Ebenezer Chapel - Ebenezer, Pontycapel Rd, Cefn Coed Y Cymmer (1905)



Cefn, the picturesque little suburb of Merthyr, was the locale of the work of Mr Evan Roberts today. The little town, with its 5,000 odd inhabitants, was en fete on the occasion and bore quite a holiday aspect, even the day schools being closed. The afternoon meeting was held at Ebenezer Congregational Chapel, the largest building in the place, and it is hardly necessary to say that the building was taxed to its utmost capacity long before the announced time of the opening of the service, and Moriah Baptist Chapel and Carmel Methodist Chapel were also thrown open, and at about half-past one the Rev. J. H. Thomas, the pastor of Moriah Chapel, announced that overflow meetings were being held. The fervent character of the meeting was pronounced sometime before Mr Evan Roberts, accompanied by Miss Annie Davies (Maesteg) and Miss Mary Davies (Gorseinon), entered, to the strains of “Marchog Iesu,” several being also at the same time praying very fervently. Mr Roberts, who had just been at a children’s meeting, remarked that the people, too, must be like little children, whose little souls were free as air. Both Miss Mary Davies and Miss Annie Davies then prayed very fervently, the latter pleading hard for some woman who had come to the meeting, but not with the object of worshipping God – rather to retard His work. During the subsequent portion of the proceedings the fervour reached an exceptionally high point, and many times the effect was thrilling. At one time people of all ages were heard praying in all parts now a woman’s pleading voice would be heard above the rest, and then would burst forth upon the meeting a combination of men’s voices passionately hearthstone for mercy, and anon the peculiar Welsh musical intonation would predominate. More and more intense would the scene become, and the tension would then culminate in song. In the afternoon prior to coming to Ebenezer, Mr Roberts for a short time attended a meeting of children, at which about 400 were present. Before the close quite a revival meeting was held, little children from nine to thirteen years of age praying and singing. And this recalls the fact that in the Christmas holidays groups of children made it a practice to go every day up to the brow of the mountain to hold a prayer meeting.

From, 'The Western Mail', 27th January 1905.


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