
“Oh!” he cried, with emotion, to the Church members, “I
pray you don’t be idle. He has yielded; you have only to ask him.”
There was a period of suspense. A man in the gallery said that one man
there was on the verge of making the “decision,” but Mr
Roberts insisted that the person he referred to had already decided.
Someone started singing, but Mr Roberts almost peremptorily remarked,
“There is to be no singing; it is too terrible to sing. I must
have this burden removed.” Then came the announcement of the convert,
and the people are carried away with joy. Next time he intervened to
announce that there was a soul to travail, but ere long his face list
up as he told of another conversion. And he was right. It was in this
way that the service proceeded, amidst increasing excitement, for some
time, until a score of converts were declared. The evening meeting was
held at Saron Welsh Congregational Chapel, the largest building at Treodyrhiw,
which was crowded to overflowing as early as five o’clock. Prior
to Mr Evan Roberts’s arrival in the evening again there were many
fervent prayers offered on his behalf in view of the recent attack upon
him, but with a delicacy, which was greatly to their credit, the painful
topic was scrupulously eschewed by the people in the evangelist’s
presence. Mr Roberts arrived about seven o’clock, accompanied
by two young ladies and immediately asked all members to stand, and
there was witnessed a repetition of the marvellous scene enacted in
the afternoon, the evangelist predicting in rapid succession about a
dozen converts. The people had been evidently greatly perturbed by what
they had just witnessed, and were completely carried away with ecstatic
delight. Practically the whole congregation en masse gave free expression
to their emotions. They prayed and they praised God almost literally
with one accord. Hundreds prayed at the same time. How long this continued
it is difficult to say, but ultimately it all culminated in a pean of
praise, “Duw mawr y fhyfeddodau maith” (Great God of countless
wonders”) being sung with grand effect. Mr Roberts laughed aloud
with joy; his face, however, would often evidence intense mental pain,
but the transition from pain to joy was remarkably rapid in that expressive
countenance - one moment contorted with feeling and the next moment
beaming with smiles. | |
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