One of the interesting jottings in the diary is based on a line from an advertisement, which was headed, “Royal Testimonial - Berlin Alsenstrasse.” It was dated and timed “Saturday, 7.20, 25 - 2 - 1905.”

Royal Testimonial - Matthew iii., 17

Heaven

Royal Kings;

“This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Songs of Praises.

I, Evan Roberts, am well pleased - are you?

On the same Saturday he wrote: - Satan came, but he was driven to fight; Satan, the father of lies, the accuser, away to the everlasting burnings, away to the place - the place which no ray of light travels through, away to the place where thou givest pain and sufferest pain - to eternity, away, the murderer, the thief. Thou hast forfeited Heaven. Satan: Thine “away” concerns me not.

Myself: But Jesus’ authority does. Away. Amen.

He was compelled to flee. I smiled at the latter’s answer. I told him you may as well go, for I am determined to win, and he was not long before hurrying off. He will flee. Had he a visible body, we would often hear his footsteps, said he yesterday. It is a lie thou utterest in the purgatory pit - nothing but a lie!!

If so, we can shake hands - but! There is this difference between the lie of us both. His lie drives people from Jesus, while me “lie” draws people towards him. Thanks for the power to tell a lie!!

Now for a note on the thoughts of John in his close communion with Jesus: -

“John the beloved disciple. He lay on Jesus’ bosom. What thoughts passed through John’s mind while he felt the Devine Heart beat? Every beat brought him nearer to that wondrous hour - the hour when it was to be cleft in twain! Dying for enemies! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me? God hidden from His Son!

I will next select from the diary the record of a striking incident at Pontrhydyfen, and all that need be said by way of introduction is that “Ambrose” referred to is the Rev. Ambrose Williams, Pontryhydyfen, and that “Annie” is Miss Annie Davies, Maesteg. The entry in the diary shows Mr. Evan Roberts’s powers of observation, and also contains an interesting memorandum on the mode of utilising ordinary observing powers in the work of the evangelist: -

This day week I was at Potyrhydyfen - strange three meetings - the Lord’s Hand guiding us. The Lord is wonderful in His ways! Monday morning we took a walk and climbed the mountain, and, said Ambrose, “Let, us hold a prayer meeting in the quarry where ‘Shenkin Penhydd’ prayed on that Sunday while his brother was taking animals to the fair to sell.” “Very well,” said I - “we both, you and I.” When about a hundred yards below the quarry we saw a man walking towards us, and the same distance above the quarry. Said Ambrose -

“Here’s a fellow who would be a gem in Jesus crown; could we get him to yield?”

“What is his work?”

“An agent.”

We now met at the opening to the quarry. Ambrose had a word of explanation and introduction. Said he, “This is Samuel John, Mr. Roberts, and could we but get him to break through he could do a grand work for Jesus. He has a splendid voice.” I continued still to hold him by the hand. There is a power and a secret in handshake. One star differs from the another star, and so there is between one handshake and another. It was the Holy Spirit that taught me to shake hands. Thanks, many, to Him. Then, smiling, another mystery was taught unto me by the Eternal Spirit. I asked Him, “Have you got any reasons for refusing?” “No.” why don’t you yield yourself now? Jesus requires you, yea, come now, and ask Jesus to bless your voice” - and, turning - to Ambrose, I said, “God has greatly blessed me voice.”

It is not well to look too closely into a man’s face if he is about to decide. A man is conscious that his face in an index to his heart, and when the will submits, his face shows it, but a man is unwilling that others should notice the submission. And looking at his face (one must learn how to look), I talked with him as one who had yielded, and then I prayed that Jesus might richly accept and bless him to his glory.

The news came, “Samuel John has remained behind.”

An empty teapot suggests a powerful discourse! I have already referred to Mr. Evan Roberts power of observation. He can make use of and take lesson from objects which few others would think of utilising. That has been often noticed in connection with the revival meetings, where he has often taken as his text either the “time of day” on the dial of the clock, or a motto on the wall: but here we have the teapot in the silent room used as a starting point:-

Sunday, 4.40 p.m.

Tea. - The tea pot has become empty, and I had intended “calling” Annie to bring me more tea. I had expected to get this question: “Is it empty?” “Yes, it is, for I am thirsty.” My thoughts went straight to Calvary, where those awfully strange words were spoken. “I thirst.” The Creator of all the world’s fountain crying. “I thirst.” Dark clouds hung over Him, but they contained not a drop for Jesus!! He drank of his Father’s cup whilst crying “I thirst!”

The cup could not quench thirst, and yet He drank it all to the bottom, while every drop made Him thirst for an ocean!!

“Give me to drink” were His words at Jacob’s well. That is His cry to-day, and His words come to us from the Great White Throne like sonorous music through the “void of man’s perdition.”

But He asks for water in order to give. If thou give Jesus but a drop He will give thee a sea. I know not whether my Jesus in His thirst had a drop from the well, but the woman had a sea - a sea - a sea - and if Jesus had no water for His lips He had water for His soul. “What are these hundred thousand converts?”

They are clear water to quench the thirst of Jesus, but there are other wells. Shall Jesus draw water from the well of Bethlehem? Where are the heroes that will go through the enemy’s ranks to obtain water for Jesus? Wilt thou go? Dost thou wish to go? Do not be satisfied with merely reading about heroes - be a hero thyself. Thou hast the power to be a hero, if thou art willing to lose thy soul for the sake of the cause - art thou?

I thirst for Wales.

I thirst for England.

I thirst for Scotland.

I thirst for Ireland.

I thirst for the world - shall we present the world to Jesus? Yes, we shall!!!

NOTES:

Calvary, to Brook Kedron:

Kedron? Kedron? The Creator dieth upon me - and O, He thirsteth. It nearly breaketh my heart to hear Him cry! Kedron! Keron!! Bring a drop of water to thy Creator!!

Kerdron! Bring Him to me, and he shall be satisfied. He hath commended me to go to the sea, but O, how I wish He might call upon me. Kedron, I thirst! And to His lips pure and undefiled. But no, I must to the sea. Calvary: O ye dark clouds, permit a shower to fall.

Clouds! No, our treasure are locked up, and the keys hang at the girdle of Him who dieth upon thee. Thou, Calvary, must extract the nail from His hand first. Canst thou? If thou canst, do at once. Calvary! Ye Heaven! Heaven! Some one hath bound my arms at my side. I cannot move hand or foot, and am pressed by a terrible weight. I am nigh suffocating. What is this terrible load that is upon me.. mountains of Canaan! Hasten to my help. “No,” they said, shaking their heads, with their visage grim.

The hand of the Almighty prevents us. Our hands are s though bound to our aides. If fire came down and burnt the hands then would we leap towards thee.

Calvary! Lo, here my hope perisheth. The Mountains knew His secret, the clouds His riches, and Kedron His spotlessness, but men - O, my heart, it breaks - breaks - breaks in two. O! O!

An earthquake!