REVIVAL

At some point perhaps Mr. Roberts would "test" the meeting, and put to it the four definite steps necessary to salvation, which, he said, the Holy Spirit had given to him to urge upon the people.

(1)The past must be made clear by sin being confessed to God, and every wrong to man put right.

(2) Every doubtful thing in the life must be put away.

(3) Prompt and implicit obedience to the Holy Ghost.

(4) Public confession of Christ.

Forgiveness of others as an essential to receiving the forgiveness of God was often emphasized, as well as the distinction between the Holy Spirit's work in conversion, and in baptizing the believer with the Holy Ghost.

In truth, the Revivalist was giving the full Gospel as preached at Pentecost, and like Peter's message, it received the co-witness of the Holy Ghost, and produced Pentecostal results. "Repent "--change your mind toward God, and put away wrong to your neighbor. "Remission" of sins will then be given you, and ye shall "Receive" the Holy Ghost if ye will obey Him, and publicly bear witness to Christ.

Indescribable scenes took place at the meetings. Sometimes a very torrent of prayer, and then of song, would sweep over the audience, and hundreds of souls would rise to declare their surrender to God, the congregation bursting out into joyous thanksgiving in hymns of gladness.

But the Revivalist's special burden always was the "Church." "Bend the Church, and save the world," was his cry." The word "bend" in Welsh conveying the meaning of submission to God, and the taking away of resistance to His will. And his one aim seemed to be first to get the Christians right with God so that the Spirit might break out in converting power upon the unsaved. And CALVARY was the power both for sinner and saved. The Revivalist would break down in heart-anguished sobbing when he touched the theme. "You would not be cold if you had come here by Calvary," he would say. "Thanks, thanks for Calvary," was the burden of many prayers. The hymns rang with Calvary, the one most often sung was "Pen Calfaria "--the Mount of Calvary--an exultant song of triumph telling of Christ's victory over death and hell at the Cross. Another hymn sung with melting power was "Dyma Gariad "--" Here is love vast as the ocean." The people sang without books, for these hymns had been in their memories from childhood, but now quickened and used by the Spirit they rang out as never before. Many of the "sweet singers of Wales" were drawn by the Spirit of God into His service, and often would be heard a sweet warbling voice like a nightingale's trill breaking out into a hymn whilst the people were bowed in prayer. A "Singing Revival" it truly became. Souls were sung to Christ, and exulted over in song when won. The spirit of gladness and praise filled all hearts, as thousands rejoiced in a new-found assurance of salvation. The Spirit of God did His own work of convicting, and many were the evidences of His power working through hymn and testimony. A young man would return his prize medal and diploma because he had gained it unfairly. A grocer would return money picked up in his shop, and kept although knowing the one who dropped it. Long-standing debts were paid. Stolen goods returned. Prize - fighters, gamblers, publicans, rabbit-coursers, and others of the class rarely touched by ordinary means came to Christ, and quickly the world knew the results. Magistrates were presented with white gloves in several places because there were "no cases." Public-houses were forsaken. Rowdiness was changed to soberness. Oaths ceased to be heard, so that, it was said, in the collieries the horses could not understand the language of their drivers. The reading of light literature was exchanged for Bible reading, and shops were cleared of their stocks of Bibles and Testaments. Prayer-meetings were held in collieries underground, in trains and trains and all kinds of places.

All the world bore testimony to these practical evidences of the power of God. "Seeing the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it." "A notable miracle hath been wrought . . and we cannot deny it," said many an one previously skeptical of the practical power of the Christian faith. Managers of works bore witness that the amount of work turned out by the men since the "Revival" had been more than they had known for years, and Magistrates did not hesitate to make known their approval of the ethical fruits of the awakening.