Salem Baptist Chapel - Penycae (1904)
The revival visited the populous district of Penycae about a fortnight after it broke out in Rhos. Its beginnings were the direct effect of the mighty influence that was at work in Rhos and it was to this place that the fire first began to spread. It could not be avoided— the two districts have ever been as one and thus the influence on the one had its effect on the other. The inhabitants of Penycae were faithful from the start to the meetings held in Rhos and as a result they received an abundant portion of the Spirit.
They devoted themselves in earnest to the work holding more separate prayer meetings in Salem, the Baptist chapel. They began first in the schoolroom but soon had indications that there was not half enough room to hold the hundreds who frequented the meetings, thirsty to have a part in the service and to have proof of the Spirit's work in their own hearts. The spacious chapel was opened—by the way, it was the largest hall in the community— but this place was stretched to the uttermost to contain the congregation who assembled.
A stimulus was given to religious matters such as had never been felt before in the area. The most thoughtless were in earnest, some of those who were held by sordid pleasure now found their whole delight in the feast. Sabbath breakers not only began to keep this day holy but to present themselves at the midweek services, turning workdays into Sabbaths. There were more in the Prayer Meeting and the Experience Meeting, some of whom had spent the whole time previously on sport and the football field—in a word, almost everything in the locality was reversed. For its size there is hardly a spot in the areas around that has been influenced so much, nor where so much fervour and the Spirit's power have been felt in the meetings. The good effects produced are most incredible. Of course, some is of the same nature as elsewhere: drunkards sobered, dishonest become honest, cruel are made gentle, unbelievers become believers and sinners become saints. In the churches the influence in the meetings was just as great. The Revival first took a grip on them and ever since there is more spirituality than formality in the meetings. The church members are eager to do more than profess Christ, they feel the necessity to confess publicly and to lead a life consistent with it and there is a great deepening of spiritual life which can be seen in some of the most casual.
From, 'The Rhos Herald', 21st January 1905. 113 were added to this church from the beginning of R B Jones' meetings in November to the end of January 1905. Also 37 to the Tabernacle church, 36 to Bethel,35 to the Primitive Methodists and 16 to Moriah Chapel.