Seth Joshua (10 April 1858 – 21 May 1925), was a Welsh

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

minister and Evangelist who was noted for his influence before during and after the

1904-1905 Welsh Revival Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number) * One of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (1987 film), a 1987 science fiction film * '' 19-Nineteen'', a 2009 South Korean film * '' Dici ...

as well as for being a direct influence on the ministry of Evan Roberts, one of the leading figures of that revival.

Personal life

Born in Tŷ Capel,

Pontypool Pontypool ( ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire in South Wales. , it has a population of 29,062. Locat ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

, Seth Joshua was son of George and Mary Joshua. He had a younger brother, Francis (Frank) James Joshua, who was also a

Minister. He married Mary Rees from

Llantrisant Llantrisant (; "Parish of the Three Saints") is a town and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The three saints of the t ...

, in 1883, and they had eight children. His son Peter, was a minister and a popular evangelist in United States; another son, Lyn, was credited with Mai Jones and Jimmy Harper for the Welsh standard " We'll Keep a Welcome".

Ministry

Joshua, along with his brother, Frank, founded Mission Hall cause in

Neath Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...

. He was a noted evangelist, travelling around Britain and visiting the United States. In 1893 he was ordained as a

minister and worked with the Forward Movement, a branch of the Connexion's Home Mission, establishing evangelising centres in

Glamorganshire Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the south of Wales. Originally an early medieval petty kingdom of varying bo ...

and

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

. Seth Joshua was a forerunner of the

which began as a movement of prayer. Joshua had been praying for years that God would raise up a young man from the pits to revive the churches. In 1904, he preached at a meeting in

Newcastle Emlyn Newcastle Emlyn () is a town and Community (Wales), community on the River Teifi, in West Wales. The community is wholly in Carmarthenshire, but the built up area also includes Adpar north of the Teifi, which is in Ceredigion. Adpar was formerl ...

which students from the Methodist Academy attended including former mine worker, Evan Roberts. The students were so moved that they cancelled classes to go to Blaenannerch in

Cardiganshire Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a county in the west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Ab ...

where Joshua prayed publicly, ''O God, bend us.'' Evan Roberts went forward where he prayed with great agony, ''O God, bend me.''Revival History
/ref> In October 1905, Joshua, was invited to hold a mission in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. Only three were "saved",

Donald Gee Donald Henry Frere Gee (10 May 1891 – 20 July 1966) was an English Pentecostal Bible Teacher. He wrote the book '' Wind and Flame'', which is the story of Pentecostalism in Europe in the 20th century. He was called "The Apostle of Balance." Bio ...

, the English

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...

Bible teacher, being one of them.

Sources

Phillips, D.M. Evan Roberts, ''The Great Welsh Revivalist And His Work''. London: Marshall Brothers, 1906.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joshua, Seth 1858 births 1925 deaths People from Pontypool Welsh evangelists Christian revivalists Welsh Presbyterian ministers 19th-century British Presbyterian ministers 20th-century British Presbyterian ministers