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During the spring of 904, a young Welshman and coal miner named Evan Roberts was repeatedly awakened at
1:00 A.M. in the morning, and there he met with the Lord in prayer, usually until around 5:00 A.M. He was only 26 and was
a man of fervent prayer who's personal Pentecost began when God led him to agonize in prayer over the state of the church
and his own soul. As the burden intensified he cried out, "Bend me, bend me, bend the church, and save the world!"
He would weep and sweat until he almost felt he was bleeding. Yet when the Holy Spirit filled his heart he radiated a relaxed
joy. Evan Roberts had diligently sought the Lord and would encounter the Lord and then he would seek the Lord and encounter
the Lord again. Roberts wasn't content living off the memories of those encounters nor was he interested in becoming a
local preacher. His burden was for the presence of the Lord and for many friends and neighbors who had remained unconfronted
with that presence. And so with a hopeful persistence he sought, repeatedly encountering the Lord and praying for a move of
the Spirit in his heart. And then things began to break in Evan's heart. He then asked and received permission from his
pastor to speak to a small group of 17 people at Moriah Chapel in Loughor. The next night Evan spoke at a nearby missions
chapel and the ice over people's hearts had begun to melt. The pastor asked for testimonies and a young girl named Florrie
Evans, who had only been a believer for a few days, rose with a trembling voice and simply said, "I love Jesus with all
my heart." That night a decision was made to continue the gatherings and by weeks end some 60 young people had surrendered
their hearts to the Lord. Then the spiritual climate over Loughor was altered when people began to worship the Lord. Within
12 days of his first speaking engagement over 800 people were crammed into the small chapel and homes had to be opened for
prayer meetings. The presence of the Lord was made known and began to be felt in nearby towns like Aberdare. The word began
to be proclaimed everywhere, and in every church, in every home. The prayers of God's people permeated the air as an explosion
of God's presence rocked Wales. By Christmas of 1904 the small Celtic country of Wales was in the middle of one of the
greatest moves of God in the 20th century. Robert's was a major proponent of singing and worshiping in the presence of
God, and as congregations all over Wales did just that souls repented at the hearing of the gospel, and were saved. Jails
in mining communities throughout the country were empty, leaving the police without much to do.
Reports of dramatic Damascus road salvation experiences filled the land. Many traveling by carriage, who set foot in these
Welsh towns immediately came under the influence of the Holy Spirit and received the Lord right there in the streets. Major
newspapers sent reporters to debunk the insanity of the masses, which resulted in those reporter's spiritual rebirths.
When it was all over, over 152,000 people had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior. It all happened because one
man was moved to fall to his knees to seek the Lord again and again, until the heavens broke loose with the presence of the
Lord.
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