Merthyr Tydfil - Salvation Army (1878)



This is the first monthly report from the Salvation Army station here.

All glory to God, He hath done great things in Merthyr whereof we are glad! We entered this town one dark, cold, wet night, and a dark, sin-blighted place it is. Thousands of people on the very brink of hell, yet asleep to the fact, but to awake them we came and awakened many we have by the help of God. Thousands have heard the simple story of the Cross in the open air, and many have come out boldly before hundreds of people and cried for mercy, while many have been pricked to the heart, gone home to spend sleepless nights and restless days, until tired of the burden of sin, they have come and cast themselves upon the Saviour who has saved to the uttermost. We have a hall which holds two thousand people; this has been crowded each Sunday we have been here, and many precious souls have been born for glory. Our weeknight room, which holds three hundred, has been crowded also and souls saved every night, both old and young, rich and poor.

From, 'The Christian Mission Magazine', April 1878, page 106.

Just a little about the people. They are not a bit like savages. They are better than the people at Whitechapel. They are so nice to talk to. It's really laughable when we go out. The women make curtsies, and the men almost fall on their face and if we stand still for one moment a crowd gets round us to see if we are to talk. When we go to see the people we are no sooner in the house than it is full of people. Strong men and women who pass by and see us standing inside will ask if they may come in to hear us pray. Nearly always before we get up off our knees the room is full of people. Oh, hallelujah! It’s God that’s doing it.

The people are getting quite hot and those that cannot pray in English pray in Welsh and it does sound so funny, but they are such warmhearted people.

The ministers really are grand. They pray for us in their chapels. On Saturday night several come to the prayer meeting and they do pray. They get round us and tell us how much they love our work, but they are afraid we are working too hard. I told them if they would come and stand with us out in the open air we should not have to do so much.

We went into a court the other day and got down and prayed. When the people saw us, they came rushing out of their homes, got down on their knees and cried like little children. The Lord is indeed moving in Myrther.

On Sunday there is scarcely standing room in Drill Hall. ·week-nights we do not know what to do with the people.

Last Sunday we had a good day. Thirty-one men and women at seven o'clock prayer meeting. Some of them live a mile and a half from the room. We have had a good week. Tuesday four souls came out for God. Wednesday a crowded room, ten souls. Last night we had open air all the evening as we could not have the room. After singing and speaking to hundreds of people for a long time we invited all to come to the centre of the ring who wanted to seek the Saviour when a tall, fine man came forward and got on his knees, followed by two others. Oh, praise the Lord for all things!

We have 60 names on the book; 47 present last class night. Others would have been with us, but have to work all night. Most of the converts and members are men and they seem to love each other so much and they do not mind letting their friends know they are converted. They go home and tell all in the house about it, and when we call the others are crying because they are not saved. So they often get down, -and we pray with them till Jesus saves them. We have a number of people come to our meetings that have been converted here and they pray but have not joined us, some because their friends go somewhere else and they want to go with them, others are considering about it and some have gone away, as there is no work here.

From, 'The Christian Mission Magazine', May 1878, page 130.

From the annual conference.

We have got the names of some 500 or 600 converts besides numbers whose names we could not make out at all. Many of the people are Welsh.

From, 'The Christian Mission Magazine', September 1878, page 235.

During the past month, over 50 souls have wept their way to the cross and found mercy, The old theatre is packed every Sunday.

From, 'The Salvationist', June 1879, page 168.

In November the movement was still going - more reports can be seen in 'The War Cry', that began in January 1880.

The past week has been one of mighty power to our souls. The dear Lord has been searching and filling our hearts. Soldiers have gone in well. Lord bless them! Souls almost every night, to God be all the praise. Friday night, Holiness meeting, grand time, the Lord came down in His fullness and powerfully laid hold of everyone in the place; three fell into the Fountain and came out whiter than snow.

From, 'The War Cry', November 1880.

Additional Information

I do not know where the meetings were held.


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