Sermons of Christmas Evans

In Short

This collection gathers the oratorical work and spiritual reflections of a prominent Welsh Baptist preacher. It captures a tradition of "Welsh jumping"—a fervent, emotionally charged style of delivery that sought to awaken the soul through vivid imagery and relentless calls to reconciliation. The book endures because it preserves a rare, unfiltered glimpse into a culture of revivalist preaching where the preacher’s own vulnerability, poverty, and internal conflicts are as central to the message as the scripture itself. It serves as both a devotional guide and a historical record of a powerful, vanished pulpit voice.

The Story

The narrative arc of the book is defined not by linear plot, but by the spiritual evolution of its subject, moving from the darkness of personal doubt to a triumphant, if weary, clarity. The early chapters establish the preacher’s formative years, marked by a cycle of religious commitment, backsliding, and eventual renewal. His life is framed as a pilgrimage of the mind and heart, particularly during his time in Anglesea. He recounts his immersion in the bitter sectarian controversies of his day, specifically the divisive influence of Sandemanianism and Sabellianism. This period of intellectual strife left him feeling "as dry as Gilboa," a state of spiritual emptiness that acts as the low point of his journey.

He eventually emerges from this desert through a deep, personal "time of refreshing," rediscovering his vocation not through doctrine alone, but through the visceral, emotional outpouring of the Spirit. The middle sections move from autobiography to proclamation, as he refines his unique preaching style. He uses elaborate metaphors—such as the dragon Apollyon failing to find a foothold in the hearts of the faithful—to illustrate the victory of grace over despair. He describes his own life of voluntary poverty, where he regularly gave away his last pound, relying on the conviction that the Lord provides. The narrative concludes with his final years, marked by a tireless commitment to charity and a move toward a more catholic generosity, leaving behind a reputation for both sharp, sarcastic rebukes and a profound capacity for forgiveness. His sermons serve as the culmination of this arc, moving from the "smitten rock" of Old Testament allegory to the final, peaceful assurance that though the world offers only tribulation, the Redeemer has already claimed the victory. The book closes by reinforcing the necessity of an active, living faith that bridges the gap between the frailty of human existence and the immutable promises of eternity.

How It Unfolds

The awakening The account begins with his early life and the initial, often turbulent, steps into the ministry. These pages describe a man constantly testing his own soul against the rigors of his calling.

The valley of division He describes being drawn into distracting theological controversies that drained his zeal and alienated his congregation. This section explores how intellectual disputes can lead to spiritual starvation.

The refreshing He moves into a period of profound renewal, where he reclaims the emotional and rhetorical power of his preaching. He argues that such "gales of divine influence" are essential for a church to remain vibrant.

The life of faith The text focuses on his daily existence as an impoverished but generous man. He recounts specific instances of giving away his coat or his last pound, grounding his theology in immediate, tangible sacrifice.

The final proclamation The book concludes with a series of sermons that distill his life’s work into urgent appeals for salvation. These final beats offer a roadmap for the reader to move from the "far country" of sin back to a state of grace.

The People

Christmas Evans stands at the center of the book, a man who is simultaneously a stern, sarcastic critic of hypocrisy and a tender, compassionate friend to the destitute. He is motivated by a desperate need to feel the "nearness" of God, a pursuit that is constantly obstructed by his own temperament and the formalistic dryness of his peers. Catherine, his wife, serves as the grounding force of his life; she is his witness and his conscience, often the one to point out the practical impossibility of his extreme generosity. She serves as a mirror for his faith, representing the domestic reality that accompanies his public, high-flown rhetoric. Finally, the "Congregation" appears as a character in its own right—sometimes a collection of "sluggish districts" in need of rousing, and at other times a company of "doves" flying to the ark of mercy, representing the collective soul that Evans is trying to reach.

In Its Own Voice

"Sabbath nights, after having been in the day exposing and vilifying with all bitterness the errors that prevailed, my conscience felt as if displeased, and reproached me that I had lost nearness to, and walking with God."

He describes the spiritual cost of participating in the harsh theological controversies of his time.

"Once, when a Protestant Irishman, poorly clad, told him that he spent much time in reading the Scriptures to his illiterate countrymen, he pulled off his own coat, and gave it to him."

An anecdote illustrating his radical, often impractical commitment to Christian charity.

"Christ is riding in his chariot of salvation, through the land of destruction and death, clothed in the majesty of mercy, and offering eternal life to all who will believe."

A characteristic image used in his sermons to convey the urgent availability of grace.

What It's Really About

The book explores the tension between the cold intellectualism of sectarian dogma and the warm, often unpredictable life of the spirit. It asks how one maintains a life of integrity in a world defined by "tribulation," and argues that the only viable bridge is a radical, self-emptying love. It is deeply concerned with the nature of human frailty—the "worm" of existence—and the belief that this frailty is not a disqualification from the divine, but the very place where the Mediator is most needed. It probes the purpose of suffering, the necessity of forgiveness, and the idea that true theology must be lived out in poverty and service to be fully understood.

Why Read It Today

This book is a challenging, rewarding experience for readers who appreciate the history of pulpit oratory or who are drawn to the intersection of raw human biography and religious fervor. Readers will feel the intensity of a man who lived his convictions, even when they led him to give away his last meal. However, the modern reader should be prepared for the book's period-specific attitudes, including a stern, sometimes harsh view of human nature and a firm grounding in nineteenth-century Calvinistic thought. The prose is translated by different hands, which occasionally results in a shifting tone, sometimes formal and precise, other times more colloquial and fiery. Those who value a sense of place will appreciate the vivid, rugged atmosphere of the Welsh countryside that permeates the imagery. It is a work that demands patience; it does not offer easy answers, but rather a haunting, persistent vision of a man wrestling with the absolute. What stays with the reader is the image of the preacher himself—a man who, having been "dry as Gilboa," spends the rest of his life attempting to draw water from the rock for everyone else.