Day 5: Praying for Aberdare (1878)

Join with Salvationists of the Wales Division for day 5 of 150 days of prayer.

‘Lord, every morning you listen to my voice. At sunrise I will turn to you for help, and I will wait for you to answer’ (Psalm 5:3 EasyEnglish Bible).

1878

‘Mrs Shepherd’s dramatic appointment to corps command led to what Railton later declared was the “most important incident in the history of The Salvation Army before 1880”.

‘When in September 1878 a Welsh-speaking officer was wanted for South Wales, Railton forthwith sent for Mrs Pamela Shepherd, housekeeper and cook at the Whitechapel headquarters. A fortnight later Mrs Shepherd with her four daughters, Kate, Pam, Polly and Sally, had set up house in Aberdare, after finding great difficulty in persuading any owner to let to “preaching women”.

‘Before the Shepherds had been in Aberdare a month some of the most besotted drunkards in the town had been converted. The fame of the Aberdare meetings brought men from the Rhondda Valley, who begged that at least one of the girls might hold meetings outside Aberdare. So, Kate went.’

(History of The Salvation Army, Vol 2)

The story of Pamela and her daughters became the story of countless brave hallelujah lasses, women – in many cases, girls – who were given the opportunity to minister and lead in tough, poverty-stricken communities.

Kate Watts and Harriet Parkins tell their story about Merthyr Tydfil:

‘It’s really laughable when we go out. The women make curtsies and the men almost fall on their face; and if we stand still for one moment a crowd gets round us to see if we are to talk.

‘When we go to see the people, we are no sooner in the house than it is full of people. Strong men and women who pass by and see us standing inside will ask if they may come in to hear us pray. Nearly always before we get up off our knees the room is full of people. Oh, hallelujah! It’s God that’s doing it.

(The Christian Mission Magazine)

Prayer

Pray for the community of Aberdare.
As the corps approaches its valedictory meeting, thank God for its work over many years and pray that new opportunities for service will emerge.