The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-05

and prayed and sang that many thousand.
in Great Britain were persuaded OF the truth
Of the message they bore. the Established
Church Of England vas first alarmed, and
then through It's Bishops raised such bar
riers as were possible so that the religious
enthusiasm kinded by the Woeleys should
not extend 10 the members Of their own
communion.
That was more than hundred years ago
To-day, when all Of South Wales is in a
foryor Of religious enthusiasm the Bishop
Of ST David says that there should be gen
eral thanlifulness that there is a revival OF
the religious fervor Of former days in Wales,
and. although there may be- certain divisions
Of dencmir ational character, nevertheless
there i--a .ta4t fundamental spiritual unity
among al Christians.
In pastoral letter 10 the clergy Of his
docs. Bishop Owen thus gives cordial
recognition to the effect Of the preaching
Of an urcultured craftsman, Evan Roberto,
who has stirred Wales 10 its depths. He
does not pr,uch decentralization. nor
dos he c1pound theological formulas
HI has a simple message, delivered appar-
ertly with the same almost mystic power
which was the gift Of our own Moody.
Americans who have recently visited
Wales. among them eX-Postmaster- General
Thomas l. James, speak Of the revival now
in progress there as probably the most
amazing demonstration OF a religious char
acter that has been male In Wales since
tho time Of Wesley. Gen. James says
that 1t il extending and has even reached
London
No one who has not been in South Wales
can realize what the character OF these re-
vival meetings Is Enthusiasm and con-
viotion seem TO possess great bodies OF men
and women Sometimes they break into
a sermon or prayer by singing spontans-
ousy feature OF this revival. like others,
is that it began with the humblest laymen
and is due to the preaching Of an unlettered
blacksmith.
Evan Roberts is the son OF very humble
parents His father was employed at
the pumps underground In the coal gal
leries that stretch out even under the sea.
Evan himself when only IL years Of age
was taken from the village school, that he
might help his father at the pumps There
he worked for some years, not having any
other instruction than he received at the
church or that which came 70 him from his
own study of Scripture
In due time he was apprenticed TO a
DlhGhslIlllh us lhdNAtl Ed4Nl tAAhA hc nOhAN
have made an expert craftsman at that
trade. but there was with him the constant
impulse to preach. So with the help Of
his family there are seven brothers and
sisters-he bought release from his APP
premiership. One OF his brothers shares
his religious fervor and inspiration, and
has helped him in his preaching.
Roberts began to preach to little circle
South Waiaa at tho will ua ~ T,nnghOr
in Glamorgan. 1t is region in which
traditions and superstidons OF the time
Of St Patrick and St. David are plentiful
Shakespeare himself has given IL secular
interest, for there he laid the scenes Of
@Cymbeline
One Of the traditions OF the region tells
Of the coming there, many centuries ago,
of man OF wondrous religious fervor,
with n company Of thirty, who preached
the gospel. He was warned that he must
desist and, refusing to heed the warning,
he and his fellow workers were slain and
their heads severed from their bodies.
The tradition tells. however. that the saint
was nevertheless able to rise and bury his
companions and himself 80 that their |
mortal remains should not be exposed to
the wolves
The superstition illustrates the peculiar
characteristics Of the Welsh and their
susceptibility TO rcli gious emotion. Roberts !
had "a people of that kind 20 preach to.
He understood the laborers Of tho mines
and the peesantry Of South Wales, and lie
began With them.
After little while it was made evident
that he had the gift OF religious speech and
the power os rersuasion Many we're con-
verted The liquor shops and evil resorts
we're closed voluntarily, and those who kept
them came 20 the meetin; IS TO give testimony
~ their Faith. The number Of convertsn
creased until at last all England was at
tracted 10 the manifestation.
Great religious leaders went from Eng
and 70 South Walcs 10 study Roberts, his
methods. hi- personality and his argument.
They came away, saying that they could
find no explanation Thi, was an expert
ence through which Moody passed many
times iven men like IhUrow Weed con-
fes-ed that after carefully Watching and /
hearing Moody day after day they were
unable to explain hi- power. Roberts
him Elf says there - 40 mystery about IT,
He asserts that he simply ec1gnizes that I
God II every SO here and thai we have only to
receive what he * always ready 10 give
O. he ar-t Of this year the number OF I
couvt sae estimated at considerably IN !
excess of 20 OOo The revival is now spread /
ing rapidly TO North Wales, moving with /,
irresistible force toward the great centres /
If population. where the pea-antry Of late /
have been dull, sodden and almost Of /
atheistic tendency.
Roberts breaches in Welsh as well as
English. Welsh j. language peculiarly /
adapted to the expression ot noble, emo I
tional impulses. More than any other
language it is sympa'het with the gift OF
song and it Is probably due in some
mes,sure to the marvellous power Of song
which tho Welsh people possess that his
preaching has been so effective.
His preaching is entirely unconventional.
At one place he asked: where are you going
tor He waited a moment for an answer.
and then he himself gave It, in the form
Of another question: Are you going to
Christ and His throne or 10 Christ on His
crossl' The congregation, numbering
some 5000, was wonderfully affected by
this question.
Once when Roberts was speaking Of tho
crucihxion the tears came TO his eyes, bis
ton e.,,a saa.paa for ha ,,nrnnnt l,i.d