Tabernacle Welsh Baptist Chapel, Pontypridd - Evan Roberts (1904)
Services were also held at Tabernacle in the evening, and long before the appointed time (six o’clock) the chapel was packed and hundreds congregated outside in the hope of entering during the evening. Mr Roberts arrived at 6.35 amidst the singing of ‘Throw out the Life Line’, which was sung with much spirit. A voice was heard at the chapel doors appealing to the brothers to go outside and conduct a meeting there. This was at once responded to, and the singing and praying was taken up with those inside immediately. A man prayed for his friends in Cardiff, and that the blessing should fall upon Bristol, London, Birmingham, and all the large centres in England, Scotland, Wales and poor Ireland. He thanked God for the mighty revival that had taken place in Ireland. Another man said it was glorious to be religious, there was so much service now and no time to rest. He could keep on praying until the breath left his body, and he would fall asleep in Jesus. As it was nothing but His blood that could make him white as snow. There was a man in the gallery who said he had not been in the chapel for 20 years, but was called there that night by the Spirit. Such confessions were made one after another, the congregation singing after each one. A large number of converts were recorded during the whole of the service. The Square outside the chapel was so crowded that people, both male and female, had to leave by climbing over the railings around the sacred edifice. From 'The Pontypridd Observer'. At 6 o’clock there was a huge surging throng in the square, and even with the assistance of the police it was difficult to keep the people from entering Tabernacle Welsh Baptist Chapel, which was already overcrowded. At a quarter to t Mr Evan Roberts entered during the singing on ‘Throw out the life-line’, and at his request every window was opened. He remarked that there was a great throng outside, and what was he to do with those inside? He offered a short fervent prayer for guidance, and for an outpouring of Pentecostal fire. ‘We know not what to do,’ he cried. The Miss Annie Davies and another young lady sang ‘lead, kindly Light’ in subdued tones, and the congregation joined them in prayer. The effect was electrifying, and at Mr Roberts request all church members stood, after which he led the congregation in singing ‘Send the power’. For about 20 minutes hymns after hymn was gloriously sung, the refrain of ‘I need Thee’ being taken up by the crowd outside. There have been hundreds of conversions at Pontypridd during the last few weeks. While Mr Roberts was conducting the meeting at Tabernacle Chapel, Pontypridd on Sunday night, a large crowd unable to gain admission surged outside. Many of those in the crush demanded that the gate leading to the building should be opened, but the police and the officials refused, as the chapel was overcrowded. Eventually, Mr Mackenzie of the Christian Conference League was induced to leave the chapel to address the assembly outside. He mounted a box inside the gate. He replied that if they attempted to rush the gate a panic was bound to follow in the church, and it would be murderous to do so. Mr Mackenzie prayed fervently for guidance and in a very short time the meeting was completely in his hands, and he made a passionate appeal to them to accept Christ. This meeting continued from 6 o’clock until nearly 10.
From 'The Western Mail.' My thanks to David Pike and his website http://daibach-welldigger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/accounts-of-evan-roberts-visit-to.html.
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Now the Pontypridd Museum