| 1904-1905 Welsh Revival |
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THE BACKGROUND Before the 1904–1905 revival the last revival that Wales saw was in 1859 , but prior to that change was afoot in its Christianity . From 1850 onwards the Christianity of Wales was markedly less Calvinistic in form. A generation of powerful biblical preachers ended, as leaders such as Christmas Evans (1838), John Elias (1841) and Henry Rees (1869) died, and the emphasis in preaching was shifting from biblical correctness to simply entertaining the crowd. Prior to the 1904–1905 revival two thinkers came to prominence, the political philosopher Karl Marx with his Communist Manifesto in 1848 and '' Das Capital '' in 1867 and the scientist Charles Darwin with his major work the '' Origin Of Species '' in 1859, both of which posed a challenge to the Christianity of Wales. In the face of hardship the poor quarrymen of North Wales wanted hope and so many modified their preaching style to that of Social Gospel ; likewise Christian leaders came to accept the theories of Darwin despite the sometimes perceived conflict with the teachings of the Bible. As such, it appeared to some in the time preceding 1904 that the churches and Christian leaders of Wales had rejected the Calvinistic tradition; Wales was ready for a spiritual injection. Between 1859 and 1904, there were local revivals: in Cwmafan (1866), Rhondda (1879), Carmarthen and Blaenau Ffestiniog (1887), Dowlais (1890) and Pontnewydd (1892). REVIVAL BEGINS It cannot be said exactly where and when the Revival broke out, but perhaps these areas can be identified as crucial locations. Ceinewydd (New Quay) and Blaenannerch A prominent leader of the Revival was the Methodist preacher of Ceinewydd Joseph Jenkins , who, in 1903, arranged a conference in Ceinewydd under the theme ‘to deepen our loyalty to Christ.’ After a meeting in February of 1904, the regular Sunday meetings as well as the newly founded mid-week meetings became lively and Joseph Jenkins’ Church went to other surrounding Towns and Villages to witness. In September a conference was held in Blaenannerch . It was reported that massive blessing was upon this conference and the news quickly spread thought the area and beyond. The South Wales Daily News picked up on the events and reported that 'the third great revival was afoot through the nation!' — the other two being the Welsh Methodist Revival and the 1859 Revival . Ammanford At the beginning of November 1904 Jenkins was invited as guest preacher at meetings in Bethany Ammanford , the Church of Nantlais Williams . When it was arranged that Joseph Jenkins was to be guest preacher there was no news of the blessings of Ceinewydd and Blaenannerch, but an extra meeting was hastily arranged on the Sunday afternoon so that Joseph Jenkins could tell the about the blessings felt in Ceinewydd and Blaenannerch. Nantlais Williams is recorded to have said that he was worried that there would be no interest in such a meeting and he was sceptical what the turn out would be; when he himself arrived he could only just squeeze in to the Chapel to hear Joseph Jenkins. It had been arranged before the blessings that Joseph Jenkins was to preach on the Monday night before his return to Ceinewydd. The Church was again full with people professing their faith in Jesus; but perhaps the most dramatic turn was when one of the crowd announced ''“Another meeting like this will be held here tomorrow night...”'', and so that meeting again was well attended and went on until the early hours of the morning. Despite already having been ordained as a Minister it is worth noting that upon that weekend in November 1904 Nantlais Williams himself was not a Christian, he came to conviction on the Saturday night prior to Joseph Jenkins’ arrival. North Wales In December of 1904 Joseph Jenkins embarked upon a three month period preaching and professing in areas of North Wales. Many meetings were blessed in Amlwch , Llangefni , Llanerchymedd , Talysarn , Llanllyfni , Llanrwst , Dinbych , Dinorwig , Disgwylfa and amongst students in the University Of Wales Bangor . But perhaps the largest blessings were seen in Bethesda , where another leader of the revival J.T Job described the meeting held in Jerusalem Bethesda on the 22 of December 1904 as ''‘a hurricane’''. Evan Roberts and Casllwchwr Evan Roberts was a young man influenced by the stories and experiences that were happening over in Ceinewydd and Blaenannerch. He felt a call to the ministry and so went for his ministerial training in Newcastle Emlyn . He therefore landed up in the, then, hot-bed of the Revival in south Ceredigion . The zeal of the blessings in Ceinewydd and Blaenannerch had already spread to Newcastle Emlyn and served as quite a distraction for a man who had been sent there to study. Seth Joshua , another prominent leader of the Revival came to the area to hold meetings, Evan Roberts attended eagerly. After his three months training at Newcastle Emlyn he was to return to Casllwchwr to start his ministry. He is said to have direct visions from the Holy Spirit ; very specific visions such as the number 100,000 representing the souls God is to use him to save. As the revival unfolded Evan Roberts is said to depend more and more on what he considered the guiding of the Holy Spirit, thus neglecting the authority of the Scriptures. Slow was the response to Evan Roberts’ ministry at start but soon the crowds turned out and the meetings were blessed and carried on until the early hours of the morning. After the blessings at Casllwchwr Evan Roberts got together a team and went on a tour of the South Wales Valleys to spread the revival. Evan Roberts did not take well the end of the revival and the frustration of great expectations of a world wide revival including the conversion of France that had arisen in his team, and afterwards fell into depression. He was housed then by a friend and co-authored a heretical book with his friend's wife Jessie Penn-Lewis , War Against The Saints , from which he dissociated himself after he recovered from depression and the book was severely criticised. The whole episode is taken by critics of the revival and Roberts’ role in it as indication that the roots of the revival were not in the longing for God’s sovereign action but in emotionalist hopes, thus contributing to the final defeat of Christianity in Wales instead of reverting it. Role of newspapers A feature of this revival that was not seen in any other revival prior to 1904 was the role of the media. The Western Mail and the South Wales Daily News , Wales’ daily newspapers were the main means of spreading the story that revival was in the land. The Western Mail gave extensive coverage to Evan Roberts’ meetings in Casllwchwr. REFLECTIONS ON THE REVIVAL It is believed that at least 100,000 people became Christians during the 1904–1905 revival, but despite this it did not put a stop to the gradual decline of Christianity in Wales, only holding it back slightly. It is said that the 1904–1905 revival lacked the depth of previous revivals in terms of nurturing the newly converted Christians in Bible Doctrine . Those areas which were blessed with a revival leader whom put emphasis on the authority of Scripture such as Rhosllanerchrugog saw the effect of the revival last longer than areas who had a revival leader whom put emphasis on alleged visions. What happened in Wales during 1904–1905 was indeed a hurricane as J.T Job put it but it was not the typhoon of a hoped-for revisited Methodist revival. ''AMAZING GRACE'' MUSICAL In 2005 a musical was made about the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival. The music and lyrics are written by Mal Pope and the book is by Frank Vickery . It's first tour began at the Grand Theatre in Swansea, Wales and was directed by Michael Bogdanov with The Wales Theatre Company . The first tour included an appearance from Peter Karrie . See ''Amazing Grace'' official Web Site SOURCES
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