MAN ON MISSION - CALLED TO PRAY.
At that time, few people understood the power of prayer. Most attended church as a moral commitment instead of a spiritual one. But not Evan. Because of his unique desire for the Lord, Evan gave himself to fervent prayer and intercession, so much so that, by the time he was twenty years old, he was known by some as a “mystical lunatic.” Stories about him circulated widely. There were whispers about seeing him standing “trancelike” beside the road while uttering deep sighs as his lips moved without the sound of words.
It was also said that he meditated in the Word so long that he often missed the evening meal. Sometimes he would stay up half the night discussing and praying with a friend about revival.
Several concerned ministers approached Evan regarding his unusual behavior. He simply answered them, “But the Spirit moved me.” During this time, friends also introduced him to an American specialist, Dr. Hughes. The doctor told Evan’s friends he was suffering from “religious mania.”
One Christian man said of Evan:
“We usually had a reading and prayer together before we put out the lamp. Then I could hear Evan calling and groaning in the Spirit. I couldn’t understand what was his message to God again, and some holy fear kept me from asking.”
Though people didn’t understand Evan’s methods, the spiritual power he portrayed was unmistakable. On one occasion, he traveled to Builith Wells for a prayer meeting, at which he was called on to pray. The people’s hearts were melted within them at the power exhibited in Evan’s prayer.
After the service, the minister approached Evan and advised him to consider full-time ministry.