Llanfachraeth Welsh Baptist Chapel (1905)
A series of prayer meetings had been held before the great Revival broke out, before the spark became a flame. The minister had an opportunity to visit Hebron, Holyhead, in the first week of January, where the Rev. R. B. Jones, Porth, like an angel sent from God delivered the special message of the Revival, with varying influence – sometimes cutting to the marrow, sometimes the people were seen to be immersed in joy as they obtained such a clear view of Jesus as Saviour, Redeemer and King. We went home to Llanfachraeth on the evening of Saturday, January 14th, with the spark that was in our hearts turned into a flame. Sunday morning came, and the service began as usual. Then the minister began to talk about the living influence which had been felt at Holyhead; but within five minutes, there was brother William Jones, Carnhelig, crying out to God for mercy and forgiveness for the last 40 years. A shudder went through the congregation, and tears could be seen pouring copiously down every cheek. As soon as he finished, a young girl aged fifteen broke out in prayer, in an earnest and profound spirit. Then William Jones again in the middle of the chapel was shouting aloud that he had been 40 years with religion and had done nothing publicly for the Great Master, and he suddenly went on his knees crying out with a loud voice for forgiveness. This was the strangest meeting I ever attended. The area was filled with joy when they saw the brother Robert Rowlands, giving himself to Christ. Oh! blessed meeting. In the afternoon the minister went to Llandeusant as usual. He felt that the atmosphere was rather hard at the beginning of the service. Here again he began to speak of the eternal impressions received in Holyhead, and when he asked people whether they had realized the truth that it was we who should have been in Gethsemane sweating blood, &c., the Spirit came into the service like a mighty wind. Here as one correspondent described it, last Sunday was one that will be long remembered in the history of Horeb, doubtless a spark fell to their part. The Rev. T. E. Waters was so fired at the sound of the Revival of Holyhead, that he fully came to believe that it was better not to preach as usual, and he led one of the strangest meetings we have ever seen. There was no need to call on anyone by name, everyone came forward in the blazing heat of the Holy Spirit. In the evening it was again received in abundance. A young man, who had not spoken to his brother for two years, pushing through the congregation to shake hands with him, and then he went on to lead in prayer. January, 1905, is a month that will long be remembered in the history of Llanfachreth. No one believed that such a thing as union between the different denominations was possible until a little while ago; but surprisingly, there have never been such blessed meetings. On the evening of Thursday, January 12th, it had been announced that the meeting would be held in the Independent chapel, but it soon became evident that a larger chapel was required. A procession was formed, and we went singing through the village to the Baptist chapel. The words, 'For Jesus Christ and his mortal wound', &c.; 'Thank Him, ' &c. were sung. The Rev. R. B. Jones, Porth, visited the district on Friday, January 13th, and his mission among us continued over the evening of Tuesday, January 18th. He expressed his message with particular force and conviction, it is and not too much to say that the effect was a revelation and a blessing to the neighbourhood. To portray every service would require considerable space, we will simply note a few things. The meeting on Sunday evening was distinguished by the great number of people. This was considered to be about 600, the chapel was packed. Mr Jones's great message was the Holiness of God, and the necessity of having reverence in His temple. By Monday evening the number of converts in Llanfachraeth was 70, and in Llandeusant 40-50. It could be said that the number of converts in both places by Tuesday night was 120.
10th February 1905, Seren Cymru newspaper.
Additional Information
Buwyd yn cynnal cyfres o gyfarfodydd gweddi cyn i'r Adfywiad mawr dori allan, cyn i'r wreichionen droi yn fflam. Cafodd y gweinidog gyfleusdra i ymweled a Hebron, Caergybi, ar yr wythnos gyntaf o lonawr, ac yno yr oedd y Parch R. B. Jones, Porth, fel angel anfonedig oddiwrth Dduw yn traddodi cenadwri arbenig y Diwygiad, gyda dylanwad amrywiol—rai prydiau yn tori hyd at y mer, bryd arall gwelsid y bobl yn ymgolli mewn llawenydd wrth gael golwg mor glir ar lesu fel Ceidwad, Iachawdwr, a Brenin. Aethom adref i Llanfachraeth nos Sadwrn, lonawr 14eg, a'r wreichionen oedd yn ein calon wedi troi yn fflam. Boreu Sul ddaeth, a dechreuwyd y gwasanaeth fel arfer. Yna dechreuodd y gweinidog siarad am y dylanwad byw oedd wedi deimlo yn Nghaergybi; ond cyn pen pum munyd, dyna y brawd William Jones, Carnhelig, yn gwaeddi ar Dduw am drugaredd a maddeuant am y 40 mlynedd diweddaf. Aeth rhyw arswyd trwy y gynnulleidfa, ac ar bob grudd gwelid y dagrau yn rhedeg yn hidl. Cyn gynted ag y gorphenodd dyna eneth ieuanc bumtheg oed yn tori allan i weddio, yn daer a dwys ei hysbryd. Dacw William Jones etto yn nghanol y capel yn gwaeddi yn uchel ei fod wedi bod am 40 mlynedd gyda chrefydd a heb wneyd dim yn gyhoeddus dros y Meistr Mawr, ac aeth etto yn sydyn ar ei liniau gan waeddi a llef uchel am faddeuant. Dyma'r cyfarfod rhyfeddaf y bum ynddo erioed. Llanwyd yr ardal a llawenydd wrth weled y brawd Robert Rowlands, yn rhoi ei hun i Grist. O! fendigedig gyfarfod. Yn y prydnawn aeth y gweinidog i Llanddeusant fel arfer. Teimlai mai dipyn yn galed oedd yr amgylchedd ar ddechreu yr oedfa. Yma etto dechreuedd ddweyd am yr argraffiadau tragwyddol dderbyniwyd yn Nghaergybi, a phan yn gofyn i'r bobl os oeddent wedi sylweddoli y gwirionedd mai ni ddy lasem fod yn Gethsemane yn chwysu'r gwaed, &c., daeth yr Yspryd megis gwynt nerthol i'r oedfa. Dyma fel y darlunia rhyw ohebydd hi Sul a hirgofir yn hanes Horeb yw y diweddaf, diamheu i wreichionen ddisgyn i'w rhan.' Yr oedd y Parch T. E. Waters wedi ei danio i'r fath raddau yn swn y Diwygiad yn Nghaergybi, fel yr oedd wedi llwyr gredu mai gwell oedd peidio pregethu fel arfer, ac arweiniwyd un o'r cyfarfodydd rhyfeddaf a welsom erioed. Nid oedd angen galw ar neb wrth eu henwau, pawb yn dyfod yn mlaen yn ngwres tanbaid yr Yspryd Glan. Yn yr hwyr derbyniwyd yn helaethach drachefn. Bachgen ieuanc, yr hwn oedd heb siarad a'i frawd er ys dwy flynedd, yn gwthio trwy y gynnulleidfa i ysgwyd Haw ag ef, ac yna aeth yn mlaen i arwain mewn gweddi. Mis a hirgofir yn hanes Llanfachraeth yw mis Ionawr, 1905. Nid oedd neb yn credu fod Y fath beth ag undeb rhwng y gwabanol enwadau yn bosibl er ys ychydig amser yn ol; ond syndod, ni fu y fath gyfarfodydd bendithlawn erioed. Nos Iau, lonawr 12fed, yr oeddid wedi cyhoeddi mai yn nghapel yr Annibynwyr y cynnelid y cyfarfod, eithr buan y gwelwyd fod rhaid cael capel eangach. Ffurfiwyd gorymdaith, ac aethom dan ganu trwy y pentref i gapel y Bedyddwyr. Canwyd y geiriau, 'Am lesu Grist a'i farwol glwy', &c.; Diolch Iddo,' &c. Talodd y Parch R. B. Jones, Porth, ymweliad a'r cylch dydd Gwener, lonawr 13eg, a pharodd ei genadaeth yn ein plith dros nos Fawrth, Ionawr 18fed. Mynegodd ei genadwri gyda grym ac arddeliad neillduol, ac nid gormod yw dweyd fod yr effaith yn ddadguddiad ac yn fendith i'r cylch. Byddai rhoddi darluniad o bob oedfa yn gofyn cryn ofod, ni wnawn ond nodi ychydig bethau. Hynodid y cyfarfod nos Sul gan luosogrwydd y bobl. Bernid fod yma tua 600, y capel yn orlawn. Cenadwri fawr Mr Jones ydoedd, Sancteiddrwydd Duw, a'r angenrheidrwydd o feddu parchedigaeth yn Ei deml. Erbyn nos Lun yr oedd nifer y dychweledigion yn Llanfachraeth yn 70, ac yn Llanddeusant 40—50. Gellid dweyd fod nifer y dychweledigion yn y ddau le erbyn nos Fawrth yn 120.
10th February 1905, Seren Cymru