The Lord has been very remarkably using our dear brother Fennell, of Newport, in this mining town. He conducted gospel services with much power from on high in the Wesleyan Chapel on Sunday, April 5, and solid blessing ensued. It was
felt that a work of God had been initiated, which must be sustained, and accordingly prayer meetings were continued on
the succeeding days with very marked results, as the following extracts from letters addressed to Mr Fennell by reliable
friends fully attest.
A brother in the Lord, whose own family had received signal blessing, thus writes: -
"I am happy to inform you that the good work, began on Sunday last, is, by the blessing of our God, still going on in this place. There were sixteen on Monday night's prayer meeting professed to find Jesus as their Saviour, Praise to our God! and still, there are anxious inquirers after his mercy. May the Lord more than ever increase our faith, that we may be enabled to lay hold of and realise all his blessed promises to his children. The poor young man that lay upon your breast alter the conclusion of the Sunday night's prayer meeting has not yet found peace with God but is earnestly seeking, and I believe he will find it tonight (Tuesday). We mean to follow up the prayer-meetings in the school room as long as ever we can find one anxious soul. Praise God abundantly, and pray for us, dear brother, that the Spirit of all grace may carry on the work in every place till his blessed Son, our Redeemer, shall see of the travail of his soul, and be abundantly satisfied, and may the Spirit of God continue to rest upon you, and strengthen you in gospel labours."
An invalid sister in the Lord, who had been much in prayer for blessing, also writes:-
"I have sent you this to let you know what a blessed revival we have here. The net was cast on the right side of the ship, and now I wish you were here to see the blessed sight - sinners saved, and believers quickened. I cannot see the sight myself, but I cannot tell you how glad I am to hear of it. There were seventeen last night, and we are expecting more tonight. Do pray. you and your dear wife, that all the people in this place may be saved; and I should like very much
for you to come up and see the blessed sight. I cannot see it, but others bring me the news. As you know, I am one of the lie-still ones; but the time was when I was not one of that sort. Bless the Lord, I have the hope of praising Him in his kingdom above! The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; I pray the Lord to send us more labourers. Dear brother, please answer this feeble letter."
While praising God for the full measure of blessing outpoured, will dear Christians plead that the gracious work may
be largely extended in the town and district, and that the cry for help to carry forward the work may meet with that ready response which its cheering urgency demands.
"The Christian", April 23rd, 1874.