02 - The Drift of the Spirit
Chapter 2 THE DRIFT OF THE SPIRIT The Holy Spirit, when He comes in power upon a church, a town, or a country, comes with His own strategy and His own order of working. Such is easy to follow in the Welsh Revival.
IT WAS A REVIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. Evan Roberts, himself, was only twenty-six years of age. Mary, his sister who took such an active part, was sixteen, while their brother Dan and her future husband Sydney Evans were around twenty. The "Singing Sisters", as they were lovingly called, were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. Thousands of young people, when they became converted, went everywhere testifying. Little children had their own prayer and praise meetings. The chapels were crowded out with the young.
IT WAS A REVIVAL OF SINGING. The Welsh are famous for their native gift of congregational singing. No part in the harmony of a tune is missing and most of the singers sing as those who have been thoroughly trained. Imagine, then, if you can, an instrument with its every string swept by the breath of the Spirit of God! As blessed R. B. Jones, a leader in the revival, said, "The fact is, unless heard, it is unimaginable and when heard indescribable. There was no hymnbook. No one gave out a hymn. Just anybody started the singing, and very rarely did it happen that the hymn started - no one knew by whom - was out of harmony with the mood at the moment. Once started, as if moved by a simultaneous impulse, the hymn was caught up by the whole congregation almost as if what was about to be sung had been announced and all were responding to the baton of a visible human leader. I have seen nothing like it. You felt that the thousand or fifteen hundred persons before you had become merged into one myriad-headed, but simple-souled, personality. Such was the perfect blending of the mood and purpose that it bore eloquent testimony to a unity created only by the Spirit of God."
"The praying and singing", to quote another witness, "were both wonderful. NO NEED FOR AN ORGAN. The assembly was its own organ as a thousand sorrowing or rejoicing hearts found expression in the Psalmody of their native hills."
IT WAS A REVIVAL OF PRAYER. Prayer mingled largely with praise. And what wonderful praying! It was praying that rent the heavens; praying that received direct answers there and then. The spirit of intercession was so mightily poured out that the whole congregation would take part simultaneously for hours! Strangers were startled to hear the young and unlettered pray with such unction and intelligence as they were swept up to the Throne of Grace by the Spirit of God. Worship and adoration was unbounded. Praise mingled with petitions as answered prayer was demonstrated before their very eyes, when their unsaved loved ones came into the meetings and were saved! What a contrast to our prayer meetings today!
IT WAS A REVIVAL OF SOUL-WINNING. Instead of a few preachers and a few of their church members testifying to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus, it seemed now as if every Christian in Wales had a burning agony for lost men and women. It was a most natural thing for a true believer to testify of his glorious Redeemer in the coal mine, in the tramcar, in the office and in the school. Thousands were saved through the personal witness of ordinary, common believers who spoke to them of the claims of Christ during ordinary conversation.
IT WAS A REVIVAL OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. How John and Charles Wesley would have revelled in these meetings! No wonder General William Booth was thrilled to hear the testimonies. It was worthwhile traveling thousands of miles, even from Australia and New Zealand just to be in one revival service, even though Evan or Dan Roberts or Sydney Evans was not there - just to hear the dynamic testimonies of the spiritual experiences of the Christians in Wales! Here was really the old-fashioned Methodist class-meeting over again - revived by the Spirit of God. Here was an intimate walk with God - a God with whom they had personal dealings and whom they had come to know in a deep intimate way. Here was a God who answered prayer! No wonder the people could not sleep and could not stay away from the meetings. No wonder the services carried on till two and three o’clock in the morning and then resulted in a march through the streets with the people singing the praises of The Lamb!
Many at the time and since then have criticized the emotionalism displayed in the meetings. Yes, when thousands of people are convicted of their sins and are gloriously saved by the grace of God, how can they contain their joy? When believers are elevated to a new heavenly position in Christ and at the same time see the answer to years of agonizing prayer in the salvation of their loved ones, surely there must be shouts of joy and songs of adoration. The mountains had melted in God’s presence and the heavens were opened. The Church in Wales had a new and glorious sight of their wonderful Lord. This was expressed in the following chorus which was called "The Love-song of the Revival":
Wondrous Love, unbounded mercy!
Vast as oceans in their flood:
Jesus, Prince of life, is dying - Life for us is in His blood!
Oh! what heart can e’er forget Him? Who can cease His praise to sing?
Wondrous Love! Forever cherished, While the Heavens with music ring.