W i t r i e s s a n d I M i n i s t e r

S O N s , E R I N : F i t s , G L Y N S E A M .
i k Witness and I Minister
The Journal of the South Wales Bible Training College, Porth, Glam
(Edited by the Principal, Dr. D. M. PHILLIPS, MA.)
s'
-
t
,
The Late Rev. R. B. JONES
(Founder of the Institute).
Vol. II. N. 11 (New Edition). MAY, 1939.
ill Al LY.WJ & JtJVCS, YRILY r.rt.s,iNc.r. rt.
C O N T E N T S .

CONTENTS.
THE REPORT OF THE BIBLE COLLEGE FOR 1937-38 (Principal Dr. D. M
Phillips) 1
THE SECRET OF THE KINGDOM (Late Principal R. B. Jones)
3
JESUS SHALL REIGN (I. Watts) 7
LECTURES ON PREACHING (Principal Dr. Phillips) 8
TEN HOURS IN THE COMPANY OF EVAN ROBERTS THE WELSH REVIVALIST
(Principal Dr. Phillips) 12
THE PRAYER KEY (William Olney)
15
THE APPEAL (William Obey)
16



T h e R e p o r t o f t h e B i b l e C o l l e g e
f o r 1 9 3 7 - 3 8 .






































E t
Ilrlit ness anb a Ininist cr
the journal of tbe Males 1Bible training anstatite. north
vol. II. No. 11(NewSeries)May1939
The Report of the Bible College
for 1937-38.
By Principal Dr. D. M. Phillips, M.A.

Mr. Chairman and Dear Christian Friends.

We present you our report this year under different circum-
stances to the past years. Owing to the great depression and the
heavy overhead expenses, we had to leave Tynycymer Hall, and
seek a home elsewhere. Tabernacle Church, and Bethlehem, the
daughter church, were kind enough to help us out of our difficulty,
and a comfortable and convenient place to carry on the work was
prepared for us at Bethlehem. Words cannot express our gratitude
for this kindness. The caretaker at Bethlehem did all he could to
make the room in which the classes are held comfortable, and we
convey to him our warmest thanks.
We wish to make it clear that the work is carried on exactly
at it was at Tynycymer Hall, and the same doctrine as that taught
by the founder is strictly adhered to. We emphasize this point
because some evil-minded persons have spread it abroad that sound
doctrine is not taught in the college. We challenge anyone to prove
such a statement. Since the Rev. R. B. Jones died, his doctrine
has been strictly taught in all its aspects by all the tutors.
Last session was a remarkable one. We never had a better
class of students, young men who wanted to know all that was
possible to qualify them for the ministry. It was a means of grace
to work with them. They never shirked a class; they loved to help
one another; they saw no difficulty too much to endeavour to sur-
mount; and they realized the tremendous responsibility of the
pulpit. The two that are going out are men who will make a mark
in the pulpit, and we are sure they will make splendid pastors.
The committee appointed over two years ago to see to matters
of importance in connection with the college, is still in existence,
and takes deep interest in the work. No step is taken only in
consultation with it. I have been encouraged greatly by its support.
Those who have faithfully continued to attend are men of sterling
spiritual character, and I have never met with better men in all
my life. They are men who think of what is spiritually good before
anything else. When Mr. T. H. Morgan, the former treasurer,
resigned, we were able to get Mr. D. Evans, Chemist, to take his
place; and notwithstanding his illness, and the serious operation
he had to undergo, he has performed his work carefully and wisely.















































2_A WITNESS_AND A MINISTER
We have no financial report to present to you, because the
Annual Meetings have been held sooner than usual, and because
the books have not yet come from the auditor. However, we are
glad to inform our friends that we have not incurred any debt
during the session. But that is due first of all, to the generosity
and kindness of Tabernacle Church, and its daughter church,
Bethlehem; and to the fact that Professor Wm. Edwards, M.A,
and myself have done our work for next to nothing after paying
our expenses; and Mip Chaldicot, B.A. and Miss Williams, M.A.
have rendered their great services for lathing. How can we thank
them sufficiently ? The lectures on English Literature by Miss
Chaldicot, and those on Church History by Miss Williams, were
thorough; rich and lucid, and greatly appreciated by the students.
Had they been paid for their work, they could not do better than
they did; and they are two faithful members of Tabernacle Church.
Therefore, you see how indebted we are to this church.
But although we did not incur debt this session, we are in
great debt owing to the heavy expenses in carrying on the work at
Tynycymer, and were it not for the 2,000 and over that was
collected during the first two years after I took to the principalship,
we would have been in a bad financial state today. Our aim is to
cope with this difficulty and pay all our debts if possible.
What of the future of the College ? It depends on several
things. In the first place, it depends on Tabernacle Church. It
was initiated by this Church and its pastor. Their spirituality was
the powerful impetus that brought it into existence. Since its
pastor's death, the church has been faithful to it, and I have
implicit faith that it will continue to be so. In the second place,
its future depends on the number and class of students that will
enter it. If such students as we have now will present themselves
far entrance in the coming years, the College will be successful.
In the third place, it will depend on the tutors. If we shall not be
able to get first class tutors as we have now, it cannot succeed.
But I have faith that the Lord will give us men consecrated to the
great work of His Son.
In conclusion let me thank this church, and Bethlehem,
most heartily for all their kindness, and the Misses Chaldicot and
Williams, and also Mr. Price Lewis and Mr. D. Evans, for their
valuable help. I have also to thank Mrs. Evans, Bronwydd, and
Frank Evans, Esq., for their great patience and kindness. And
lastly, all our supporters and donors towards carrying on the work.
Let us all be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait,

T H E S E C R E T O F T H E K I N G D O M









































A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
THE SECRET OF THE KINGDOM
By the late Principal R. B. Jones
T
HE Kingdom of Clod, variously designated in the Scriptures,
is commonly acknowledged to be their supreme theme, and
the grand goal towards which both Creation and Redemption
move. It is therefore central to all Christian thinking, and the
great Christian truths will find themselves in mutual harmony only
as they are placed in their common relation to this sublime theme.
It also follows that all mere intellectual differences among God's
people would of necessity vanish could the vision of God's one
dominating purpose in Christ be seen by all. Disunity, obviously,
comes from the adoption of different points of view, the result of
placing in the centre what belongs to the circumference, or vice
versa. All God's operations, of whatever kind, whether in Nature,
Providence, or Grace, are subordinate to the one great purpose, of
establishing His Kingdom. The work of the six days, the dispen-
sational dealings with the nations in general, and with Israel in
particular, the Incarnation of the Son, His Atonement, the out-
pouring of the Spirit, the salvation of individual souls, the
discipline of the individual saint, the building up of the Body of
Christ, all reformations and revivals, are, in God's plan, not ends
in themselves, but means towards the coming of the Kingdom.
The salvation of the lost, the formation of the Church, or any other
of the means just mentioned would, in itself, be a purpose worthy
of God, nevertheless, it is vital to recognise that God's purpose
reaches beyond each and all of them to a purpose grander stillHis
Kingdom, a consummation to which, among others, inspiring
reference is made in Paul's words: "Then cometh the end, when he
shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when
he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For
he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last
enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things
-under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it
is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son
also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that
God may be all in all." (1 Cor. 15, 24-28).
At this point it would be natural to expect an attempt at defining
the term, "the Kingdom of God," but one feels no shame in asking
to be excused the impossible task. It is but obvious and trite to say
that
the Kingdom represents that sphere in which God's majesty is














































A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
cloudlessly revealed, His power unresisted, His authority un-
questioned, and -His commands joyously obeyed; that aggregate of
moral beings, each spiritually and intimately living in loving
fellowship with God, realising their supreme delight in beholding
His glory, acknowledging His perfections and surrendering to
His will; in short, that spiritual order of which God is the sole
Author and the undisputed Head. It hardly needs saying, that
such a state of things is as yet an unrealised one, and then its
realisation that no object could be more sublime, or worthier of God.
It is, moreoverspeaking very reverentlya task which God could
not afford to neglect, for the Kingdom, as it reflects God's ultimate
purpose, is simply His answer to the challenge of sin. Sin has
destroyed the unity of Creation. The latter is no longer in the
strict sense a universe. Dark formidable rebellion has raised its
serpent head within the realm of the Almighty. Where once were
harmony and peace, is nowwitnessed the clash of two wills, the
conflict between two natures the struggle between two antagonistic
principles. It is impossible to mistake the fundamental significance
of it all. The blowof the rebel hand is aimed at God Himself. The
objection is to the absolute rule of His Throne. The moot point is,
Shall the spiritual system to be reared upon the world's material
framework be conformed to the nature of God, or be built according
to another plan? Such a challenge cannot be ignored. In very
self-defence, so to speak, God must act. Moreover, as the Head of
His great creation family, He faithfully assumes responsibility to
restore order, discipline, and peace. Hence, the kingdom stands as
the expression of the supremest of Divine purpose, which, to put it
simply and briefly, is after all but a return to status quo.
In this connection, sin, in its broad sense, is seen to be the great
menace to the Kingdom. This is sin's central significance, and
should be very carefully kept in mind. John's definition of sin as
"lawlessness, it will be noted, is evidently formed in the light of
the Kingdom idea.
Sin, of course, is older than man, and has disturbed other realms
than the simple earth. Man is but sin's victim; its father is Satan.
That great being stands notorius among the moral creatures of God,
as the one from whose heart flowed all the poison stream. As to
whether sin was conceived and born on the earth, or in some other
part of God's great universe, it will be well to observe the wise
reticence of Scripture, while, at the same time, we reverently and
gratefully gather up any hints and clues which the Holy Spirit may
here and there have dropped. In so far as the Bible croes, we have
no knowledge of any moral existence in any part of the material
universe other than the earth. Only, it must be noted, that in
using the word "earth" in this connection, it must be understood

A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
to include all referred to in Gen. i. 1 as "the heaven and the earth."
If such a statement appear strange and arbitrary, a little consider-
ation will remove that impression. That the "heaven" of Gen. i. 1
refers to a part of the material creation cannot well be doubted. It
does not include any spiritual sphere usually regarded as the place
of the Almighty Creator's throne. Judging by the light of the
context, notably Gen. i. 6-8, where we have record of the making
of the firmament, we are justified in interpreting the word "heaven'
(lit. "heaved-up things") as representing, principally, the atmo-
spheric heaven, including, possibly, the planetary systemof which
the earth is not only a member, but also, in a spiritual sense, the
centre. It is a persistent conviction that in many a Scriptural
passage the word "heaven" has just this unsuspected material
sense, signifying the aerial envelope in which earth's denser
material revolves. This atmosphere of rarified matter is as much
a part of the earth as are continents and oceans; hence the
legitimacy of the use of the term"earth" to include the material
heavens as well.
Sin, as will again be noted, has usurped possession not only of
the visible planet, but also of the invisible firmament which sur-
rounds it. As to whether the rebellion could have found oppor-
tunities elsewhere to spread, Scripture is silent, but it is sublimely
vocal on the point that God has sworn that, with the hand raised
against His Throne, He will have war until it be utterly destroyed
and His Kingdomonce more established.
We have referred to the establishing of the Kingdomas the
restoration of the status quo. It needs saying that the reference is
not to any state already once realised upon the earth as it is. A
great fact it is, that the Kingdomof God has never yet been realised
among Adam's race. The status quo ante-dates the six days of
Gen. i., by perhaps, many ages. That pre-sin period is covered by
that great first verse of Genesis. The second verse introduces us
to the terrible effects of the destruction with which the primitive
rebellion was visited"And the earth was waste and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep." In accordance with this
view, the work of the six days is regarded, not as the first creation
of the heaven and the earth, but rather as their restoration from
their ruined condition. If we would gain some knowledge of the
spiritual status quo in that primitive earth, it would seemthat it
may be had froma perusal of the last two chapters in Revelation.
There, as one is led to judge, is described the condition of the new
heavens and the newearth in the Post-millenial ages; sin and its
curse having been destroyed, all authority other than God's put
down, and the eternal order, the Kingdomof God, brought in;
probably in all things an exact replica of what once obtained upon
the ea-rth as originally created.















































A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
Leaving however such preliminary thoughts, we may now
address ourselves more specifically to our subject, and one can
perhaps obtain some glimpse of its tremendous importance, and of
the way in which it overshadows and dominates everything else in
God's scheme of Creation and Redemption, if we observe that in the
Scriptures, the Kingdom, as it specially relates to men on earth,
is seen in many phases. We find it successively, first, in God's
purpose, then in abeyance, in embryo, in type, in mystery, in
universal, full application, and, lastly
'
in its perfect manifestation.
This sevenfold analysis will, it is hoped, serve to enable us to catch
a viewof God's infinitely grand purpose in Christ, and of the varied
processes He has planned and the means He has ordained in order
to its consummation. These seven steps will be seen to cover the
whole stretch of Scripture revelation fromone horizon to the other.
Let us look first at
1 . The Kingdom in God's Purpose.
Away back in that wonderful first chapter of Genesis, we have
reference to it. The waste and empty earth having been restored
to its pristine glory, in the sixth day the Creator once more speaks,
saying, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." It
is difficult not to feel that here is expressed something more than
man's likeness to God in respect of his moral nature and spiritual
character. What meaning can such words as "image" and "like-
ness" have as applied to God Who is infinite Spirit, except as they
hint that even then the Son of God was well on His eternal way
toward His incarnation. Had He already "emptied Himself, taken
the formof a servant, and become in the likeness of man?"
Humanity is surely older than Adam. Adamwould only be the
first expression of it upon the renewed earth. The first man is the
Son of God, the Heirbeing the Firstbornof all things. But,
without pursuing this, let it be noted that the first mark of man
made "in the image and likeness" of God is that of kingly power.
The words are, "Let us make man . . and let themhave
dominion."
Confusion and disharmony are never fromGod, and
so his first care for the world just restored is, that it should be a
world of order under proper government. In other words, it must
be a kingdom, the Kingdomof God, the throne of which, as God's
vicegerent, is vested in man. It is impossible to miss in this
Scripture the clear unveiling of man's primal dignity in the purpose
of God's creation. He is God's king, the one through whomthe
Divine Being would mediate rule over the earth and all therein.
It is of great moment to realise this, that man in God's image is a
king; that in the creative purpose he was meant to rule. This
vision breaks upon the mind of the Psalmist in the beautiful eighth


























t h e s o n s o f G o d . " " s o n s "










J E S U S S H A L L R E I G N .









A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
Psalm(3-6). One is tempted to linger over this point because,
although it may be accepted as a beautiful idea, it is eaSy to avoid
having its impression as a capital fact deeply made in heart and
mind. Man's royal position is vital to our thinking, because it is
so to the whole systemof things. If man is king over the restored
earth, his throne is the very centre of the new order of things, the
corner-stone of the whole structure. Let himtherefore forfeit his
place and power and the whole necessarily collapses. Referring to
this very thing, Paul writes, "For the creation was subjected to
vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of himwho subjected it."
The king having shown himself wanting, the kingdominevitably is
destroyed and converted into a condition of sad anarchy. When
Adamfell, it meant more than the fall of an individual, it was the
collapse of a whole realm. This being so, it is not surprising to
find that Redemption has for its explicit purpose the restoration of
man to his lost royal dignity Salvation is not fully realised in the
rescue of a soul fromperdition, but in its re-creation in the image
and likeness of God, in order that the dominion once lost may be
restored to his hand. The power of grace to redeemwill not be
fully known save by those who can sing, "Unto Himwho hath . .
made us KINGS." Reverting to Paul's words, mute creation is
represented as somehow being conscious that its redemption from
bondage is involved in, and conditioned by this very thing"For
the earnest expectation of the created waiteth for the revealing of
the sons of God." "sons" because of their being in God's image
and likeness and hence fit to take the dominion originally intender'
for such. Her e then is the Scriptural key to political and social
problems. Earth's ills and miseries will yield only to the Divine
remedy. God's methods are men in His image and likeness. The
whole of earth's pains and disabilities will automatically
vanish
when the many sons are at last brought to glory, the glory of man's
long-lost position. it should therefore be clear that he who labours
to reclaimthe sinner and to perfect the saint is, of all men, the one
who contributes most effectively to the solution of the problems
involved in the present external conditions of society.
JESUS SHALL REIGN.
JESUS shall reign where'er the sun People and realms of every tongue
Doth his successive journeys run; Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
His kingdomstretch fromshore to shore And infant voices shall proclaim
Till moons shall wax and wane no more. Their early blessings on His name. '
I. WATTS.

L E C T U R E S O N P R E A C H I N G

P E R S O N A L I T Y A N D I N F L U E N C E C o n t i n u e d .
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A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
LECTURES ON PREACHING
By Principal Dr. D. M. Phillips, M.A.
PERSONALITY AND INFLUENCEContinued.
WE pointed out in the last lecture that many of the leading
preachers of the past had irrisistible influence on congregations.
It was further explained that such influence was due to the fact that
their whole personality was in the delivery of the sermons. They
were people of great charm in sonic respects and their personality
impressed audiences in a very powerful manner.
Individuals composing a congregation differ greatly in their
mentality, and in the contents of their consciousness. But there is
not a single individual making up a congregation, who is not a
personality. The man or woman may be a small personality; but
he or she has all the elements of personality. It follows that the
whole personality of the preacher must be in the sermon before he
can influence all the personalities of his congregation. Many
preachers have but little or no influence with a large section of their
congregations because their sermons only appeal to one aspect of
personality. The reason for that, is the fact that only one aspect
of the Gospel truth has possessed their personality. Some preachers
only appeal to the intellect of the hearers as if their personalities
were made up of intellect only. This class of preachers only
influence the intellectual section of their congregations. They
forget that emotion and will are essential elements of personality
as well as intellect. There is another class of preachers, who only
address themselves to the emotions and neglect the intellectual side
of personality. The influence of these is superficial and ephemeral.
It vanishes like the morning mist. It does not feed and nourish the
intellect. More, very often it hardens the emotions rather than
softening them and leading them to repentance. Further, some
preachers direct their message to the will or the active power in
personality; they urge people to action and do not touch the affect-
ions of the heart, neither do they attempt to enlighten the intellect.
These never attain a high position in the ministry because they
neglect the powers that move the will to voluntary action. In their
personality only one aspect is predominant, namely, the will. The
whole personality of the preacher must be in the sermon in a bal-
anced state before he can be of the greatest influence. The sermon
must contain sufficient matter for the intellect, a powerful appeal
to the deepest emotions of the soul, the conscience must be stirred to
its depths, and the whole will must be aroused to intense action.

H . P E R S O N A L I T Y A N D T H E P R E A C H E R ' S M O O D .



































































A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
H.PERSONALITY AND THE PREACHER'S MOOD.
PERSONALITY
has various moods. These moods are .due very often
to bodily health, and at other times to mental conditions. Again,
preachers, like other men, are of different temperaments. In a way
it is well that moods change and temperaments differ. The variation
breaks the monotony. A preacher always in the same mood would
soon tire his congregation, and the same would be
-the case if all
preachers had the same temperament. A preacher-always in the
same mood cannot spring any surprise upon his congregation. The
hearers do not expect anything but sameness of mood from him.
Variation of mood and different temperaments are one of the con-
ditions of influence.
Again, the mood must be the product of the whole personality of
the preacher before it can be of real influence.
An artificial or
feigned mood is fatal to spiritual effect.

The congregation will

soon detect it, and once detected the preacher's influence is at an
end. It must be a mood springing from the core of the preacher's
being, a mood that overwhelms him and makes it impossible for
him not to express it. It must be due to the pressure of the infinite
Spirit in his soul making the expression of it an absolute necessity.
All real preachers have experienced this mood, and it has been one
condition of their success in converting sinners and edifying the
saints.
Further, all moods are justified in the pulpit except a bad mood
which is the product of bad temper. The mood may be intense,
moderate, cold, intellectual, moral, energetic, indignant, jealous
for the truth and glory of God, serious, joyful, and a host of other
moods consistent with the subject under consideration, but it must
never be the product of any form of bad temper. No mood should
possess the preacher but one of spiritual quality, a mood produced
by the Holy Spirit working in his soul. Bad mood has wrecked the
career of many talented preachers, Christ had all the moods of
human nature in a holy form. One day he is full of. joy, and thanks
the Father for hiding certain things from the wise and prudent
people in their own estimation; another day he weeps by the grave
of Lazarus. All his moods were holy and the product of his whole
personality. Whatsoever was the intensity and quality of his
moods they were of the highest spiritual quality. Between his
joy and his agony on the cross he experienced all human moods
except those produced by sin. in other words, he experienced all
the moOds of a perfect man. Because of the quality of his moods,
their influence has been the greatest in the history of the world.
A bad mood
in the pulpit is like blast on the minds of the saints.
Blast and ground frost wither vegetable life. The same is true of
sermons preached in a had temper; they wither the spiritual life
and























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10 A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
hinder its growth. More, it hardens the hearts of sinners. Love
should be the essence and underlying cause of all the moods of the
preach,er. Neither mental capacity, scholarship, culture, genius,
nor high position in society and wealth can make up for the lack
of the mood which characterised the life and work of Christ ; and
no preacher can be of real spiritual influence on his hearers unless
he is filled with love. More, bad mood stultifies and dwarfs the
preacher himself, it impoverishes his personality instead of devel-
oping, sanctifying and enriching it. Bad mood, like poison gas,
destroys personality as well as destroying the preacher's influence.
Let the mood be intense, but never bad; let it be moderate or cold,
but never the fruit of bad temper. No preacher can hope for real
success unless his fundamental mood is of the same nature as that
of Christ, which was of the highest and richest spiritual quality,
love. Such a life is invincible in its influence. Clear logical
thinking, strong sympathetic feeling, biblical knowledge and
scholarship in branches pertaining to the ministry are of great
value; but nothing can make up for the mood and spirit of Christ
in the pulpit. It is a rare exception for any preacher who does not
possess this mood to be of any success in the pulpit or out of it.
Bad temper and doubtful character, as a rule, go together, and they
cannot be a success in the real sense of the word.
III.PERSONALITY AND INSPIRATION.
THIS aspect of our subject cannot have too much attention. Its
importance is to be seen when we consider the fact that no sermon
can reach the apex of influence without Divine inspiration. In
other words, the preacher's inspiration must be Divine in quality,
and not human. There is human inspiration which is prominently
revealed in great geniuses like Goethe, Tennyson, Shakespeare,
Dante, and Milton; in great writers on different branches of know-
ledge, and artists of international fame; but it differs in quality
fromDivine inspiration. One is human, the other superhuman.
The inspiration which produces a real spiritual sermon is fourfold.
Firstly, the truth which is the basis of the sermon must be divinely
inspired. The truth of the Bible is an inspired truth. It is the
ultimate truth of salvation. The preacher can bring in many other
truths to illustrate his theme, as did Christ in his incomparable
parables; but every sermon must have God's inspired truth as its
foundation. No sermon is worthy of the name unless it is based on
divine truth. Secondly, the preacher must be inspired to study the
way to handle divine truth when composing the sermon. No human
inspiration can take the place of it, and no man should dare to
ascend the pulipt in the strength of his own inspiration and genius,
however brilliant he may be intellectually. Only by the inspiration
















































































A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
1 1
of the Holy Spirit can he identify himself with the inspired truth
of the Bible when proclaiming it to the congregation. The preacher
should speak as he is moved by the Spirit of God. No human
qualification can take the place of the Holy Ghost, even if the
preacher possessed the eloquence of an angel.
Further, not only must the preacher be a man of inspiration to
know and handle the truth; not only should he be scholarly enough
to know and understand the original meaning of God's Words; but
he should be inspired to adapt the truth to the common needs of
men, the individual needs as well as the common needs, that is,
he should be able to adapt the truth to the mentality and character-
istics of the age, and the perils of the time in which we live. No
man can do this without the guidance of the Spirit of God. The
Spirit never fails if a man handles the truth under His guidance,
and in the right mood Sins change their forms and colours with
the times, but sin itself never changes its nature, its form.s and
colours are more deceitful now than ever, but not more heinous
in their nature Be that as it may, the Spirit of Christ is great
enough to meet every age, every grade of education, every form of
mental development, and every new knowledge of the world, man
and God. His Spirit will tower infinitely above the greatest minds
at the end of the world, and his power is sufficient to conquer all
forms of sin. There will be innumerable changes in the history of
the future; but His Spirit will be sufficient to adapt the inspired
preacher to meet them all.
Again, the personality of the preacher should be enriched by
spiritual experience. He should be a man who has experienced the
influence of the inspired word on his soul. No one can speak from
deep spiritual conviction without this experience. The man of such
experience can testify what Christ has done to and for him. The
riches of his spiritual experience is a source of inspiration, and
throws great force into the delivery of the sermon. It gives moral
earnestness and force to the preacher's words, and moral earnest-
ness arising from deep conviction, carries with it powerful moral
and spiritual influence.
Thirdly, the object of the sermon must be an inspired one. There
should be a direct object in every sermon. The main object should
be the conversion of sinners and the sanctification of the regen-
erated. But there are many minor objects such as the consolation
of mourners, rendering help to the weak, encouragement to the
depressed, an effort to regain backsliders, educating and
enlightening undeveloped members as well as a host of other worthy
objects. We shall leave the fourth aspect of the subject to be treated
in the next lecture

T e n H o u r s i n t h e C o m p a n y o f
E v a n R o b e r t s , t h e W e l s h R e v i v a l i s t



















12 A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
Ten Hours in the Company of
Evan Roberts, the Welsh Revivalist
By Principal Dr. D. M. Phillips, M.A.
COR some years I hadnot beenable tohave but verylittle of
thecompanyof mydear friendEvanRoberts, withwhom1
was insuchcloserelationduring thegreat spiritual upheaval
inWales in1904-5. Since I wrote the historyof that great move-
ment, I hadtobeinverycloserelationwithMr. Roberts for nearly
three years. Suchcare hadtobe takentohave all the facts cor-
rectlyinhand, sothat thebookwouldbeauthentic, that wehadto.
meet andcorrespondoften. The volume has gone throughmany
editions, andhas hada large circulationas well as being trans-
latedintosomeother languages, andits authenticityhas never been
questioned.
Our meeting this time came about rather suddenly. A very
religious gentleman, Mr Phillip Butler, of Suffolk, England, who
hadreadmybook, wrote tome that he intendedvisiting Wales to
seesomerelatives, andaskedif it wouldbepossiblefor himtosee
Mr. EvanRoberts. Mr. Butler andhis sister-in-lawcame, andwe
proceededtoCardiff tosee Mr. Roberts at "Hafod," the happy'
homeof Mr. andMrs Williams, withwhomhehas beenstaying for















































A WITNESS AND A MINISTER 15
years. As they are people of deep piety their home is one of the
most congenial Mr. Roberts could have had We found him in the
best mood, ready to speak on any religious subject, and answer any
question put to him.
The kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Williams was boundless, and after
we dined with them, Mr. Evan Roberts accompanied us to Loughor,
as Mr. Butler and his sister-in-law were very anxious to see the
chapel and the village where the Revival initiated. I made up my
mind not to speak so that Mr. Butler and his sister-in-law could
converse with Mr. Roberts and ask him any questions they desired.
Thi4turned out to be most fruitful. His natural attitude made our
friends feel quite free to ask him many questions, and his answers
were searching, rich, clear and lucidly expressed. The following
are some of he questions that were asked him:
Q.: How can we have the best from Christ?
A.: To get the best from Him we must give our hest to Him.
To be men and women after his heart we must give our hearts to
Him-
Nothing can draw the best from Christ but this. The heart
although corrupt is they best thing we have. Only the love of our
hearts can draw out the infinite love of Christ's heart. Absolute
surrender of the heart to Christ is the only thing that can win the
best from Him. Christ and God are to be used by us. What is the
good of having a fine piano in the house if you do not use it? So of
God and Christ. They offer themselves for our use. But we must
learn the way to use them. Unless the man learns to play the piano
it is of no use to him. The only way to use Christ is to give our
whole being to him. God gives His natural blessings to be used.
The same is true of his spiritual blessings; but we must learn to
use both blessings
Q.: What should we do with obstacles to prayer?
A.: No obstacles can stand before real prayer. The prayer that
issues from the heart is in a sense infinite because it links the man
to the Almighty. Elijah made obstacles to his prayer on
Mount Carmel. He filled the trench with water, and poured water
on the wood. In fact he did everything to fustrate the fire to con-
sume the wood. He prayed, and the fire came, and devoured - all
before it notwithstanding the obstacles. Indeed obstacles only give
strength and courage to true prayer. The storms strengthen the
oak. They loosen its roots and enable them to penetrate deeper
into the earth. So of the spiritual life : obstacles develop it.
Q.: What should be our motive in prayer?
A.: Real, honest prayer may be motived by principles, facts or
needs You may be moved to pray because of principles. Prayer is
an eternal principle grounded in man's nature. Or the motive may













































14 A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
be facts. You are compelled to face God in prayer because of
certain facts in your experience, or facts outside in the case of other
men, society, the nation or the world. Or again, your own needs
may compel you to pray. You know that God only can satiate your
needs, and therefore, you cry to Him for an answer.
Q.: How can I have the women and girls in the Sisterhood to
s- peak? Sometimes it is very difficult to have anyone to say a word.
A. : Sometimes a pause is essential in a service like a pause in
music and rhetoric. Sometimes it is the most influential thing
possible. You do not know what takes place in the minds of the
people during a pause. Perhaps the Spirit works mightily in people's
minds at the time. We cannot judge these things. In a real
spiritual service silence is of spiritual use. You have done your
duty by speaking yourself and have given an example to others,
hence you are free. Before you pass sentence on those who do not
speak, judge yourself. Perhaps they are afraid to speak, or perhaps
they have nothing to say, or that they have no language to express
themselves. The nature of the silence must be determined before
we can judge it. There are three things to be judged in this con-
nection: your perception, your feeling, and your ideas. One, two
or the three may he wrong. The question is, are we moved by the
Spirit in one or all of these? If our judgment is correct, it must
be moved by one or all of these. But do not judge yourself until
you have the evidence. No judge gives verdict without evidence.
Q.: Can a man's prayer be answered without faith ?
A.: No; he must have faith for the 24 hours of the day. It will
not do for you to believe while engaged in prayer, you must believe
all the time that God answers real prayer. Faith must be a constant
habit of the soul. Be indifferent about the answer to your prayer.
The more indifferent you are, the more certain you are of being
answered. People concern a great deal too much about the answer.
Q.: What is the great operative principle in the formation of
character ?
A.: You may be an intellectual giant and a moral idiot; you may
be the greatest scholar in the world, and a spiritual dwarf ; you may
hold the highest degrees from the highest standard universities in
the world, Ind a man of the lowest degree in religion. Only true
morality is eternal. Intellectual knowledge is temporal, it passes
away and vanishes. But you ask what is the principle operative
in the formation of character. The intellect and feeling help the
will; but they are not the chief condition. The will is that. A
good will is bound to produce good character, and a bad will can
only create bad character; and I repeat that the will is the dominant
principle in the building of character.




























T h e P r a y e r K e y











A WITNESS AND A MINISTER 15
Q.: What is your opinion of forgiveness ?
A. : I feel great difficulty regarding this subject. In order to
forgive you should know all the facts. Very often to know all the
facts is to forgive all. Perhaps that the person who offended you
had plenty of reason for his conduct. When you know that, it is
sinful in you not to forgive him unconditionally. In other words,
not to forgive increases your sinfulness. It is sinful for a man to
take offence until he knows all the facts, and when he knows that
the offender was right, his sin is doubled in not forgiving.
Again
'
when the offender deliberately sins against you, if he really
repents and expresses that, you sin in not forgiving him. God
knows all our motives and all our sinful ideas and actions, yet when
we repent He forgives all our failings.
Q.: What am Ito do when in doubt of anything?
A.: Close the door on it. Do not tell others what you doubt
yourself. Shut yourself on yourself until you come to the light.
Nothing is more harmful to religion than to express doubts about
the fundamental things. By so doing you make others doubt and
develop your own doubt. When you know anything and quite
certain that you understand it, let others know it. That will mag-
nify your personality and enrich it. It is a sin to keep good things
to ourselves. Christ told the disciples the secrets of eternity, He
kept nothing from them that they- could understand.
With these important questions the ten hours were spent, and our
friends from Suffolk testified that they had had the spiritual treat
of their lives. May God bless it all to be the means of the salvation
and edification of sinners.
The Prayer Key
"Prayer is the key giving us access to all that is great and good."
The late Dr. Andrew Murray.
Stored up in Christ all fulness dwells,
And my soul's constant need impels
Desire to seek all there :
But how can I that store obtain,
- And that abundant fulness gain?
-
The key to it is Prayer.
Encouragements from Christ Himself '
Lead me to seek this Heavenly pelf,
Fulness of Grace to share;

















T h e A p p e a l























i6
A WITNESS AND A MINISTER
Askseekfind are His precious words;
What faith His sweet command affords
To persevere in Prayer.
Is it for Grace to conquer sin,
To triumph over foes within
I would my heart prepare?
No resolutions will suffice,
I in my hand hold not the price:
But victory is in Prayer.
Or do I seek men's souls to gain,
Finding my efforts all in vain,
Yet labouring still to dare?
Since all Authority Christ owns,
I can speak in effectual tones,
In answer to my Prayer.
WILLIAM OLNEY,
The Appeal
0 man of God When thou shalt preach, Appeal!
Leave not the Word, unenforced to remain
Something which may be for man's woe or weal.
Preach for a verdict: urge decision made
Upon the spot; for many souls are fain
To forget fears which at the time they feel;
And think no more how they were once afraid
Of losing pardon, at the Cross displayed.
Be thou the agent for the Spirit's seal
To His Best Word, a change of heart most real.
Urge penitence on all, and faith that stain
Of sin be cleansed, beneath the crimsoned Tree.
And the Blest Spirit, with His energy
Of Grace, will make the Word in power to abide.
Urge that confession on the spot be made,
So shall salvation, as the Word declares,
Be the sure answer to thy hearers' prayers.
So they, making of Truth a present meal.
Will leove the House, not with Truth put aside,
But with a joy, through thy work they obtain,
Faith and Confession being both obeyed. -
WILLIAM OLNEY,

O F T H E S . W A L E S B I B L E T R A I N I N G I N S T I T U T E
B y t h e R e v . B r . D . M . P h i l l i p s , M . A . :


P r i c e , 1 / 6





































" J E S U S C H R I S T T H E W O R D O F C O D , " R e v . H u w
E d w a r d s , M . A . , P o n t y b e r e m
P r i c e 7 / 6 .
I
PUBLI CATI ONS
OF THE S. WALES BI BLE TRAI NI NG I NSTI TUTE
By the Rev. Dr. D. M. Phillips, M.A.:
"DYNAMI CPREACHI NG"
FIFTH EDITIONGREATLY ENLARGEDIN THE PRESS
Price, 1/6
Appreciations
The Baptist Times.The first chapter, entitled "Spiritual Preaching," is
worth the price of the whole volume. Every preacherordained or layshould
purchase this 18-pennyworth of glowing eloquent exhibition of Dynamic
Preaching.
Rev. T. Thomas, B.A., Vicar of Llancarfan.I have perused your book on
Dynamic Preaching with interest and profit. As usual you have dealt with your
subject in a most orderly and exhaustive way. The philosopher, analyst and
divine are revealed on every page. The book ought to be placed in th hands of
all young preachrs and prove a sourceof inspiration and impulse to deliver their
message effectively. Great thanks are due to you for writing such a great book.
The Rev. Canon W. Morgan, B.A., Llandovery.I have read "Dynamic
Preaching" by the Rev. Dr. D. M. Phillips with increasing interest and profit,
and I consider it a book which every student for the ministry should read
carefully and follow the many excellent advices given therein.
Rev. 0. S. Symond, BA., Llanymynech, Mont.I read "Dynamic Preaching"
by Dr. Phillips, from cover to cover before putting it out of my hand. It ought
to be placed in the hands of all our theological students, that they may have a
right idea of the true and ultimate objective of real preaching, namely, the
salvation of souls. If we could only return to the Scriptural Epoch in preaching
we might secure another revival. No one who reads this volume carefully can
say, that you denounce education as such, for you have given its proper value on
different pages of the book; but we want something more, namely, the tuition
and intuition of the Holy Spirit if we are to be Dynamic Preachers.
Rev. E. Thomas, M.A., Ph. D., Hamilton, U.S.A.This is a great book, and
a classic of its kind. All the books of Dr. Phillips are brilliant and eloquent,
but this one on "Dynamic Preaching" surpasses them all in those qualities. I
have read it many times over, and have enjoyed its genius beyond description..
Rev. TV. S. Harries. D.D., Des Moines, U.S.A.I have read the book
"Dynamic Preaching" several times, and each time I feel the force of the
argument more and more, for it deals with the greatest realities in such a
NATURAL WAY. Dynamic Preaching is timely for it deals in a masterful
way the powers capable of overthrowing the dynamic opposition. I feel the
book should be read by present day ministers and laymen, for it undoubtedly
points the way to a great revival by suggesting ESSENTIALS in present day
preaching.
"JESUS CHRIST THE WORD OF COD," by the Rev. Huw
Edwards, M.A., Pontyberem (Stockwell Ltd., 29 Ludgate
Hill, London, E.C.) Price 7/6.



P O R I H , G l a r n
( O p e n e d S e p t e m b e r , 1 9 1 9 , a n d s u p p o r t e d b y t h e C o d - s e n t g i f t s
o f G o d ' s p e o p l e ) .

















THE SOUTH WALES
BIBLE TRAINING
INSTITUTE
PORT H, Glam.
(Opened September, 1919, and supported by the Cod-sent gifts
of God's people).
Principal:
Rev. D. M. PHILLIPS, M.A., Ph.D., Ll.D.
Hon. Tutors:
Rev. W. M. GEORGE, B.A.
Rev. WILLIAM EDWARDS, M.A.
Rev. F. S. KOPLESTONE
Mr. T. R. WILLIAMS, B.A.
Mr. JOSEPH BOWEN, Mus. Doc.
Miss V. I. CALDICOTT, B.A.
Miss M. WILLIAMS, M.A.
Director of Correspondence Study Department:
Rev. D. J. EVANS
Hon. Treasurer:
Mr. DAVID EVANS, Chemist, Hannah Street, Porth, Glam.
Hon. Secretary:
Mr. T. GWILLYM, 97 Tuberville Road, Mount Pleasant,
Porth, Glam.