Out of many communications from this county, the following is selected. It is from the pen of a minister who has been much honoured of God in this and in former revivals:—
LLANHARAN, Feb. 10, 1860
"I have the greatest pleasure in stating that this locality (Glamorgan) has been blessed with a most powerful religious awakening for the last twelve months. Considering the scanty population of these parts, compared with the towns, works, and mineral districts, the revival here is regarded as one of the most wonderful and powerful hitherto known in Wales. The hand of the Lord is clearly revealed, and multitudes are added unto the Lord. The circumstances under which the heavenly gale began to blow, are as follows:—At our annual assembly, held at Aberdare, in June 1858, it was proposed and unanimously resolved, that the first Sunday in the following August should be set apart by all the churches and congregations of our association in the four counties — viz., Glamorgan, Monmouth, Brecknock, and Radnor—to pray unitedly and earnestly for the outpouring of God's Spirit. I went home and stated the resolution to my people, and some unusual feelings thrilled through the minds of all present. When the stated Sabbath arrived, we were blessed with remarkable earnestness at the throne of grace for the descent of the Holy Spirit to revive the Church and convert the world. Ever since that memorable Sabbath, the prayer-meetings presented a new aspect,—they gradually increased in warmth and number during the following months. This continued to February last, when it pleased Jehovah to pour down His Spirit from on high, as on the day of Pentecost. Then anxious inquirers came forward in dozens, some under strong mental emotions, perceiving their lost state as sinners; and shortly they received relief to their minds by exercising faith in the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. At this period it was advisable to publish prayer-meetings daily, and the attendance constantly increased for months, and continues doing so to the present time. Our chapels and other places of worship are overcrowded. At the close of each meeting we announced a Society (church-meeting), and new converts came forward daily. The number of these at present in our churches amounts to several hundred. The churches are generally doubled in number, and new inquirers are continually coming forward. The heavenly fire still continues to burn, and the flames have spread throughout the county at large. All religious denominations are cordially united in social prayer-meetings, and the descent of Divine influence amongst us is evident. The writer of these lines (to God be the praise) has had the great honour of giving the right hand of fellowship to more than six hundred and fifty new candidates for membership in our churches in this district since February last; and that in a comparatively small circle too. The revival is progressing and spreading universally in this new year throughout the towns, ironworks, villages, and hamlets of Glamorganshire, especially in that part of the county called The Vale.' Those parts of the county which were usually considered to be the darkest, and where the inhabitants were most absorbed in worldly cares, are now generally roused and awakened, and raised from the dead,' and Christ himself gives them light. We have no cases of physical prostration; persons are not struck to the ground here, as in Ireland and Scotland; but we have many cases of very sudden and powerful changes in those who have discovered their lost state, while pursuing their several avocations on the mountains, and who on the spot were led to cry for mercy. Many of the old standard hearers of the gospel are led to seek pardoning grace. They now seem as though they were born over again and the very sound of their voices moves the whole congregation into tears, and exclamations of Hallelujah!' universally burst forth. Now and then we witness persons, under the influence of saving grace, leaping in spiritual joy. We have converts whose ages vary from nine years to eighty, and in some instances eighty-four years of age; and both young and old give evidence of spiritual life. The new-born babes in Christ form themselves into divers prayer-meetings, and their supplications at the throne of grace are remarkably earnest; they sometimes pray for their friends and relatives by name, and so earnest is the prayer, that they will not leave the mercy- seat until they prevail. The result is that others (ready to perish) are continually brought in at the great trumpet- sound of salvation. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.' Thousands, since the commencement of this revival, have been converted and brought home to God amongst our own denomination in these parts, numbering more than twenty congregations. Other denominations of the Christian Church throughout this county, especially in Me Vale,' have been blessed with the same wonderful results. This period must assuredly be the dawn of the glorious Millennium,
WILLIAM GRIFFITHS."
From ‘The Welsh Revival’ by Thomas Phillips.
DEAR SIR,--Having perused your valuable periodical with extraordinary interest from its commencement, I feel disposed to offer my Fatling to the treasury of its useful narratives; hoping and praying that all in it shall be abundantly blessed. I have the greatest pleasure to inform the numerous readers of the Revisal (to the glory of our God and Saviour be it related) that this place has been bountifully blessed with a most powerful religious awakening since February last. Considering the thin population of the neighbourhood compared with others in Glamorganshire, our religious Revival is estimated one of the most wonderful hitherto known in Wales. The hand of the Lord is clearly revealed here, and multitudes are added unto the Lord, and we fully believe the sound of many more is to be heard coming forward. The circumstances under which the heavenly gale began to blew were as follows: —At our Annual Assembly, held at Aberdare, June, 1858, it was proposed and unanimously resolved that the first Sunday in the following August should be set apart by all the churches and congregations of our Association in the four counties, viz.—Glamorgan, Monmouth Brecknock, and Radnor, to pray unitedly and earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I went home and stated the resolution pathetically to my people, and some unusual feelings thrilled through the minds of all present. When the stated. Sabbath arrived, we ware blessed with remarkable earnestness at the Throne of Grace for the descent of the Holy Spirit to revive the church and convert the ungodly. Ever since that memorable Sabbath, the prayer-meetings wore new aspects; they gradually increased in warmth and number during the following weeks and months, and that constantly, up to February last, when it pleased the Lord to pour down his Spirit from on high, just as upon the day of Pentecost of old. Then anxious inquirers by dozens began to come forward— some under strong emotions of mind by beginning to perceive their lost state as sinners; and shortly they were relieved from their straits, by acting faith in the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In this period, it was advisable to publish prayer-meetings daily, and the attendance daily increased for many months, even until now. Our chapels are overcrowded: "The report went forth and the multitude came together." At the close of each meeting, we publish a society, and some new converts are found daily; their number at present are reckoned many hundreds. The churches are generally doubled in number, and new inquirers are constantly coming forward. The heavenly fire continues to burn, and its flames are spread throughout the country at large. All religious denominations are cordially united here in social prayer-meetings, and the descent of Divine influence is obvious in our midst. The writer of these lines had the great honour of giving the right hand of fellowship to more than three hundred new converts since last February, and that in a comparatively small circle. The Revival is progressing now throughout the towns, villages, and hamlets of Glamorgan. The Rev. D. Morgan, of Ysbythy Ystwyth, Cardiganshire, being the first instrument used by the Spirit of God to kindle the holy fire in Cardiganshire. He took a preaching tour through this country lately (and his visit was universally blessed) to awake the Calvinistic Methodist churches out of their drowsiness many of them, though blaming the Revival at first, now earnestly long for its progress.
We have no cases of prostrating and striking persons to the ground, as by physical force, as we read of in Ireland and Scotland, but we have many cases of very sudden and powerful change; some discovering their lost state on the top of mountains, and made to cry out for mercy; some old standard hearers of the gospel are bound to cry out for pardoning mercy, some confessing that their spiritual state has been as in the bringing forth of children, for forty years past; they seem now newly born again, and the hearing of their voices bursts the whole congregation to tears. We have converts from nine years of age to seventy-five, and all these different ages hear true marks of spiritual life. The new-born babes form themselves into different prayer-meeting, and their supplications at the throne of grace are most wonderful; they pray for their friends and relatives, by name, and so earnestly, that they will not leave the throne before they prosper, and the result is, that others do come (ready to perish) weekly. The Lord has done great and wonderful things for us, therefore we are glad. We send this brief account to the Revival, wishing a cordial share in the prayers of all its numerous readers. Wm. GRIFFITHS.
Llanharan, near Cowbridge, Glamorganshire, Oct. 8, 1859.
Would you please contact us if you know where these meetings took place?