Wales, a small nation with its own distinct culture and tongue (Welsh or 'Cymraeg'), became known as "The Land of Revival."  One hundred years ago, Wales experienced its last major Spiritual Revival.  More than 100,000 people became Christians, sparking a movement that spread throughout the world.  This movement of the Spirit did not come from the great preachers of the day, but twenty-six years old Evan Roberts.  Evans was extremely aware that it was not by human leadership but God's Spirit.

Evan Roberts spent most of his life as a coal miner.  God used this young man to reach many thousands of people.  Roberts left school when he was 11 years of age to help his father in a local coalmine.  He was merely a trainee attending grammar school to prepare him for a ministry course.

On September 1904, Evan was in a meeting with other students and became obsessed with prayer.  "There he sensed an outpouring of God's Spirit upon his life and was filled with confidence and consumed with a passion to evangelize Wales."  Evan Roberts became willing to be used for God's purpose for his life.  The results:

"Soul winning spread through the coalmines.  Profanity stopped.  Even the miner's horses were puzzeled when their masters stopped cursing.  Hugh crowds attended the meetings.  It was reported that in one town the tavern sold only 9 cents worth of liquor."

The London Times wrote, "The whole population had been suddenly stirred by a common impulse.  Religion had become the absorbing interest of their lives.  They had gathered at crowed services for six to eight hours at a time."

Employers noticed a great improvement in the work of their employees.  Churches were full all day.  Judges sat idle for lack of criminal cases.  The Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 had a positive effect upon all of life - homes, mines, schools, places of work and play, were transformed into something new.

1904 WELSH REVIVAL FILM

REVIVAL IN WALES (1904)