Bethesda Baptist Chapel - Neyland (1905)
Neyland is ablaze with revival. On Friday evening a representative meeting was held, when two delegates from each church and the various ministers decided that services should be continued for the present. This is now the third week of the revival, and the services continue with unabated, if not increased fervour. On Monday evening there were nearly 800 people in the Baptist Chapel. Such was the crowded congregation that people had to be accommodated along the aisles and in the rostrum; and if the attendance goes on increasing, as during the past week, it will be necessary to hold the services in two chapels.
There were many touching incidents at the services. On Monday night a request was handed into Mr Robson who conducted the meeting, to pray for a certain person who desired to attend the services but who could not bring himself to believe in the existence of God. One young man prayed with great fervency for his father and mother, and especially for his father, who he said, made his mother’s life miserable.
On Saturday and Sunday evening bands of young people paraded the streets, and conducted services at various points. It is noteworthy that there is a marked improvement in the conduct of youths in the street. There is now absolutely no rowdyism, and bad language is never heard in the streets. Among the converts is a man who was a noted Sabbath-breaker, and who never missed a rabbit coursing match. He is now a changed person.
The public houses are deserted. One innkeeper declares that he might have closed his house last week for the amount of business he did.
The following incident is unique. A band of three young men were holding a mock revival meeting at the bottom of Neyland. One of the party, the leading scoffer, conducted the introductory part of the service, after which he called on another to pray. This person hesitated at carrying blasphemy so far, but a young lady who happened to be passing at the time stopped and said, ‘Yes, do pray.’ And she knelt down with him in the street and both prayed. Afterwards, the person accompanied her to the revival services and was numbered among the converts.
Never before have such meetings been held in Neyland. The converts exceed 200.
From, ‘The Cardigan County Times’, 25th January 1905.
This is the fourth week during which revival services have been held in Neyland, and there is little, if any, falling off in the size of the meetings or in the fervour which characterises them. At one meeting, indeed, there seemed to be something lacking, but a prayer of a boy of fifteen who said, "O Lord, this meeting is cold," quickly restored the enthusiasm, and the service went ahead like a tornado. At another service a very effective prayer was offered by a mother of 11 children, who asked that four of them still outside the pale of the church might be converted. One of the woman's daughters also prayed in the same strain, and at the close a son came forward in answer to his mother's and sister's prayers and announced his conversion.
Although the Episcopalians are not taking an official part in the services, yet many prominent and zealous Church, of England workers are to be seen regularly at the services. Each night a short address has been given by one of the ministers, otherwise everything is quite spontaneous. The part taken by ladies in these meetings shows the wonderful power possessed by the gentler sex. On Saturday and Sunday night open-air services were held in the principal thoroughfares.
Last Sunday there were about 120 new members before the Baptist Church, 66 before the Congregational Church, 70 before the Wesleyan Church, and 45 before the Presbyterian Church. There are also five others to be added to the last named, making 50 altogether. All other meetings in the town are suspended.
From, ‘The Cardigan County Times’, 1st February 1905.