Day 31: Praying for Rhosllanerchrugog (1904)

Join with Salvationists of the Wales Division for day 31 of 150 days of prayer.

• ‘When I was afraid, I said, 'God is no longer with me!'  But I spoke too soon.  When I called to you for help, you heard me and answered me’ (Psalm 31:22, EasyEnglish Bible). 

1904

‘[More than] a century ago Wales experienced a powerful religious revival that not only impacted the church and chapel culture of the day but also made front-page headlines all over the world. Evan Roberts, the most prominent of the revivalists, soon became a household name.’

(Kevin Adams and Emyr Jones, A Pictorial History of Revival)

‘The [1904] revival in Rhos started quite unexpectedly in the Welsh Baptist chapel where Rhys Bevan Jones from South Wales had been invited to conduct a mission… Revival spread rapidly through the whole town until every church was affected. The Methodists, Congregationalists, Salvation Army, the Church of England and Baptists were all caught up in the great wave of revival so that “denominationalism disappeared” and you could enter any church in the town and find crowds of people at prayer; there was great harmony in the town.’

(Brian H Edwards, Revival!)

A 10 December War Cry headline announced, ‘Great Awakening in Wales’, followed by a message from the Chief of the Staff, ‘to our British comrades’: ‘A remarkable awakening … sweeping over a large portion of the population of Wales … [is] thoroughly in harmony with the teachings of The Salvation Army … [and] commands the sympathy of our people everywhere. Yours believingly, W Bramwell Booth.’

Could the fire of revival spread and set England alight? A report in the 21 December War Cry was headed ‘Aflame!’ and declared, ‘Remarkable awakening at Norland Castle, West London.’

Prayer

• Pray for the corps and community in Rhosllanerchrugog.
• Pray for the fellowship group that meets on a Monday as it grows spiritually and numerically.