Day 12: Praying for Abertillery (1885)

Join with Salvationists of the Wales Division for Day 12 of 150 days of prayer.

• ‘The Lord’s promises are true. We can trust them, because they are pure. They are as pure as silver that people have put in a hot fire seven times’ (Psalm 12:6 EasyEnglish Bible). 

1885

The Salvation Navy is believed to have begun with the gifting of a three-masted steam yacht, Iole, by John Cory to The Salvation Army in May 1885. According to the 1977 Year Book, the mission of the crew included boarding vessels to distribute Bibles and other religious books and to preach to sailors.

Abertillery moved from meeting in the open air to a club room in a pub and then to the Market Hall. However, a plot of land was obtained and John Cory laid the foundation stone. Then, in 1885, ‘the General opened the new hall: the tin plate works closed, and the men turned out to see the General... people walked miles to the meetings’ (War Cry, 14 October 1885).

‘It is now some time since the blood and fire soldiers came over from Pontypool to Crumlin and held some meetings in a coffee tavern. An officer was appointed, and we marched to Abercarn to look for a room. We were turned out of this room and held meetings on street corners. We secured a piece of land and Mr Cory lent us £100 to erect a wooden building. Bills were put up and the opening attack made’ (War Cry, 28 October 1885).

Prayer

• Pray for the blessing of Abertillery Corps as they seek to share God’s story through worship, service and the charity shop.
• Pray for a renewing of the spirit which was evident whenever the early-day Salvationists held meetings in coffee shops and pub club rooms.
• Pray again, as we did yesterday, that we will not stop looking for new opportunities.