Liverpool, Mon, April 3

No finer sight has yet been seen in connection with the revival than was witnessed in Liverpool this evening. The service arranged for seven o’clock this evening in the Toxteth Congregational Tabernacle, Park-road, was like some of the best Glamorgan meetings, commenced long before the hour announced for “opening”. When I arrived, shortly after half-past five o’clock, there was a huge crowd in three streets trying in-effectually to gain admittance. It was said that the large chapel, capable of seating fully 1,500 people; was crowded, and that among those who had not arrived in time to secure admittance were a number of ministers and some of the officials of the Liverpool committee.

When I entered the building I found the service at a very high pitch, with prayers, fervent and fluent, singly and simultaneously offered up, decidedly pre-dominating. A young woman in the gallery was wonderfully pathetic in her petition, drawing tears from the eyes of hundreds before she herself broke down in her passionate prayer. The early part of the service was “led” very slightly and wisely, and when the state of things prevailing inside and outside the cathedral was discovered, it was announced that and over-flow meeting would be held, and some of the ministers were urged to go to conduct it. There seemed to be no response, but Liverpool ministers can do things without ostentation, and I know some of them quietly moved out to comply with the request. Meanwhile, the hymn singing which broke out occasionally showed what a remarkable improvement in time and “hywl” has taken place since Mr. Evan Roberts’s advent, and no hymn was sung with greater effect than-

“Y Gwr, a fu gynt o dan heelion
Dros ddyn peehadurus fel tl”

(“The Christ that to the cross was nailed
For sinners, of whom I am one”)

Among the petitioners at the Throne of Grace, perhaps the most striking in their prayers at this service were visitors from various parts of North Wales, who fervently asked for the blessings of the revival to come with greater abundance, some asking that the showers which they had received at home would fall on Liverpool; others asking that the revival might save Liverpool and spread elsewhere. Not the least effective seemingly in his prayer, judging from the enthusiasm which his praises aroused, was a boy about ten years of age who sat in the balcony.

Strange scenes and sounds were being enacted at twenty minutes past seven when Mr. Evan Roberts, the Rev. John Williams, Miss Anne Davies, and Miss Roberts arrived. While prayers were proceeding the enormous excluded congregation in the streets was heard singing with thrilling effect “O, Llefara, addfwyn Iesu,” and, after a while,a t the close of a prayer, the congregation inside suddenly started singing

“Yn Eden cofiaf hyny byth
Bendithien gollias rif y gwlith”

(“The loss of Eden I still rue,
Blessings as numerous as the dew”)

By this time Evan Roberts was standing in the pulpit, with the open Bible before him, but before he spoke a young woman sitting in one of the front rows of the chapel pews began praying, and her torrential petition was one of the most remarkable for eloquence, pathos, and power which I have heard in the course of these great revival meetings. “Er Ei fwyn Ef” (“For His Sake”) she repeated over and over again with a loving pathos which elicited “Amens” in a mighty chorus, and at the close of this prayer Evan Roberts began to speak, taking the words of the prayer “For His Sake” as a text. The evangelist entered into a powerful exhortation on the duties of these present to realise the full force of these words, “For His Sake”, and to act accordingly. It was not enough to shout “Amen” and smile with approval and go into “hwyl” with the prayer. They must be prepared to work. They had been singing “O anfon Di yu Ysbryd Glan” (“O God, Thy Holy Spirit send”) for the sake of the name, but it would have been better for some to be silent. Why? Because they had rejected Jesus Christ. They were not only to enjoy themselves, but to render their own best services. If they realised the love of the Saviour and their own un-worthiness, the service and every other service, would long ago have been a bonfire of praise and prayer. Then, referring to the subject mentioned by him at the previous services, the - reminded them that there were some amongst them who were not one in Christ. They were asking for a downpour of blessing, but there were obstacles in the way. What would they think of a man who said he was going to sacrifice to God, but who had not purchased the sacrifice nor prepared the altar? They must bear in mind that when the fire descended it was to destroy as well as purify some things. Were they ready to receive the fire?

Suddenly from the furthest part of the gallery came the voice of a man of apparently middle age, praying “There is” he said “an old quarrel in Liverpool. There are ministers of the Gospel here who refuse to forgive. Wilt Thou Lord open the hearts of the ministers of Liverpool? They refuse to let the young people go to the Sun-hall” Another man then broke out into prayer, and the two went on for a couple of sentences before Mr. Evan Roberts, pointing to the first man said, “Will you please sit down?” The petitioner went on for a few more sentences, but Mr. Evan Roberts repeated his command- “Sit down, please.” Then he added- “There is no need to say anything to God. God knows all. Some may think I have something in my mind. I had nothing in my mind except that I know the obstacle is here.” There was silence for a few second, and Mr. Evan Roberts again went on: “Do not think the service is at an end. It is going on. The difficulty is sometimes that when we sow the seed we expect to reap the harvest immediately. It is easy enough for you to know whether it is clear between you and God and between you and your fellow-men, but if it is not clear between us and our fellow-men it will not for eternity be clear between us and God.”

The man whose prayer had been stopped again ejaculated, “Let it be clear.”

Mr. Evan Roberts: “Will you be quiet please?”

The rebuke had the desired effect. Another man prayed that they might be enabled to raise their eyes from ministers and from everyone else to Jesus- a petition which elicited a loud and general chorus of “Amens.” Miss Anne Davies sang an inspiring sacred solo, and, among others, Miss Mary Roberts prayed for the removal of every hindrance to the success of the meeting, so that souls might be saved in the chapel And among the great congregation outside. Presently there came, not inappropriately, a wonderful spontaneous outburst of Newman’s soul-stirring hymn, “Lead, kindly Light” sung in English by the congregation. Shortly afterwards came the first English prayer of the evening. It was that of a young woman, who rose in the body of the chapel, and as if in response came a spontaneous outburst of “I need Thee every hour” from the congregation. A moment or two later “Calon Lan” was struck up as a solo, and many in the body of the chapel joined in the refrain, but the stirring revival hymn of the mining valleys- the telling description of the glorious advantages of a pure heart- was not so well known as it might be among the great audience or it would have been much more effective, especially after the references made earlier to personal differences. After a brief English address by Miss Mary Roberts, during which the people outside could be heard singing, Mr. Evan Roberts again rose and asked, “Are there any hindrances here? Everyone who knows anything of a good service and who knows anything of the power of prayer knows that there has been great disobedience here to-night. How many have prayed for the removal of the obstacles? I am perfectly satisfied. I am not here to create a fire; that must come from God. Turn to Matthew and what do you find? ‘Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ Where the congregations are at their best, at any rate in South Wales, there God has shown His wonderful works. Why has there not been more prayer? How many prayed before coming to the meeting, asking God to bless this meeting? Not half of this congregation; but don’t rise so as not to shame the others. Prayer is the great secret. If we were to pray for an hour the blessings would come down.”

The effect of this address was touching, and a great wave of simultaneous prayer broke over the meeting, much more powerful than anything yet at Liverpool. During a slight lull the Rev. Dr. Phillips attempted to test the meeting, but Mr. Evan Roberts stopped him, declaring that God would not have the meeting tested then, as there were obstacles to clear, and God must not be robbed of glory. The prayers, passionate, numerous, and extraordinary in pathos and power, were renewed for some time, hundreds of spectators being in tears. Mr. Evan Robert’s, who had been sitting in the minister’s chair and apparently in passionate prayer himself, rose again, and said, “Now thank God for listening to our prayers.” “Diolch iddo” and “Ar Ei ben bo’r goron” (“On His head be the crown”) rang out, and after a while the Rev. John Williams asked the congregation to sing “Marchog Iesu yn llwyddianus” (“Onward, Jesus, ride triumphant”) remarking that Mr. Roberts told him the obstacles were being cleared. Let them sing this song, the triumph of Jesus, and help still further to remove the hindrances. There was a magnificent rendering of the hymn in response to this appeal.