LESSONS OF THE WELSH REVIVAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12859, 6 May 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

LESSONS OF THE WELSH REVIVAL.

DUBIXG late veins the opinion lias been freely expressed in religions circles that the old-style religious revival, with its intense enthusiasm, its public confessions, and its multitude of " conversions," would never be witnessed again. This idea is effectually dispelled by the present Welsh revival. Mr. Evan Roberts, the leader of the movement, who has been questioned as to the methods by which such remarkable results have been achieved, declares that he has no methods, and- that "the power of the revival in South Wales is not of men, but of God." lie says further (in a " Message to the Church" contributed to the Homiletic Review, March): "1 never prepare the worts I shall speak. I leave all thai to Him. I am not the source of this revival. 1 am only one agent in what is growing to be a multitude. lam mil moving men's hearts and changing men's lives; mil 1, but 'Cod worketh in me.' 1. have found what is,, in my belief, the highest kind of Christianity. ' I desire to give my life, which is all 1 have to give, to helping others to find it also. Many have already found it. ibank God ! and many more are finding it through them. This is my work as hie has pointed it out to me. His Spirit came to me one night, when upon my Knees 1 asked Him for guidance, anil five, months later .1 was baptised with the Spirit. He has led me as lie will lead all those who, conscious of their human weakness, lean upon Him as children upon a, father. I know that the work which has been done through me is not due to any human ability that 1 possess. It is His work and to His glory. I believe that the world is upon the threshold of a great religious revival, and 1 pray daily ihat f may be allowed to help bring this about." Mr. W. T. Stead recently visited Wales, and has written a pamphlet on the revival (reprinted in America), in which he expresses his conviction that " periodical revivals of religion are as marked a phenomenon in he history of England, possibly of other lands, as the processions of the seasons." He submits the following record of revivals in support of his contention: — REVIVAL AND RESULT. * 12th century. The Cistercian: Magna Charta. loth century, The friars: Parliamentary Government. 141 li century, Wyclif: The Peasant Revolt. loth century, I'ynda.le: The Reformation. 17th century. Puritanism: The Fall of Despotism ami the Founding; of New Holland. 17jth century, Quakerism: The Revolution of 1688 and the Founding of Pennsylvania, IStli century, Methodist: The Era ot .Reform. l r, ih century, American; The Era of Democracy. 29th century, Welsh: Who can say? He writes further:—" The Christian churches in Kngland may accept it as now being absolutely beyond all serious dispute that, the revival in' South Wales is a very real and a very genuine thing. Thai there may have been here and there instances of unwisdom ami of extravagance is possible. They have been very few and unimportant. The Welsh are an emotional race, and they ! are apt to demonstrate their feelings more 1 effusively than phlegmatic Saxons. But I ; certainly saw nothing of that kind that ' niii'lit not be paralleled in mission service j in England. The fact is. there has been so ! Utile handle given In the enemy who ever | is hungering for occasion to blaspheme that j the revival, so far, lacks that one. great i testimony in its favour which all good cause-, ; have in the furious abuse of those who may i compendiously and picturesquely be described as the stall' officers of 1 lie devil. i ' Woe be unto you when all men speak well I nt you' was true of revivals as of anything 1 else. The revival has, so far. had little of i that cause for rejoicing that is supplied by ! persecution ami abuse. The testimony in I its favour is almost wearisomely mono- [ tonous. Magistrates and policemen, jourI nalists and employers of labour, Salvation- ! ists and ordained ministers, all say the same j tiling—to wit, that the revival its working j mightily for good wherever- it has broken ; out.

" Of course, the doubling Thomases of the. land will shake their sceptical heads, and, when convinced against their will that the revival is bearing "good fruit, will ask whether it. will last. To which I do not hesitate to reply that .some of its fruits will last as long as the human .soul endures."'

The Saturday Review (London) thinks (hat "to prophesy (lie future effects of this Welsh revival would be as idle as to speculate upon the causes that have called 1 it forth." "due thing, however," it says,

" seems certain. Welsh religion can never again become as individualistic or sectarian as it has been in the past; and the catholic conception of Christianity which the revival has reintroduced into Wales may, in lime, have ecclesiastical and politic consequences of Justing importance. ... A new chapter seems to have 'been opened in Welsh history, which, ere ii i-; ended, may record events of deep religious interest to other lands beside-; Wales."