My Great Grandfather Saw the Welsh Revival

My great-grandfather EDWARDS saw the Welsh revival.

In the early morning while he was delivering milk, it was so foggy he couldn't see very far into the distance, but all over the city he could hear households up singing, praying together in their homes, my great-uncle Idris told me.

Newspapers reported that 70,000 new converts were ADDED TO THE CHURCHES within just a few weeks of the revival starting—over 100,000 within six months; and up to 150,000 within nine months, according to some accounts.

To put that in perspective, that was around a quarter of the adult population at the time—7% of the nation’s population. New converts suddenly boosted CHURCH MEMBERSHIP to around 56% of the entire Welsh population. In just nine months.

Imagine seeing the same proportion-to-population of sudden growth in church memberships all over say Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, and in virtually every town and city all across Australia, or wherever you may live, within just weeks or months, and seeing it reported on the front pages of newspapers or in the 6 o'clock news. It would be like if nearly 2 million people were to get saved and join churches across Australia, in just months.

The proportion of salvations in many towns was so staggeringly high that in many towns it felt like whole communities had been saved. Magistrates arrived at local courts to find absolutely no cases to try. Police walked the streets with nothing to do. Pubs and taverns closed down. Converts repayed debts voluntarily. Miners walked to work singing hymns out loud together. Pit-ponies that had been trained to respond to swear-words didn't move, because the miners didn't swear anymore! Rugby games were cancelled because spectators and some top players alike were going to revival meetings instead.

The new converts of the revival became the most enthusiastic and committed segment of the churches. And it was a sustained impact: because a couple of years later, reportedly around 90,000 of those new converts still remained active in the churches.

That was the great 1904/05 Welsh revival. Those were the kinds of stories I grew up hearing. Hearing of meetings in which the Holy Spirit was free to move, spontaneity, was therefore the standard, our 'normal', for my brother and me, as young teenagers, new Christians.

My great-great-great-grandfather (William Edward Edwards) was also part of an earlier revival in Wales, the 1859 revival. He held 'Experiencing God' meetings in his home. There were between 80,000-110,000 converts in that revival too. It inspired the building of non-conformist chapels all across Wales. (W. Edward Edwards was credited with founding the Congregational Church in Montgomeryshire.) As a result of the revival, there was a societal transition to where such chapels became the centre of national life. The revival also brought profound unity between the denominations.

Young people traveled, carrying the revivals. Welsh missionaries in North East India saw an outpouring of the Spirit. The revival there was so transformative of society and so lasting, that the proportion of Christians in the North East Indian States of Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya remains at 88%, 87% and 75% respectively of the entire populations to this day. Schools and literature were developed. Welsh choirs and hymn-singing still remain part of their cultures.

The Welsh love of spontaneous congregational singing, and the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and healing, and Holy Spirit-led meetings resulted directly in the formation of the Apostolic Church movement, and the Elim Church movement, and contributed greatly to Azusa Street and the birth of Pentecostalism worldwide. (Frank Bartleman, who was of Welsh descent, had direct contact with Evan Roberts, and did much to see revival spread to Los Angeles, and to fuel interest in the ensuing outpouring at Azusa Street.)

Many later revivalists and missionaries, you’ll find, either had Welsh ancestry, or they were strongly impacted by those who saw the Welsh revival (including Oral Roberts, Rodney Howard-Browne, J Edwin Orr who influenced Billy Graham, and Reinhard Bonnke who was influenced by the Jeffreys, etc).

Soon after the revival, my great-grandfather emigrated to Blackstone, Qld, with eight children including my grandfather who was eight. They attended the Welsh church at Blackstone where earlier Welsh migrants had gathered under a tree and prayed that the revival they'd experienced in Wales would happen in Ipswich and spread. And he became a deacon there.

Silkstone Baptist Tabernacle had only just started, as a church-plant out from Ipswich Baptist Church, so the Edwards's also went there. A close-knit Welsh family with eight growing children and teenagers must have been quite formidable, suddenly arriving in a new church which still only had about 20 attendees! Especially considering the family built their home right next door to the church manse, two doors up from the church.

The Edwards's started a milk run, and an ice-works, and some became builders, and made their own bricks and built their own houses. My grandfather and his brothers formed a gospel singing quartet. Even after they each became adults with their own families, they'd all still come together at my great-grandfather's home every Saturday night, playing sport in the backyard, or indoor games, cooking, eating, singing, chatting and sharing desserts.

So when the young John Hewitt, known as the ‘Welsh revivalist’, still single, arrived in Ipswich, he became almost family to the Edwards's at Silkstone, and became especially close friends with my grandfather, in the early 1920s. He was sent to Australia by the Apostolic Church in Wales which had formed out of the revival.

While Hewitt was preaching at Dinmore Baptist Church, the organist fell-out under the power of God speaking in tongues, his son John Hewitt Jr told me. (John Hewitt Snr later held meetings in Customs House in Brisbane, which contributed to the founding of Glad Tidings Tabernacle [now Hope Church, at Albion]).

John Hewitt also packed out Adelaide Town Hall, where many were reportedly saved, healed and baptised in the Holy Spirit. This was before many Pentecostal denominations had yet formed in Australia. He went-on to co-found the Apostolic Church of Australia, which grew to have hundreds of Pentecostal churches across Australia, Papua New Guinea, and other Pacific and Asian countries.

So there was always a revivalist/Pentecostal element in the church at Silkstone, my mother says, including the Allsops, and Mrs Irene Ross who had gone to Japan from Wales as a missionary before WWII. During the war she came to Ipswich, and married. There was something alive about her: even as a child I could see it in her eyes. Silkstone Baptist Church grew to become one of the largest, most evangelical Baptist churches in Queensland.

When the Herschells moved to Ipswich and were instrumental in starting Ipswich’s first Assembly of God (today called Journey Church), my grandfather also joined there. He played a 1920s Rickenbacher lap-steel. The church started in the Herschell's home. My great-uncle Idris eventually built their first church-building, at Pring Street. And dad’s cousin Gladys joined the church, and was especially friendly with the Herschells.

One of the Herschells visited my dad in hospital before my beloved dad went to be with the Lord last year. He told me that through the Edwards's of Silkstone there was a strong connection between Silkstone Baptist Tabernacle and Ipswich Assembly of God in those days.

When the Assembly of God at Raceview (today called Ipswich Region Assembly of God, and pastored by Mark Edwards) was planted out of Ipswich Assembly of God, my great-uncle Idris also built their first building, on Robertson Road.

Another Welsh family, R. T. Edwards and sons, also pastored at Raceview Congregational Church, and brought a special evangelical touch. I'm still hearing of people who were impacted for God there.

Crowds of people from churches all across Ipswich used to all walk into town on Sunday nights after their own churches’ night services, and have combined crusade meetings in Ipswich Town Hall, and there were regular open air outreaches in Bell Street near Ipswich Station.

My grandfather and uncle Les used to travel townships between Brisbane, Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley packing out church halls on Saturday nights, playing musical instruments and sharing the gospel.

That was the heritage and environment that my father, Bruce Edwards, now with the Lord, grew up in.

In one of those crusades in the Town Hall, my father, aged 14, three days before his 15th birthday, got saved. Dad was a promising sportsman, but he refrained from pursuing Sunday sports to instead make his life count for Jesus Christ. Two weeks later he preached in the open air.

My mother also has Welsh ancestry. She learned piano at age 8, from her aunt Myfanwy. Auntie Myfanwy conducted the Silkstone State School choir, founded the Ipswich Choral Society, and led choirs to win numerous State eisteddfods, for which she received the British Empire medal.

Mum's great-grandfather Wildey had played musical instruments live on radio. They had family musical nights in their home too. Their farm was in the area now called Raceview; and Wildey Street was named after them. At just age 14 my mother was the church organist for Booval Congregational Church.

Mum's friends invited her to Silkstone Baptist. Walking home under the stars, they talked with mum about getting saved. At an Easter Endeavour Camp, at Beaudesert Show Grounds, mum responded to the very first altar call.

Mum and Dad happened to both get baptised together on the same night, both aged 15, with Shirley Williams and Betty Springall, at Silkstone Baptist Church. Mum began playing piano for the church. And Dad was involved in ministry activities from the start.

‘Uncle’ Ron Edwards and dad formed a company called Tabernacle Electronics, underneath the Edwards family home. They traveled townships beyond Ipswich, showing Moody Fact and Faith films. This was before everyone had TVs.

Tent crusades were also held across Ipswich, like in Newtown Park. Uncle Les's organ was used, dad said. On one occasion some Catholics tried to burn the tent down!

When dad and mum were engaged and studying at Queensland Bible Institute, Irene Ross said to them, "I'm praying you to Japan".

Mum and dad married, and soon afterwards sailed to Japan as missionaries, with baby Peter in arms, my older brother. It was only 19 years after the War had ended: reconstruction was still taking place. Dad and mum learned Japanese; and worked with the missionary organization for 12 years.

Afterwards they were led to settle back in Ipswich for a while. Charismatic Renewal was happening, and in-between services at Silkstone, our family started attending the wonderful gatherings at Christian Life Centre, Brisbane; and others from Silkstone Baptist, hungry for the Holy Spirit, also went. Charismatic home meetings started happening across Ipswich.

Percy Mole of Bundamba had experienced personal renewal. Through his long-time friendship with a former Apostolic Church minister, Bill Hawkins, then an elder at CLC Brisbane, Percy started attending Trevor Chandler's meetings at CLC in Brisbane too. (Bill Hawkins’ in-laws had been saved in the Rhonda Valleys, Wales, during the revival.)

Eager believers were traveling to CLC Brisbane from churches all over, including from Ipswich, to be filled with the Spirit or to celebrate what God was doing.

Percy had the seed-thought, "Why not a fellowship for the Ipswich folk?" Pastor Trevor Chandler didn’t have a vision for Ipswich at first however, Percy said. But he said that when he met Bruce Edwards, my dad, at CLC in Brisbane, it was a confirmation to him that a church would indeed start in Ipswich.

At some point, Trevor Chandler and Bill Hawkins visited Ipswich, and the ‘go ahead’ was given, Percy said. At the instigation of the Ipswich folk, Sunday morning services started, in rented premises in East Street Ipswich, in October 1978. Members of Percy's home meeting, and a number of the former Silkstone Baptists who'd been driving to CLC Brisbane in-between their own church-services, were the new church’s early adherents.

One of the early attendees formerly of Silkstone Baptist, was Mrs Thelma Atwell. Thelma had been hungry for more. She’d sensed something special about Irene Ross, and about dad, and mum told her that dad had the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Thelma said, “I knew it!” Soon afterwards she got baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues by herself at home. Her love for the Lord and for people drew a number of others also.

Our family joined a few weeks after the launch, after mum fulfilled her obligation to play piano for Silkstone's Christmas production. A pastor at the time made it well nigh untenable for my parents to remain at Silkstone. From our very first Sunday with the new church, mum played piano every week; and dad shared the ministry with Percy. There were 17 people on our first Sunday. That was in 1978. And speakers from Brisbane CLC also visited to preach, into 1979.

Less than a year later the first building was already bought for the church, at Brassall—largely thanks to a donation by dad’s cousin Ron Edwards, Percy said, prompting pastor Trevor Chandler of CLC Brisbane to say, “Looks like Ipswich is a goer.”

The church attracted people interested in the Holy Spirit, and new converts were coming to the Lord, including me on Sunday night December 16,1979.

Once in their own building the church started a second Sunday service, with fellowship tea in-between, and a Sunday school. That was in the latter part of ‘79.

Percy and dad each had the opportunity to become the career-pastor of the growing church. But Percy previously had Apostolic Church associations. From its inception the Apostolic Church movement had the revelation of the fivefold ministry (decades before the Latter Rain Movement of the 1940s). They ordained ministers not with the generic title of 'pastor', but each to his specific calling, whether that be apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, elder or deacon. Percy felt that his calling was not ‘pastor' but 'teacher'. And dad didn't feel it was his calling at the time either—he said he was an ‘exhorter’.

So, the following year after the church had moved into its own building, Vince Esterman from Brisbane moved to Ipswich and was welcomed as Christian Life Centre Ipswich’s first fulltime pastor, in January 1980.

After some time Eugene Bognar also became an associate pastor; then John Pasterkamp became the next senior pastor, after Vince and Denise went to France; next was Phillip Mutzelburg; then Carl, and two more pastors on—Mark, and now Brad, it continues as an established church in the city of Ipswich (now called Catalyst Church).

A recent music director there also had Welsh ancestry, and also happened to have been taught by auntie Myfanwy.

A number from the church have gone out on missions over the years, and have seen outpourings of the Spirit.

After many years at the Ipswich church, mum and dad ministered in Japan again; then eventually became pastors of the Gold Coast Japanese Church, for some 24 years, and Elders in Surfers Paradise Assembly of God (today called Presence Church).

How did the Welsh revivals, with their wide, deep and continuing impact, start?

The 1859 revival was triggered by news of a noontime prayer meeting in New York started by a layman. Attendance at the New York prayer meeting quickly exploded, and captured attention. Hungry believers in Wales began gathering to do the same and pray—and it instantly sparked the 1859 nationwide revival.

The great 1904/05 revival was started by a young man Evan Roberts who'd heard of previous revivals in Wales, and hungered for it. One day while praying for revival, God gave him the gift of faith for it, and he saw a vision of 100,000 souls. He went and asked his pastor if he could speak to the youth about it after church. The pastor allowed it. There was an immediate outbreak. And the youth decided to meet again, and then again, until nine months later 100,000-150,000 had been saved nationwide. Pentecostal outpourings had been sparked the world over. And the impact is still going today.

Meetings were spontaneous. There was a sensitivity to the Spirit. Often nothing would be led from the front. Singing was instigated by the congregation only in response to what the Holy Spirit had already been free to do in the meetings. Often there was no preaching nor song-leading from the front as such, yet many got saved.

Welsh people can do institutional church very well too if they have to - but there's something in the psyche of many of them that wants something more - and they tend to really hit their straps when and where the Holy Spirit is truly free. Many of them nurture firsthand accounts in their hearts from relatives, of how God moved when man and institution and program and music from a stage didn’t get in the way. And it’s not easy to be satisfied with anything less.

One night I had a dream of ancient Welsh people, talking together about the Lord, about revival, about how it's meant to be, how it can be. It made me feel that there are former generations of revival that we are to build upon—we're on their shoulders—we are to build wisely. We are to know what they knew about the move and manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

So help us Lord!

Like the stories in the Old Testament—if you dig ditches, when God tells you to, you will wake up in the morning and find that God Himself has caused them to be filled with water. If you bring vessels, not a few, when God tells you to, God will keep supernaturally filling them with oil, as you pour out, until you've got no more vessels to bring.

The size of what God does, has something to do with the size of the space we give Him. What God will do is limited only by how much room we give Him.

He will fulfill your hearts desires.

Isn't the Father wonderful!