1799 or 1800 Aberthyn, Glamorganshire. ‘During these years, the Church in the County [Glamorganshire] had its head lifted up through the stirring impulse of very lively and powerful revivals. The cause at Aberthyn became very cold and low because of contentions. On his way to the Newport Association in the year 1799 [or 1800], [Hopkin] Bevan preached there at midday—a weekday. The Reverend Mr Howells, of Trehill had arranged the journey, and feared that only a small congregation would assemble; but when the time came that dear old apostolic father William Thomas, of Pyle had been there, and the Lord had owned him, as a very fervent revival had begun to take place, so that when Bevan arrived, many people gathered full of the divine fire, and when he recalled the verse, “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children, &c, the rejoicing drowned the sermon. The awakening spread to Ewenni, and from there to Bridgend.; it descended powerfully on the young people and children.’ [CCHMC ii. 46-7; Williams, Cofiant Hopkin Bevan, pp.39-41]
‘The Lord visited us with various awakening impulses and lively and very powerful revivals in various parts of the county, where the cause had become cold and low, the visitation of the revival would raise their head particularly in every place it came to. I remember that the cause had become low in Aberthyn, near Cowbridge, because of disputes and such like; and I think that in 1799 the first Association was held at Newport, and it happened that the Rev. and dear Mr Howells of Trehill was with us, and asked a Publication of me to go to that Association, and in that Publication I was to be in Aberthyn on Monday for 12 o’clock, and Mr Howells feared that not many would come to hear at midday on a workday; but when the time came, our dear old Apostolic father William Thomas, of Pyle, had been in the area the previous week, and the Lord had so anointed him that a very fervent revival had started to happen, and when I came to my Publication many people had come together there, and it was as easy to pray and speak as breathing. I remember that the text I took was the first verse of the 122nd Psalm, ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ I had not been speaking for long when the fire kindled, and so I remembered the last verse of the 113th Psalm, ‘He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.’ I did not have opportunity to same more on that occasion. That revival was very powerful in the region for a long time, and many of the people converted in it continued faithful to the end. There was also at that time some degree of awakening and revival in Ewenny, and from there to Oldcastle, Bridgend, particularly among some young people; and it descended powerfully on young children.’ [Hopkin Bevan, Ychydig o Hanes p.?]
This information was kindly provided by Geraint Jones
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