WALES.
Cardiff, Bethany —Mr 'Tilly immersed six male and seven female believers on March 4th. At length the Lord was pleased to give them joy and peace in believing. These were all added.— I have great pleasure in mentioning the vast amount of good done among both Romanists and nominal protestants, through the zealous and almost incessant labours of Mr Edwards, who, in season and out of season, has held meetings in the most destitute and graded parts of the town, where he has been the means of inducing some brothel-keepers to close their infamous houses and live a decent life; while eighteen of the unfortunate females connected with them have been sent to a reformatory. His daily visits to that dark spot have been a blessing to many a poor sinner who was wallowing in the mire and filth of sin, regardless alike of its consequences for time or for eternity, but who now are not only respectable members of society hut members of Christian churches. May he have grace and strength to persevere!
I may state too, that, in answer to the prayers of his people the Lord has been doing a mighty work here. All classes of the community have, more or less, been affected by the Divine influence. Professing Christians have been aroused to the consciousness that they were at ease in Zion while souls were perishing around them. The churches have been awakened to a sense of their responsibility and new and increased efforts have been made, in order to win souls to Christ.
The Lord has been graciously pleased to own and bless those efforts in a wonderful manner for not only have the places of worship been crowded to excess, but hundreds have been added to the various churches. A general spirit of inquiry, and an anxiety for their soul's salvation, hitherto unfelt, has manifested itself among the people at large. Prayer meetings are held in every available place; the men employed on the different railroads in the neighbourhood hold a prayer meeting every day during their dinner hour, in a shed near the line; even little boys have meetings among themselves. One day some men accidentally discovered a few little fellows praying in a sawpit near the docks. The men were so conscience-stricken at the sight, that they began to pray too; others followed their example; the meetings were continued, but their numbers increased so rapidly that it became necessary, if possible, to obtain a more convenient place to meet in. Mr Smart, a truly Christian man, who has spent a large portion of his time, talents, and wealth in the service of his Lord; hearing of the circumstance, kindly erected a large tent for their accommodation; and now every day above two hundred coal-heavers, who are employed in loading vessels at the docks, may be seen assembling within its ample space to spend forty minutes of their dinner hour in prayer.
At the united prayer meeting, which is held at the Town Hall every Saturday evening; those men came and gave a general invitation to all who loved the Lord Jesus to visit the tent, and they should receive a hearty welcome. What a glorious result from so small a beginning! I will just mention another pleasing instance of the good affected by those little boys; one day as a woman was walking along one of the streets of the town, she thought she heard the sound of a voice in pleading accents issuing from one of the houses she was passing. She stopped to listen when she recognised the voice of her own little boy, who was praying with others very earnestly that his father and mother might be brought to Jesus. She was much affected, and went in and joined them. Now both she and her husband are members of a Christian church. Thus the little boy, only nine years of age, was made instrumental in bringing his parents to the Saviour. I am happy to be able to say that the good work is still going on - silently, it may be, but not the less surely. Blessed be God forever!
From, "The Baptist Reporter," April 1860, page 125-6.
The church was rebuilt in 1865 as a result of the revival. In 1965 the congregation removed to premises in Rhiwbina. By 1969, extension of the neighbouring Howells Department Store incorporated within the department store itself retaining many original features.