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In the years 1904-05 a revival known
as "The Welsh Revival" broke out in Wales. An
evangelist, Evan Roberts, full of the Holy Ghost, was
ministering the word of God with wonderful results. News
was spreading like fire telling people about the revival
in Loughor, and that it had reached the Amman Valley.
A group of people met one night in
Penygroes, a small, quiet village in Carmarthenshire
(Dyfed) at the Independent Chapel. They were discussing
the news of this revival. After a while the minister,
Pastor William Bowen, said they should meet with other
churches in the village and hold prayer meetings so that
they themselves would be prepared for the revival. In
this group was a man named D. P Williams, who suggested
inviting Evans Roberts to preach in the village.
After a few times in prayer, things
began to happen. The revival began to sweep through
Penygroes and many in the Independent Chapel became
changed. They received experiences never known in the
church before. But there were also those who had the new
experience had to leave the Chapel. This is where we
leave the Independent Chapel and stay with the new
group. This was only a beginning to years of difficult
experiences.
This group of people then built a
mission hail where they met together for a while. In
this group was the man suggested inviting the
revivalist. He was D. P Williams, who accepted salvation
on the 25th December 1904 and it is said that previous
to his conversion he had a wild nature. But now God had
control of his life and was going to use him in the days
that lay ahead. Now this group of believers met in the
mission haIl having fellowship together and some of the
members went to different conventions at Landrindod,
Keswick and Sunderland and while there they heard of the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit and they wanted to know more
about it.
At the same time about 907-08, D. P
Williams was on holiday in a place called Aberaryon. He
was praying with a group of people and the Holy Spirit
fell and for the first time he spoke with other tongues.
Yet another experience to be received in the mission
hall. It was also about this time the Lord spoke to D.
P. Williams, saying:
"It is I the Lord thy God, that hath led
thee, young servant, into this place. In a
mysterious way I have brought thee here, for My
purposes concerning thee are great and shall be
marvelous in the eyes of many. My hand have I
laid upon thee for a work not revealed unto
thee. Chosen art thou by the Lord thy God to
gather My sheep, for verily scattered they are
upon the mountains of Israel . I hear them
bleating saith the Lord, but I will gather them
and thou shalt shepherd them. There shall be one
fold and many flocks. If thou wilt obey my voice
I will send thee unto them. The Performance of
My word shall be sure concerning thee if thou
wilt hearken to the word that I have spoken unto
thee this day, saith the lord"
During this time a split was again to be found in
the mission shall because of this new Holy Spirit
experience and those who accepted it had to find
fresh premises. So they met in the building known as
the "Band Hall" and the Lord spoke to them saying
"if they persecuted Me, they will persecute you,
before the sun will set this day, I will send to you
a man offering you a room with an open door. It is
there I would have you to meet for your evening
service and I will be with you". that day a man
visited them and gave them the use of a room in the
village school, where they met for awhile.
Before long the membership had
risen to over 80 people and they moved into a new
building called "BABELLY Y CYFARFOD" (Tabernacle of
the Congregation). At this time they were in contact
and fellowship with a group of people from
Bournemouth, known as the Apostolic Faith Mission,
their Pastor being Apostle Williams Hutchinson.
They met together and through
this D. P Williams was ordained as an Apostle and
put in charge of the work in Penygroes: and D. P
Williams brother W. Jones Williams, who was saved
after the Lord spoke to him through Pastor D. P
Williams, was set apart as a prophet.
After a while Pastor D. P
Williams ands W. J. Williams went to Bournemouth to
the Apostolic faith Mission, and attended a meeting
there The Lord spoke to Pastor D. P Williams and his
brother, telling them "ALL APOSTLES ARE EQUAL IN
CALLING" and they broke off the relationship and
fellowship with the Apostolic faith Mission.
In 1916 the Lord told Pastor D. P
Williams and his brother to start afresh, calling
the fellowship The Apostolic Church
Penygroes was the headquarters of this new
fellowship and from here the vision spread like fire
to other parts of the country and it was in 1917,
one year after the new starting point, that the Lord
spoke concerning the people from other lands and
those of dark skin coming to the mount. This of
course, has since been wonderfully fulfilled.
At an earlier date, August 1913, in Bournemouth ,
the Lord spoke through Pastor Williams saying "CARMANIA,
CARMANIA. A ship I see sailing and some of you on
board of that ship sailing to another land".
In 1922, August 3Ist, Pastor D. P
Williams, Turnbull and F Hodges and W J. Williams
boarded a ship was CARMANIA". God is true to His
word, He will perform it. The
church in Penygroes eventually linked up with
Glasgow in 1919, with Hereford in 1920 and with
Bradford in 1922, and they all came in unity under
one name, The Apostolic Church .
There are many other instances
and examples of how God moved in the village of
Penygroes. Pastors D. P Williams and W. J. Williams
are only two men used by God at that time in that
area, Other men used by God at that time to bring
His purpose to pass were Pastor T. Jones (Llwynhendy).
Pastors J. 0. Jones, W. H. Lewis, T. V. Lewis and J.
Purnell. |
