The early years of the 20th century (Six Revival)

 
Witnessed a number of revivals around the world. It is impossible to 
understand these revivals apart from their roots in the Holiness 
Movement which had developed in the late 19th century. 
Of course, the issue of 'holiness' was not new. 
John Wesley advocated 'entire sanctification' and
 'Christian perfectionism' in his 
'Plain Account of Christian Perfection.' 

The idea that 'sanctification' could be instantaneously 
experienced subsequent to conversion was a Wesleyan norm. 
Testimonies to 'experiences of sanctification,' abounded during 
the 19th century. For example, James Caughey's book entitled '
Methodism in Earnest' is subtitled '...being the history of a great 
revival in Great Britain; in which 20,000 souls professed 
faith in Christ, and ten thousand professed sanctification,
 in about six years, in association with 
the labours of Rev. James Caughey....' 

Phoebe Palmer regularly held meetings for the promotion of 
holiness and was the first to use the phrase 'baptism of the 
Holy Spirit' to describe the experience of 'entire sanctification.' 
Charles Finney also embraced the Wesleyan doctrine of 
sanctification and his Oberlin presidency successor, 
Asa Mahan, begin to teach the baptism of the 
Holy Spirit as a baptism of holiness. 

The Holiness Movement was nurtured and matured by a variety of 
ministries so that, by the turn of the century, America (especially) 
was awash with hundreds of holiness groups. During 1893 and
 1900,twenty-three new denominations arose out of this movement. 
A passion for more power, more holiness, more evangelistic 
success and a greater outpouring of the 
Spirit took a hold of the church. 
This was the background of the Evangelical and Pentecostal revival 
movements of the early 20th century. In 1900 a revival broke out 
among South African Boer soldiers, who had been captured by 
the British and transported to various British colonies. 
At the conclusion of the war, in 1902, they returned to 
South Africa and the revival returned with them. 
Gypsy Smith reaped a great harvest there in 1904. 

In Japan, during 1900, the church doubled in size as revival 
swept through many ailing churches. In 1902, Torrey and 
Alexander conducted meetings in Melbourne, Australia, 
resulting in over 8,000 converts. This news spread like wild fire, 
igniting a passion for prayer and a fresh expectation for 
God to work in similar ways everywhere.
 In 1904, Torrey and Alexandra were in Cardiff, 
Wales and, in the light of a minimal response 
to the Gospel, they called for a day of prayer and fasting.

 Suddenly things changed dramatically and thousands 
were converted during the next 12 months. On the day of 
prayer and fasting (according to Torrey) Evan Roberts received 
an anointing of the Holy Spirit with great power, in 
a meeting conducted by Seth Joshua. 

Here the Welsh Revival began. It was Sept 22nd 1904. 
However, the roots of the revival went back further. 
Young Evan Roberts had been praying for revival and an 
outpouring of the Holy Spirit for 11 years. Through a vision 
he received, Roberts believed that God was 
going to win 100,000 souls. 

In response to a further vision, he returned home 
in Loughor from Newcastle Emlyn where he had 
been enrolled in a Bible College. 
During his first few meetings the heavens opened.
 God's presence seemed to fill the air. 
Many were prostrated with conviction, 
others cried for mercy and many were so filled 
with the Spirit they pleaded with 
the Lord to stay His hand. 

Soon the revival spread to other places in South Wales. T
eams of young people assisted preachers like Roberts,
 Sydney Evans, Seth Joshua, Joseph Jenkins and R. B. Jones.
 The revival then took hold in North Wales.
 Within six months 100,000 had come to Christ! 
The Welsh Revival was soon the main topic of 
conversation throughout the Christian world. 

Wherever the news went it seemed to cause passionate
 prayer and began to ignite revival fires everywhere. 
Christians across Great Britain turned to prayer and 
church membership increased throughout the land. 
In Scandinavia a current revival was fanned into 
a mighty blaze, as a result of the Welsh Revival. 
Germany was similarly affected as 
the flame spread across Europe. 

Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, the Balkans and 
Russia experienced awakenings. The United States felt the 
after-shock of the Welsh Revival in almost every place. 
Prayer, conviction and conversion spontaneously occurred, 
resulting in unusual church growth.
In 1906 the modern Pentecostal Movement was born in
 Azusa Street, in Los Angeles, after a succession 
of local revivals through 1905. 

News of the Welsh Revival encouraged more prayer 
and suddenly the Holy Spirit descended. 
Daily meetings were held for the next three years. 
Visitors flocked there to catch the power of the 
Spirit and they were not disappointed. 
No one could have imagined that this was the
 beginning of the greatest and most effective 
missionary movement that the world had ever seen. 

It marked the birth of Pentecostalism, once called 
'the third force in Christendom.' Some would argue that, 
100 years later, it has grown into the largest and most 
powerful force of all Christendom.
 Almost no country in the world was excluded from 
the effects of this incredible revival. 
Almost every nation, on each continent, 
received new power from heaven, 
a new passion for prayer and for the lost. 
Hundreds of thousands came to the Lord.