Evan Roberts (minister)

Evan John Roberts (8 June 1878 – 29 September 1951), was a leading figure of the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival who suffered many setbacks in his later life.

His obituary in The Western Mail summed up his career thus:

Born in Loughor, Wales, Evan Roberts was the younger of two sons born to Henry and Hannah Roberts. Raised in a Calvinistic Methodist home, he was a devout child who attended church regularly and memorized scripture at night. From the ages of 11 to 23, he worked in the coal mines with his father. Reports indicate that an explosion occurred as he assisted his father in the mine, scorching the Bible he diligently read. Evan then spent time working for his uncle as a blacksmith's apprentice in Pontarddulais. Roberts was widely known as a young man who spent many hours praying each week both personally and at group prayer meetings. Several character studies have noted his unusual zeal and warmth of character. His prominent involvement in the Welsh revival followed a period of religious awakening across the region, but most biographies assert that its spark seemed to fly from Roberts. He reported having experienced visitations from the Holy Spirit depicting "all Wales being lifted up to Heaven," at one time asking his roommate (and later brother-in-law) if he believed that God could then "give us 100,000 souls." Within a few months of October 1904 this was indeed the case. The numbers of conversions were chronicled daily in the Western Mail, the National newspaper of Wales. Famous journalists, preachers, and even the future Prime Minister Lloyd George, vouched for the genuineness of the revival and of Evan Roberts.

In 1904, Roberts began studying for the ministry at Newcastle Emlyn. Attendance at a service held by evangelist Seth Joshua in Blaenanerch, Cardigan led to an experience that formed Roberts' belief in the "Baptism of the Spirit". In October of that year, Roberts began speaking at a series of small meetings. These appearances led to his involvement in the Revival. He was soon attracting congregations numbering thousands. Within two weeks the Welsh Revival was national news and before long, Evan Roberts and his brother Dan and his best friend Sidney Evans were travelling the country conducting Revival Meetings.

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