an insulting letter, threatening him with a civil prosecution. “They talk,” said he, “of casting me into a court of law, where I have never been, and hope I shall never go; but I will cast them first into the court of Jesus Christ, the source of law and authority.” So saying, he retired to his chamber, and falling upon his knees, he wept and made supplication in the following pathetic strain:—
“O blessed Lord! in thy merit I confide, and trust to be heard. Lord, some of my brethren have run wild; and forgetting their duty and obligations to their father in the gospel, they threaten me with the law of the land. Weaken, I beseech thee, their designs in this, as thou didst wither the arm of Jeroboam; and soften them, as thou didst soften the mind of Esau, and disarmed him of his warlike temper against thy servant Jacob, after the wrestling at Penuel. So disarm them, for I do not know the length of Satan’s chain in this case, and in this unbrotherly attack. But thou canst shorten the chain as short as it may please thee. Lord, I anticipate them in point of law. They think of casting thine unworthy servant into the little courts here below; but I cast my cause into the High Court, in which thou, gracious Jesus, art the High Chancellor. Receive thou the cause of thine unworthy servant, and send them a writ or a notice immediately—sending into their conscience, and summoning them to consider what they are doing. O, frighten them with a summons from thy court, until they come and bow in contrition at thy feet; and take from their hands every revengeful weapon, and make them deliver up every gun of scandal, and every sword of bitter words, and every spear of slanderous expressions, and surrender them all at thy cross. Forgive them all their faults, and clothe them with white robes, and give them oil for their heads, and the organ, and the harp of ten strings, to sing, for the trampling of Satan under our feet by the God of peace.”
Having thus poured out his heart to God, he felt some confidence of security. But he was never satisfied in such cases without an inward assurance of acceptance and success. So he went again and again; and when, like Jesus, he had “offered up many prayers, with strong crying and tears,” like Jacob “he had power with God, and prevailed.” “At the seventh time,” says he, “I came down in full confidence that Christ had taken my cause into his own hand, and would be my Savior. I felt as cheerful and happy as Bunyan’s Pilgrim, when his load fell off and rolled into the grave of Christ; or as Naaman, when he came up from the waters of Jordan, cured of his leprosy.”
It is scarcely necessary to add, the threat was never executed. The Throne of Grace is the good man’s sure resort in every emergency. Jehovah “hides him in his pavilion from the strife of tongues.”
CAERPHILLY.
An invitation, which he received about this time, to take charge of the Baptist church in Caerphilly, Glamorganshire, South Wales, confirmed Mr. Evans in his determination to leave the scene of his recent trials. He set out alone, in his sixtieth year. The distance he had to travel was about two hundred miles. On the way, while dwelling on his past misfortunes, he found his heart melted within him, and drawn out in fervent prayer. His faith soon triumphed over his afflictions and his fears. He renewed his covenant with God, and went on his way rejoicing. This revival of his religious feelings had a powerful effect upon his ministry. He had not been long in Caerphilly, before the Spirit of God was poured copiously upon the people.
Previous to this time of refreshing, he had a remarkable dream, which he noted in his diary. He thought he was in the church at Caerphilly, and found many harps hanging about the pulpit, wrapped in coverings of green. Then, said he, “I will take down the harps of heaven in this place.” In removing the covering, he found the ark of the covenant, inscribed with the name of Jehovah. Then he cried, “Brethren, the Lord has come to us, according to his promise, and in answer to our prayers.” In that very place, he shortly afterward had the satisfaction of receiving one hundred and forty converts into the church, as the fruit of his ministry.
While at Caerphilly, he entered into a second marriage. He remained there only two years. He says: “I never spent a short time in greater comfort, for the ark of God had appeared there, and the harps of one hundred and forty souls had been tuned to the song of redemption.” Happy years no doubt they were, and gladly would Mr. Evans have ended his life in Caerphilly; but troubles arose between him and some of his parishioners, and, receiving a call from Cardiff, a neighboring town, he went to take charge of a church in that place.
ANOTHER COVENANT.
Previous to his removal, and while he was meditating the matter, he made a new covenant with God. We extract again from his journal:—
“While returning from a place called Tongwynlâs over Caerphilly mountain, the spirit of prayer descended very copiously upon me. I wept for some hours, and heartily supplicated Jesus Christ, for the blessings here following. I found at this time a particular nearness to Christ, as if he were close by me, and my mind was filled with strong confidence that he attended to my requests, for the sake of the merits of his own name. This decided in favor of Cardiff.”
I. “Grant me the great favor of being led by thee, according to thy will—by the directions of thy providence and word, and the disposing of my own mind by thy Spirit, for the sake of thine infinitely precious blood. Amen.—C. E.
II. “Grant, if I am to leave Caerphilly, that the gale (of the Spirit’s influence) and religious revival I had there may follow me to Cardiff, for the sake of thy great name. Amen.—C. E.
III. “Grant thy blessing upon bitter things, to brighten, and quicken me more and more, and not to depress and render me more lifeless. Amen.—C. E.
IV. “Suffer me not to be trodden under the proud feet of members, or deacons, for the sake of thy goodness. Amen.—C. E.
V. “Grant me the invaluable favor of being, in thine hand, the means of calling sinners unto thyself, and of edifying thy saints, wherever thou wilt send me, for the sake of thy name. Amen.—C. E.
VI. “If I am to stay at Caerphilly, give me some tokens, as to Gideon of old, by removing the things that discourage me, and are in the way of the prosperity of religion in that church. Amen.—C. E.
VII. “Grant, Lord of glory, and Head of thy church, that the Ark of the cause which is thine, in Anglesea and Caerphilly, may be sustained from falling into the hands of the Philistines. Do not reject it. Aid it speedily, and lift up the light of thy countenance upon it; and by thy Spirit, word, and providence, so operate as to carry things forward in the churches, and neighborhoods, in such a manner as will produce changes in officers, and measures that will accomplish a thorough improvement in the great cause, for the establishment of which in the world thou hast died;—and by scattering those that delight in war, and closing the mouths of those that occasion confusion. Amen.—C. E.
VIII. “Grant me way-tokens by the time I begin my journey to Liverpool, and from thence to Anglesea, if it is thy will that I should go thither this year. Amen.—C. E.
IX. “O grant me succor beneath the shadow of the sympathy that is in thee towards them who are tempted, and the unbounded power there is in thee to be the relief of such. Amen.—C. E.
X. “Accept of my thanksgiving a hundred millions of times, that thou hast not hitherto cast me from thine hand, as a darkened star, or a vessel in which there is no pleasure; and suffer not my life to be extended beyond my usefulness. Thanks, that thou hast not given me a prey to the teeth of any. Blessed be thy name. Amen.—C. E.
XI.
