Newbridge (1892)



1892 Newbridge, Monmouthshire. ‘This revival broke out at the beginning of August 1892. According to their custom, the church held a prayer meeting on the first Monday night of the month, and that time a numerous and truly influential meeting was had; to such a degree that time, that the brethren felt eager to announce a prayer meeting for the Tuesday night following, and so it was. Tuesday night came, and a blessed meeting was had! Tuesday night they announced a meeting on Wednesday night, and the prayer meetings continued night after night for the space of eight weeks. And as they proceeded, they became more warm and gripping, and more numerous from week to week; and as to the time the meetings were held at nine o’clock each morning, and on the Sabbath ten in the morning, and five in the afternoon. The spirit of prayer had taken full possession of the whole church. The meetings were not noteworthy for much noise and public rejoicing but in them was felt a seriousness and silent consideration, which in its intensity was invincible in its influence upon the minds of hundreds! Some stayed in the fellowship meeting each meeting,—sure signs to the brethren that their prayers were being answered, and the Spirit of the Lord working in their midst. And in consequence of the blessed revival the Rev. J.M. Jones, hard-working minister of the church in which the revival was, on the summery Sabbath afternoon of September 18th 1892, baptized outside in the river 104, in the presence of five to six thousand attentive onlookers, on the glorious and evangelical scene. He was assisted by the Revs. T.A. Thomas, Abercarn, and J. Edwards, Beulah, though it was the minister himself who baptized, which he did in about half an hour; and in the following month, he baptized forty-two others at the same place. And in three months during this uncommon revival, 165 converts were received into the church. And the Rev. J.M. Jones, by whose kindness we have these details, said that on average they continued faithful and devoted members. This was an unusually powerful wave of revival in Newbridge; though only among the Baptists, and chiefly in Mr Jones’ church, yet it had a good influence on religion generally throughout the place. The streets were much sobered, and the religious revival became the main topic of conversation in the workplace and everywhere else. If numerous and frequent revivals like this were had, the whole of Wales would soon be brought to Christ, and the devil once and for all cast out of the land.’ [E. Parry, Llawlyfr ar Hanes Diwygiadau Cymru, pp.164-5]

This information was kindly provided by Geraint Jones

Additional Information

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