Appendix 1 - Extra Biographical details  

Rees Howells
To read Rees Howell’s story opens one’s eyes on a different dimension of Christianity than we usually see.   Here is a man brought up in a Christian home, a member of the Chapel at the age of thirteen years and already influenced by great biblical figures who feared and served the Lord.  He would walk miles to hear someone preach and bring him under the influence of God.   But he had a sense, like many Welshmen of his day, that he lived a “clean pure life”.   When he was twenty-two he went to America to seek his fortune, he went to join a cousin who had previously emigrated to Pittsburgh.  Here he regularly attended church and prayer meetings.    One day his cousin Evan Lewis asked him if he was “born again”, he hadn’t heard the expression and protested that his life was as good as Evan’s.  He was then challenged as to whether “he was saved” but such conversations resulted  in fruitless argument until Evan spoke of the need to “see Calvary”.   Sensing that he was on holy ground he decided to move about a hundred miles away, but his cousin did not give up and his parting words were, “If only you were born again I wouldn’t mind your leaving, but it troubles me to see you going when you are not right with God.”    These words had a lasting impact and he came to realise that he hadn’t got a relationship with God, there was no correspondence between them.   Fearful lest he should spend eternity alone, he cried out to the Lord to save him,” Give me one more chance, and I will give my life to You” .   Then he heard a converted Jew speaking at a mission meeting of how the Holy Spirit had revealed Calvary to him.  Although Rees had heard preaching on Calvary before only now did he see it and spent time weeping at his Saviours feet.   Now he knew the love of God and so returned to Wales to share it first with his own family.

This return corresponded with the Welsh revival of 1904, many came to the Lord but teachers and intercessors were needed to prevent backsliding as the enthusiasm waned.   Rees realised that although they had seen the power of the Spirit in conversion and conviction of sin, the churches did not have power for service, he saw the importance of Isaiah 59:,,,,  But it was hearing someone read from Romans Chapter 8:26-30 that he discovered what was missing, “I know I am predestinated,....and justified- but am I glorified?”   It was the summer of 1906 and he went with a party to the Llandrindod  Wells Convention, the Welsh Keswick, here he heard the Revd Evan Hopkins speak on Ephesians 2:1-6 and he saw the Glorified Christ.   The next day there was more teaching on the Holy Spirit and he realised that here was God as Spirit needing his body,  Bible passages guided him[1]  but God made it clear that this was total surrender, he was to die with Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to have control of everything.   “I had received a sentence of death..........”  is how he described it, he knew what was on offer and spent five days in anguish alone with the Lord before he could accept the position of the overcomers.  In that time he saw the awesome holiness of God and his own corrupt nature that had to die, he could no longer live for self.   He knew that God would never force him but he realised that he had been saying that he wanted to give himself to God as Christ had given himself for him, it was as it were a last chance.  “Are you willing?” .........

So it was that Rees Howell’s broke through into a remarkable journey of Intercession,  the Holy Spirit had come in to abide forever,  he knew the power of the spirit but he had to seek the face of the Lord over and over again to gain a position of faith for the intercession.   Each time he grew stronger but his life was like some of the Old Testament prophets as he had to be totally obedient and be prepared to die or go without and give up everything as the Lord tested him for that prayer.   He heard from the Lord and responded with a love that could only have been the Love of God for the world.   His Saviour never failed him and when he reached a point of victory he rejoiced and was happy with the life he led in Christ.

 [1]   Rom 12:1;  1 Cor 6:19;  Col.3:2,3

Thomas Merton
His mother died when he was only six and he travelled around with his artist father.  He spent most of his childhood years in France living under the medieval influences of churches although religion played no part in his upbringing.   He came to England for education from the age of thirteen and then went on to Clare College Cambridge and a university in New York.   A visit to Rome had caused him to discover Byzantine art but more than that, “For the first time in my life I began to find something of who this Person was that men call Christ.”  This led to prayer but he was to back-slide as he led the life of a student, during which time he took “a huge bite of this rotten fruit”.   

He was eventually brought to seek Christianity through the works of William Blake and a book on medieval philosophy.  He desired only to love God and follow His will.   So it was that he became a Trappist and started on a life of prayer and silence in 1941.