and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5
These islands have, at various times, seen extraordinary revivals of religion. These revivals are not the work of Diocesan committees or so many strategy meetings, but are rather the work of the Sovereign God. During these mighty times of blessing, those used to such great effect in the preaching of the Gospel are not normally extraordinary men. God delights in using ordinary people for extraordinary tasks. As the Apostle Paul remarked about his own ministry: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
And so to David Morgan (1814-1833). The third of nine children from west Wales, he followed his father in to the joinery business. In his late twenties he began preaching in the local chapels, and was ordained fifteen years later when he was forty-three. He had a track record of faithful service to the church, but was not exceptional.
He was in a church service one evening, and was deeply moved by the preaching. Later, he reflected on his experience: “I went to bed that night as usual, David Morgan. I had felt power in the service but I went to bed at night as David Morgan. But, you know when I woke up the next moment I realized I was a different man. I felt like a lion, I felt great power”.
A lion indeed! Over the course of the next two years he went around preaching in Wales, and a great many were converted under its power. This was the 1859 revival, and Morgan was at the forefront. Prayer flowed through Wales, with meetings not only in chapels but even in the lead mines of Aberystwyth during breaks from work. A great joy and solemnity had fallen on that great nation,
And then, as he related: “One night I went to bed filled with this power that had accompanied me for 2 years, I woke up the next morning and found that I was David Morgan once more”. And David Morgan he was until he died fifteen years later.
Oh let this be a lesson for the church today! Let this be fuel for your prayers!
“Lord raise up more lions! Let once more your gospel ring forth!”.
