The Life and Work of Ellis Roberts

(Elis Wyn O Wyrfai 1827 - 1895)

Ellis Roberts, the third son of Margaret and Morris Roberts was born at Tyddyn Madyn, in the parish of Llanwnda in the old County of Caernarfon on February 13^th 1827. We have this on the testimony of his father who made the following declaration prior to the ordination of his son in 1862: -

DECLARATION OF AGE.

I Morris Roberts. "Miller", Rhiw Mill in the parish of Rhiw near Pwllheli, County of Carnarvon, do declare that my son Ellis Roberts was born on the Thirteenth Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven, and was privately baptized at my residence Tyddyn Madyn in the Parish of Llanwnda, in the aforesaid County of Carnarvon.

Morris Roberts

Signed in the presence of me:

John Owen J.P. for the County of Carnarvon.

…………….……………………………………………………………………………………

The eldest son John was born at Gilwern Isaf and was baptised at Llandwrog May 18^th 1823. Gilwern Isaf was the home of Margaret his mother - the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ellis. The second son Robert was born at Llwyn-y-Gwalch which is just outside the village of Groeslon and he was baptised at Llandwrog on September 26^th 1824. A daughter was born to Morris and Margaret Roberts. She was named Mary and was baptised at Clynnog Church on May 24^th 1829. We see at one that the desire or perhaps the necessity to move house frequently was a strong element in the lives of Morris and Margaret Roberts. Indeed it is difficult to keep track of their comings and goings. Morris the miller worked at Felin Forgan (Llandwrog), Felin Clynnog, Felin Rhiw and no doubt at others too. A great number of small mills were working in those days and at no great distance from each other, and the miller’s living was no doubt precarious, But when things were going badly at the mill, Morrs Roberts could turn his hand to other work, and at one time for instance we find he was employed as a carpenter at the Cilgwyn Quarry. The quarries were in the background high on the mountainside and looking down on the farmsteads and cottage below and towards Anglesey and far out to sea. It is an area of great contrast in scenery and the contrast gives it character and much beauty. The old cottages can still be seen but the old mills have of course either disappeared or have been converted to other uses. One, Felin Maesog, has been restored as a tourist attraction. We know nothing of Tyddyn Madyn however except that it was on Tryfan Mawr. It would have been very satisfying to know its location.

Ellis Roberts followed his father’s footsteps as a miller and when he was working at Felin Pengwern he had an accident and lost two fingers of his left hand. Like his father he was willing to turn to other work when the need arose. We find him at one time loading the waste stones at the quarry. Altogether his childhood and youth were uncertain from the economic point of view. But from the religious and cultural points of view there were no such uncertainty, His home background was strong in that direction. His mother Margaret taught her children to read when they were very young, and to pray. Ellis we are told was very quick to learn. He had a keen interest in the Bible. And on the cultural side it is worth remembering that his father was a poet and a son of a poet. Morris Roberts’ father was Robert Roberts (Robert Ddu Eifionydd) and he in turn was the son of Morris Roberts and Elin his wife who lived at Pen Garth, Llanystumdwy. Roberts was baptised at Llanystumdwy Church in April 1769. He was a miller also and in 1816 he published "Ffurf yr Athrawiaeth Iachus" (The Form of The True Teaching) defending his principles as a Baptist (what about his infant baptism at Llanystumdwy?) He also published a "Hymn On A Day Of Abstinence" in 1810 and three odes - The Virtue of Knowledge 1799; Blessedness 1802 and Providence 1803. It is no wonder therefore that Morris Roberts (Ellis’ father) should have inherited a taste for poetry. His bardic name was "Eos Lllyfnwy" and he composed an ode in memory of the Reverend Edward Jones, the Perpetual Curate of Llandggai. Eben Fardd wrote him a stanza once complaining about his delay in grinding Eben’s corn and Morris replied with poetic humor. Morris was also a good musician and at one time conducted a band at Sarn Meillteyrn. It is in the churchyard there that he was buried July 25^th 1876 at the age of 79. We can safely say that if it was through his mother that Ellis first put a foot on the path of godliness, it was through his father that the muse was first awakened in him.

In the various movements of the family the most important in its influence upon Ellis was the move to the mill at Llanllyfni. The Rector of Llanllyfni at the time was the Reverend John Jones who was a man of great talent, a keen antiquarian, and a thorough Welshman. He took a great interest in Ellis and lent him many worth while books - The History of The Welsh (Carnhuawc); The Chronicle of the Princes; Pilgrim’s Progress; The Mabinogion; and books on religion and poetry. The young man began to learn Latin at this time too. Years afterwards when he visited Llanllyfni he said to the Rector, "I am happy to visit Llanllyfni; one of your predecessors here was very good to me." He was referring of course to John Jones. About this time too he came under influence of three others - Owen Roberts of Llangybi who taught him English and Arithmetic the Reverend Robert Williams, Vicar of Clynnog Fawr, and Thomas Thomas, Vicar of Caernarfon. Thomas Thomas was a keen educationist and he took to Ellis and did a great deal to advance his education in the first place, and later on, his vocation to the Sacred Ministry. We shall pause a while to say something about this notable man. He was born at Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn in Cardiganshire and was educated at Ystradmeurig and Jesus College Oxford, where he graduated in 1827. In 1835 he was appointed Vicar of Caernarfon where he remained for twenty-four years. The parish of Caernarfon was then (and indeed until 1920) in the diocese of Chester and the appointment was made by Bishop Sumner of Chester. In 1859 he moved to Ruabon in the diocese of St. Asaph and after three years there he moved to Llanfihangel-yng-Mghinmeirch. The fact that he moved to St. Asaph explains why eventually Ellis Roberts was ordained in St. Asaph rather than Bangor. Thomas Thomas died in 1877 and was buried in Llanbeblig Caernarfon. His son Thomas Llewellyn Thomas was a brilliant scholar and he translated parts of the Bible in the Basque language. He also is buried at Llanbeblig. Thomas Thomas (the "beloved Tom Tom" as was fondly known) was responsible for building the new National School at Caernarfon and another at Waunfawr which he called "Feed My Lambs" after the name given to the old Infants’ School at Caernarfon. He was also instrumental in establishing a college in the town for training teachers. This started as a private venture but in 1856 it was opened in Church Street with Mr. Binns from Trinity College Dublin as principal. The building was destroyed by fire and was re-opened as St Mary's College Bangor in 1892. When it first opened in 1849 one of its students was Robert Roberts (Y Sgolor Mawr) who found lodgings in the town for eighteen pence a week. The students could practice teaching at the National School and so everything was convenient. To this college Ellis Roberts came when he was 23 years of age -1850 therefore. But before coming he had spent a good half year at Eben Fardd's School at Clynnog Fawr. This was the first time for him to attend school but his home spun education had been very effective as we have seen. Eben Fardd had a very high opinion of Ellis Roberts and in a Cywydd he extolled his poetic skill and his still greater poetic promise. We shall return to this later.

The next step was to enter the college at Caernarfon which he did with the backing of the Rector of Llanllyfni, the Vicar of Clynnog Fawr, and the Vicar of Caernarfon. His intention now was to prepare to become a teacher, and soon it was arranged for him to be an assistant teacher at Waunfawr ("Feed My, Lambs"). Thomas Thomas had opened a school there in 1838 and in the famous (or notorious) report of 1817 this was what was said about the school:- "The building stands upon a moor without any means of drainage; there are two out buildings but that intended for the girls, being filled with hay, was useless. The children were generally ignorant and unruly. There was not one good reader nor one who excelled in compound rules of Arithmetic. There were thirty-five pupils present; but out of these only two could answer plain questions about scriptural history properly, and only two could repeat the Catechism perfectly." The inspection was carried out entirely in English in a completely Welsh district. If it had been carried out in Welsh it would no doubt have produced a much better and a much fairer verdict. Years later when Berw was appointed Vicar of Waunfawr, Ellis Roberts wrote to him to wish him well, and his letter he praised the people of Waunfawr for their interest in education. So things were not quite as bad as H.M. Inspectors thought. In passing it is worth recalling

that it was at Waunfawr School(which was also being used as a church) that George Borrow called in October 1854 and heard Henry Grey Edwards Curate of Caernarfon deliver such a powerful sermon. But long before that Ellis Roberts had left the school to become a teacher at Bont-Newydd National school. He had completed his training and passed his examinations and was now a fully-fledged teacher. From there he moved in 185l to Ysgol Llwyn y Gell, Blaenau Ffestiniog, which was supported by Mrs. Oakley. In the Girls' School at Blaenau Ffestiniog there was a certain Miss Esther Mary Roberts and Ellis Roberts fell in love with this young teacher - we do not know of course exactly when Miss Roberts was the daughter of William Griffith Roberts who was born at Bodfean in Llyn. He was a carpenter in the navy and he married Esther Gregory who was a native of London. The couple lived in Dover, Deal and Walmer before settling down in Caernarfon. But when their daughter Esther was married she gave her Blaenau Ffestiniog address - Llwyn-y Gell. The marriage took place at Llanbeblig on December 26th 1851, Thomas Thomas officiating. The fact that Esther Mary was a teacher at Blaenau Ffestiniog must explain why Ellis Roberts,

also became a teacher there. It may be that they were both at the same charitable school - she in charge of the girls and he in charge of the boys. In any case the Blaenau Ffestiniog period (1854-62) was an important time in the life of Ellis Roberts. He set up home, four out of the six children, were born there, he continued to gain experience as a teacher end continued his own education. Wife learn for instance that the Reverend John Sturkey used to come to Blaenau to be taught Welsh by Ellis and that in turn he taught Ellis Greek and Latin. There were six children from the marriage of Ellis and Esther Mary - William Morris (1856-1924); a son who died at birth; Ellis Gregory (1859-1947); Esther Margaret (1861-1898); Mary Ellen who died as a baby; John Richard (1865- 1942). Ellis Roberts wrote movingly about the death of his second son and second daughter:-

ON THE' DEATH OF MY SECOND SON.

One struggle on the brink of life

Was all frail nature gave;

Brief was the pang and short the strife

That bowed thee to the grave.

But thou fair boy, a cherub bright

Among the saints above,

Now shinest in the realms of light

Safe in the Saviours love. August 24^th 1858.

ON THE DEATH OF MY SECOND DAUGHTER.

That face of sorrow never wore

A joyful smile on earth before,

For she had been a child of woe

And wailing, all her days below.

Faith, wing thy way, pursue her flight

High to the Glorious court of light;

Mark, she unites the happy throng

And joins in their triumphal song

Thee Lord we praise for evermore

We for this precious hope adore;

Hope beaming through the darkest gloom,

And glory springing from the tomb. January 8th 1864.

With what freedom and assurance Ellis now writes in English! His competence in that language was due in no small measure to his wife. English was the language of the home but the children were bilingual. It was a home which prized education highly and the parents must have sacrificed a great deal to enable their children to be so well educated. We have evidence that Esther Mary supported her husband's work to the full and he needed support in an extremely controversial period in the life of the Church. To be a country parson in Wales during the last century was by no means a bed of roses when his wife died in 1892 Ellis Roberts wrote an In Memoriam poem of great tenderness:-

Live in my heart my darling wife,

Live there supreme while there is life;

Where thou hast ever held the throne,

A sanctuary all thine own.

I see thee as my trustful bride,

And in my heart thine image hide;

Thou wert my joy, my hope, my pride,

Confiding, loving, at my side.

And in the storms of life how brave

Thou wert to meet each rising wave

First in the van, last in the rear,

Thy household was thy constant care

Where sorrows came, need or distress,

Thy helping hand was there to bless;

When dread infection filled the air,

The sick and dying had thy care,

It is a wonderful tribute and the third verse is revealing about her

Health:-

Though pale and weak, I saw thee rest

Thy first-born nestling on thy breast.

We have the impression that she was not robust but wiry arid determined not to let her own troubles dim her spirit.

It is convenient for us at this point to say a word about the four children who lived. And first William Morris .He was born as we saw in 1856 and died in 1924. Like his two brothers he was ordained and he became best known as an Area Secretary to the Church Missionary Society. He married Harriett Emma Beckett who died in 1906. Their eldest son who was a Surgeon in the Royal Navy died as a result of an accident in

Chungking in 1911. The second son Ronald Ellis Wyn married Mary Owen and their children have settled in Tasmania. In "Yr Haul" for July 1915 William Morris wrote about his father's time at Blaenau Ffestiniog:-

"In the Ffestiniog area Ellis Wyn perfected himself a great deal for his future work. It is an area of quiet and romance, of enormous rocks and quick-flowing streams rushing through beautiful gorges; of silver lakes smiling in the moorland, and of wide fields. It was a countryside to arouse meditation and the muse, and no doubt his habit of fishing (his

only relaxation) led him often to places of beauty-the innumerable hills and glens of Meirion and Arfon-which stirred his poetic imagination… But at Blaenau Ffestiniog there was more substantial material than the poetic impulse to sharpen his mind and to face life’s battle. He learned to handle his fellow-men with wisdom and patience that even his political and denominational foes liked him as a man… The quarrymen were staunch Liberals and their passions were easily aroused. Of all men they were theleast likely to pay respect on grounds of pedigree and gentility and to show deference where no deference was due. They were considered difficult and yet many of them had a firm hold on literature and religion. And so the teacher from Llwyn-y-Gell who was a man of culture had power in his hand to overcome and pacify all opposition. He adds - " He was not only a Churchman and a Conservative but a zealous and hard-working churchman and a Tory of the very narrowest kind until the end of his days (and that is the opinion of his eldest son without a doubt!) Yet no name is more revered in the democratic domain of Blaenau Ffestiniog than the name of Elis Wyn o Wyrfai, the sensitive philanthropist, the well-liked and gentle teacher, the friend and the patriot." (translated R.G.W.)

Ellis Gregory Roberts was born in 1859 -the year of a great religious revival in Wales - and he died in 1947. He was an Oxford graduate and a man of great talent. When he was Minor Canon of Llandaff he was appointed to serve as a missionary with the Church Missionary Society. He was selected to go to India to train young men for the Ministry and for other professions. In May 1896 a correspondent wrote to "Y Llan " – "We are glad to see Wales waking up, not only to send her money but her son also as an offering for the service of God, and we can boast that Mr. Roberts is one of the most talented young men his country has nurtured." For 22 years he was Rector of Alberbury before moving to Newfoundland with his daughter for a few years. His wife Charlotte Primrose died in 1916 at the age of 46 and his daughter in 19?? at the age of ??. He settled in Devon after returning from Newfoundland and died there. He was not in close touch with the rest of the family and it may be that his long widowhood of 31 years contributed to his

comparative isolation.

John Richard Roberts was born in Rhosymedre in 1865 and died in 1942. He also was educated at Oxford and after ordination he became Curate of Llanfairfechan (1888-89): St. Mary's Bangor (1889-90); Cathedral and St. James, Bangor (1890-92); Llangwm and Dinmael 1892-95: Rector of Garthbeibio 1895-99 end Rector of Llanfihangel yng Ngwynfa 1899 – 1942; he was Priest in Charge of Dolanog from 1927. He was appointed Rural Dean of Llanfyllin in 1920 and Canon of St. Asaph Cathedral 1927-35; He became Precentor in 1935. He married Catherine Ellen Jones of Llanfairfechan and they had six children, the youngest of whom John Noel Wyn is still happily with us. John Richard Roberts was a notable preacher, a good musician, and an excellent choirmaster. His choir at Llanfihangel became very well known. It is interesting to note that he helped to bring out HYMNAU YR EGLWYS in 1892 and also EMYNAU’R EGLWYS in 1941.

He was happy to spend 43 years at Llanfihangel - the parish which has such close associations with Ann Griffiths who was married at the parish church and was buried in the churchyard. After his death a correspondent wrote in "Y Llan" about Canon J.R. Roberts," The son was endowed with the same gifts and the same temperament as his father, and he gave of his best to the Church as a truly Welsh clergyman who loved the Church and his country with great devotion." And of him Bodfan (of dictionary fame ) wrote "His memory is blessed and Gwynfa was a most fitting place for him."

Those then were the three distinguished son. And now we turn to the daughter Esther Margaret born in 1861 at Blaenau. On the 21^st of June 1880 she married Owen Jones, Tynypistyll, Llangwm. He was one of nine children born to William Jones a native of Llangwm and Elizabeth his wife a native of Abererch. William was a very skilled carpenter and five of his sons mastered the same craft. All the sons inherited also the father's red hair and blue eyes and they were nicknamed "Seiri Cochion Llangwm." (the red carpenters of Llangwm). Owen was not only an excellent craftsman but also a skilled musician and choirmaster. It is said that he conducted Llangwm choir at the age of l7. He had a class in Tonic Solfa and he raised a mixed choir which sang the Hallelujah Chorus with magnificent effect. In a prize essay on "Seiri Coch Llangwm" Mrs. Eirlys Evans, Rhyl, wrote as follows:- "Owen Jones was fortunate in having a good pianist in the person of Esther Margaret Roberts, the daughter of the Reverend Ellis Roberts (Elis Wyn o Wyrfai) who was Vicar of Llangwm at the time. No doubt Owen Jones like some of his brothers went to work in Liverpool at one period for it was at the Church of Michael in the Hamlet that Owen and Esther got married on June 21^st 1880 when Owen was 22 and Esther 19. They returned to Llangwm and settled in Tynyfoelas. They had five children - three daughters and two sons – Emily Wyn, William Ellis, John Owen, Ethel May, and Essie Wyn." In 1890 Owen was appointed steward on the Peniarth Estate, Llanegryn, and so the family settled at 'Bryngwyn" Llanegryn. Owen soon established a choir in the village which became well-known and especially for its part in concerts at Harlech Castle. In spite of the tragic bereavements he experienced in the death of his wife and his three daughters, Owen Jones persevered with his work and his cultural activities. He died in 1922. His sons William Ellis and John Owen were very talented and they both graduated at the University of North Wales, Bangor. They both possessed a beautiful baritone voice and after spending some years as a teacher, John Owen went to the Royal College of Music in London to train as a professional singer taking the name of "Owen Bryngwyn". The Royal College still offers a scholarship in his memory. William Ellis was a banker and he came to hold a very high position with the Midland Bank. He was for many years the Treasurer of Bangor University and was a founder member of the Folk Song Society of Wales. There is something romantic and tragic about the story of Owen Jones and Esther Margaret. But it is good to remember that the Jones's of Llangwm still carry on the cultural traditions of their forbears. Mr. Emrys Jones of Llangwm is a very distinguished expert on Penillion Singing, and he by the way is the owner of the old Vicarage. But it is time to return to our story. Before we digressed Ellis Roberts and his family were still at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

During his time there he must have felt called more and more to the Sacred Ministry and in 1862 his opportunity came. Through the good offices of Thomas Thomas and others he was invited to see Bishop Vowler Short of St. Asaph and the upshot was that he was made Deacon at the Cathedral in Advent 1862 and Priest a year later. His first curacy was at Rhosymedre and it is on record that his Vicar (John Edwards) said he could trust everything to his new Curate since he was so conscientious and talented. We must pause a little to say a word about Vowler Short. In 1847 he established a Diocesan Board of Education with 26 secretaries to carry out an educational program in the diocese. Many new schools were built – 22 between 1859 and 1866. The Bishop saw to it that they were all equipped with English and Welsh lesson-books. When the bishop retired in 1870 it is said that no parish was without its school and no parish without a resident incumbent like his fellow bishops in St. David's, Llandaff and Bangor (Thirlwall, Ollivant, and Campbell) Vowler Short's accomplishments were remarkable. None of the four bishops was naturally Welsh-speaking but they transformed the religious situation in Wales. It is fair to say this. Vowler Short's successor at St. Asaph was Joshua Hughes, the first Welsh-speaking bishop in Wales for 150 years. Ellis Roberts stayed at Rhosymedre for four years and afterwards became the incumbent of Llanfihangel-Glyn-Myfyr. The change was not only beneficial for his health but also for his pocket. There he was instrumental in building a new school and we see how his interest

in education continued. After six years at Llanfihangel he accepted the living of Llangwm and the date of his collation was October 15^th 1872. He had been ordained ten years and he was now facing a very great challenge for the parish was at a low ebb. His predecessor had been there for more than forty years and there was a general air of neglect. The Vicarage was in a bad state and the church in a ruinous condition. To all intents and purposes the parish was dead. The new Vicar in two stanzas composed at the time refers to the church:-

This is the devastated building-

The empty bare and uncared for church;

Everything is rotting and all is dirt,

Every foot of the place is decaying.

Holes in the floor - what ugliness,

And what sadness the rickety stairs;

The old rood loft is shaking-

All riddled with worms. (trans)

But he with the challenge without delay and without tiring. He first of all visited the people in their homes and won their trust and co-operation. Then followed the outward and visible sign of renewal in any parish - the repair of the buildings. The Vicarage was first repaired and within two years the church had been refurbished and was ready for re-opening. All the cost had been met by voluntary subscriptions. The Vicar himself contributed handsomely and it was, he himself that laid the tiles in th sanctuary. Someone wrote "The hand that wrote ‘Buddugoliaeth y Groes’ (The Victory of the Cross) laid the tiles under the altar at Llangwm." The Church was reopened in 1871 and in 1878 the new church of St. Catherine at Dinmael was opened. It lies in a beautiful spot about four miles away from Llangwm and it is in the churchyard at Dinmael that Ellis and Ether Mary Roberts lie. In six years the situation in Llangwm had been transformed but for the Vicar there would be no rest. It was not just a question of work in his own parish. The Church at large needed his inspiration.

Editor of "YR HAUL"

In 1885 Ellis Roberts was invited to become editor of "Yr Haul" and he continued as editor until the year of his death. But he had the assistance of The Reverend Robert Williams, Dolwyddelan, as sub-editor towards the end of his life "Yr Haul" a Church monthly magazine (which sold incidentally at 1 penny per copy) was 50 years old. It had been started in 1835 with David Owen (Brutus) as editor. Previously he had been editor of "Yr Efangylydd" produced for the Welsh Congrgational Church. He had turned to the Annibynnwyr after being disowned by the Baptists and here he is now – a rabid Churchman and the editor of a brand new monthly. After the death of "Yr Efangylydd" the Annibynnwyr started a new monthly called "Y Diwygiwr" (The Revivalist) under the editorship of the Reverend David Rees, Llanelli. He was nicknamed "Y Cynhyrfwr" (The Stirrer) - an appropriate name too. David Owen was editor of "Yr Haul" for thirty years and David ees was editor of "Y Diwygiwr" for exactly the same length of time. And all those years there was a battle royal between them. Dr. R.T. Jenkins wrote " The fierce battle, between these two gifted men was the chief factor in the political education of the monglot Welshman" during those years. He also said that the Church periodicals had wider interests than those of the Nonconformists. IN David Owen (Brutus) "Yr Haul" had an inimitable editor and the Church a very gifted deender. In the first number this statement appeared "The worst Tory government is better than the best Radical one; that there is more disorder among the sects than in the Church; and that the ministers of the Nonconformists are not better saints than the clergy of the Established Church." These were the themes developed with great gusto in Yr Haul. The most potent weapon that Brutus possessed was satire as we can see from "Bugeiliaid Epynt" (a series of discussions in dialogue) and &uot;Wil Brydyddy Coed." David Rees for all his stirring could not compete with this extraordinary piece of controversial writing. After the death of Brutus "Yr Haul" lost its intensity, and by the time that Ellis Roberts became editor it was much more pedestrian. The new editor set out at once how he envisaged the periodical:- "It is to be carried on in complete loyalty to the Book of Common Prayer and on the same lines as the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge. It is to ontain articles on theology history (specially British history), geography, biographies, contributions on natural and moral philosophy, language, Church antiquities, reports on Church conferences, mission work, Temperance, and Sunday School; reviews, stories and poetry." Altogether a wide spectrum, Ellis Roberts was faithful to his vision and it meant an enormous task for him. It is said that during his time as editor he wrote all the articles not bearing an author's name. It was a massive achievemnt. In defense of the Church he had to be controversial but his ideal in controversy was "To treat opponents with fairness and respect and in a good temper, though sometimes administering sharp reproof." In 1888 he was complaining that "Yr Haul" had not been honored with an article from any of the four bishops, from only one Dean, two Arch-Deacons, one resident Canon. Welsh Literature does not as yet form a single rung in the ladder of promotion in the Church." Another time &qot;There is no advancement for a literary man." he said. And he was a very competent writer. Indeed it could be easily, argued that he was a better writer than poet. But everyone did not appreciate his efforts. One of his clerical neighbors complained to the bishop (Joshua Hughes) that "he did not see much of the Vicar of Llangwm but he believed he spent much of his time writing Welsh." The bishop reported the complaint to Ellis Roberts and he replied "My Lord, I do not neglect my parochial duties. It is in my study of Welsh

literature that I find my recreation while some of your Lordship's greatest favorites spend their time in playing tennis."

The 19th century was very controversial in Wales because of the confluence of religious and political unrest. There was an amazing increase in the number of Nonconformists - the Baptists under the preaching of Christmas Evans, the Independents under the influence of Williams o'r Wern and the Methodists under the preaching of John Elias. In the 1851 Census it was revealed that ¾ of those attending church or chapel in Wales were Nonconformists. (It must not be forgotten that 53% did not go anywhere). hey had more than twice the number of buildings compared with the Church, The Baptists and Methodists had little political fervor until after the death of Christmas Evans and John Elias, but then they veered more and more towards the radicalism which characterized the Independents. The Radicals had many more Periodicals than the Church and a much wider readership. In a speech at the Diocesan Conference in Rhyl Ellis Roberts said, "Think of the condition of the Church in Wales as at present situated, being opposed by 27 papers to her three ---- in building up their own cause they are nine to one against us." In the same speech he made an impassioned plea for support to the Welsh Church publications, "We want the voice of all, the experience of all, and the co-operation of all." There were several bones of contention between Church and Chapel in the 19th century, and we will mention three.

1. EDUCATION. In 1847 there appeared a detailed report on the state of education in Wales and it caused a great deal of controversy. It was the result of an inquiry set up by the government and it was produced by 3 young inspectors - Lingen, Symons and Vaughan Johnson, with the help of a few assistant commissioners. The three were monoglot Englishmen and members of the Church of England. The report showed that education in Wales was in a pitiful state. In many parishes there was no school at all; thebuildings were often very primitive and the teachers more often than not completely incompetent. Knowledge of English was very limited among them though they only taught through the medium of English. The report also commented on the moral condition of Wales and painted a dark picture of it. The report no doubt contained a great deal of truth but the Nonconformists reacted fiercely to it. After all it was produced by English Church inspectors who could not be expected to be sensitive enough to under stand the Welsh situation properly. But it spurred a new interest in education and a new effort in school building both on the part of the Church and of the British Board. But in one way or another education was (as it is again today) a matter of great controversy and this controversy is frequently reflected in "Yr Haul" and the other periodicals.
2. TITHE. The old tithe barns remind us of the days when tithe was paid literally from the fruits of the earth and animals of the farm. In 1836 an Act was passed to enable the tithe to be paid in money. This was an improvement but it did not remove the fundamental objection of Nonconformist farmers to rendering tithes to Church foundations and for meeting the stipend of the Rector of a parish. The protest against the tithes was part of the radical protest in Wales (like the Rebecca Riots) against Tory landlordism and a Church which was considered alien because of its close connection with the Tory Party and English-speaking landlords. It was a long end bitter controversy and strongly enough one of the most centers of confrontation between farmers and the arm of the law was at Llangwm. Ellis Roberts barely mentions it in "Yr Haul" but he must have suffered terribly from it. The first Archbishop of Wales (Alfred George Edwards) describes in his "Memories" how the confrontation was planned : " A tenant farmer, often a widow was selected to refuse the payment of tithe. Much correspondence followed with the tithe-collector, and the poor incumbent at last was compelled to distrain or forfeit his tithe. All this was foreseen and preparations were made accordingly. The distraining party arrived at the farm, and in the twinkling of an eye a crowd gathered." There would be ugly scenes then and hatred of the parson would be fanned. Sometimes a straw man in imitation of the parson would be burnt on a given day. There were even profane travesties of the Lord's Supper. Ellis Roberts maintained that the law of the land was sacred and to disregard it in the matter of paying tithes was a sin. His opponents saw it quite differently. They said that the law of conscience was superior to the law of the land and that the rebels against paying tithes were heroes of conscience. The "brave men of Llangwm" were styled martyrs. Ellis Roberts as usual pleaded for toleration and reconciliation but he did not budge from His view that the law of the land should be obeyed. Eventual the law was changed and Bishop Edwards was largely responsible for the change, which meant that in future the landlord and not the tenant would have to pay the tithe. The controversy lingered long but the bitterness at last subsided. Two things must be noted in conclusion. The period of greatest crisis was also a period of agricultural depression. Poor harvests or a fall in prices could make the farmer's lot very hard. The Tithe War sprang in fact from sources of discontent - political, religious, and economic, and these three cannot easily be separated.
3. The second point to note is that the clergy suffered great indignity and poverty because of the Tithe War. The testimony of Bishop Edwards is as follows:-

   "More than one clergyman died under the combined strain of obloquy and poverty ….lawlessness was afoot throughout the land; the outlook for the church and the clergy was dark. One fact remains beyond dispute or denial - the clergy were on the verge of starvation, Ellis Roberts admits as much in a letter to a newspaper in 1886 when the controversy was at its height – "I am fully aware that the farming classes are fearfully overweighted with rates and taxes, and that the present depression has ome upon many families with crushing severity, but the rural clergy share the same burden and are crushed by the same depression." Looking over the peaceful fields of Llangwm today it is difficult to envisage the parish as one of the "battlefields" in the Tithe War. But this year (1986), there is a competition at Llangwm Eisteddfod for an essay on the Tithe War a hundred years ago. And it will be interesting to see what the competitors make both of the causes and the characteristics of that hard struggle.

4. DISESTABLISHMENT.

LLAN CWM AWEN.

Every month in 1891 and 1892 there appeared in Yr Haul a serialised story entitled Llan Cwm Awen or "A Church Awakening 50 Years Ago." It was written by the editor and Llan Cwm Awen is none other than Llangwm and the awakening is none other than the awakening in Llangwm. The story is a sort of a novel and its leading characters are the Reverend Llewellyn Lloyd and his wife Angharad. The story begins by saying that Llewellyn has been offered the remote country living of Llan Cwm Awen by the bshop and when he breaks the news to Angharad his sweetheart, she gives him every encouragement to accept it, even though she is a town girl and non-Welsh-speaking. The marriage takes place with Holy Communion as part of the service and the young couple travel to Llan Cwm Awen by mail coach most of the journey. We have already gathered that Llewellyn is not very strong and his wife is very protective of him on the journey. They arrive on a cold day in January -a day of sleet and rain- and their arrival aouses the curiosity of the small village. They were welcomed at the Bodfan Arms and the blue flagstones were covered there with clean sand. The Vicarage was still occupied by the previous Vicar's widow and daughter and they are allowed time to make arrangements for moving. Llewellyn and Angharad go into rooms. Then comes a farce of an Induction. The Rural Dean, Meurig Oxley, a very fat man, went through the motions very formally (in English) and he asked the Vicar to go into the church on his own. Helocked the door on him for a minute or two while he pulled at the bell a few times. And that was it. The Induction was over. Angharad was furious with the Rural Dean's conduct and so was Thomas Evans the local weaver "Didymus o’r Cwm" as he was called. Then comes the first Sunday with six old people and six children in church and not one of them taking part in the service. There was Morning Prayer, The Litany, Holy Communion (with sermon) and the reading of the 39 Articles – "the readin in"- altogether a 2½ hour service! At the end of the second lesson the chapel folk came in and as Llewellyn was preaching a whisper was heard – "This one is reading it all too". The local squire, Mr. Owen explained afterwards that the chapel people came into church out of respect, but not spiritual respect. To them the church represented gentility while the chapel represented godliness. It was social respect they had for the church. At four o’clock there was evensong in the light of tw candles with only the sexton and the Vicar taking part. No one else said a word. Next Sunday John Elias was preaching in the chapel and there was hardly anyone in church. Llewellyn decided that the first step in renewing the church was to visit the people. He had a respectful but wary welcome. The general opinion was that the new Vicar was a good man serving a bad cause. But with the faithful visiting and the pastoral care of the Vicar things began to look up at the church and this did not please Mr Hugh Cadwaladr the Vestry Clerk who in spite of his office was a deacon in the chapel and a strong enemy of the church. He kept the village shop and Post Office and so his domain was the center of all the village gossip. When it was decided to repair the church he and the Minister (The Reverend Philip Jones) were furious. "I think," said Llewellyn to Angharad "he believes a spiritual awakening in the church would be harmful." But Angharad sees the church as a fort which has fallen into ruin and Cadwaladr as an enemy undermining its foundations. But the new Vicar, in spite of the suspicion and quarreling kept his tolerance. He said to Cadwaladr "Until we come to understand each other let us love one another and pray for one another." He says to Angharad

on one occasion "One of the characteristics of the Established Church is to hide its spirituality." And she replies with characteristic insight, "The upper class conceal their emotions – religious as well as of joy and sorrow, while ordinary people show them openly. The parish priests follow the example of the gentry. They hide their religious feelings." She maintains that their religion is characterised by intellectualism, duty, and personal devotion to the exclusion of nurturing warmth of devotion in the congregation. Mr. Owen the squire says that new prayer books are needed in the church but there is need too for more simplicity and warmth in the services. And he makes the telling observation that both the decay of the Church and its renewal are an offence to its enemies. They condemn its indifference but fear its revival.

But back to the story. The Vicarage has been repaired and the church has been refurbished. On the day of its re-opening the morning service was in English but evensong was sung in Welsh for the first time for ages and there were two powerful sermons. Hugh Cadwaladr complained that the chanting savored of Papalism and The Reverend Philip Jones wrote an article condemning The Oxford Movement. Indeed he was right to see the restoration of Llangwm church as a sign of the influence of the Oxford Movement. The beautifying of the church, the chanting, the emphasis on the sacraments, seemliness in worship and things like that showed the restoration of the idea of holiness and catholicity to the Church. After the re-opening the morning service was at 10; Sunday School at 2 and Evensong at 6. This meant that the chapel people could no longer come to church after their own service. There was a break with an old tradition but also perhaps a declaration that the church could now stand on its own feet. In the restoration the old three-tier pulpit had disappeared and the sexton was now peeved that he had lost his seat! By now the school had been securely established and Dean Cotton had been to visit the parish to strengthen its work in education. But there was opposition to teaching the Catechism to chapel children and soon a new school was opened in the chapel.

And so education was another cause of division. But the work of the church at Llan Cwm Awen prospered and the result of starting a branch of the Church Lay Society in the parish was the beginning of a mission in Porth y Cwm and the building of a new church there.

When Llewellyn Lloyd left the parish he left a church solidly grounded in true doctrine. And in spite of the misunderstandings and the strife between church and chapel he left a peaceful parish. He had sown the seeds of love everywhere' and had conquered through love.

There is much more to the story of Llan Cwm Awen than what has now been related. There are several romances for instance. But the main point of the story (as the sub-title indicates) is to describe the renewal of the Church towards the middle of the 19th century and to give a picture o the renewal as it really happened in a country parish. Ellis Roberts was describing under the guise of a "novel" his own personal experience and the perceptive Angharad no doubt speaks for Esther Mary. Renewal is based on pastoral care, on solid teaching, on education, and securing high standards in worship, on tolerance and patience, on the nurturing of a parish in love. At the beginning of the 18th century the Church had lost its hold on the people. The llan had become alienated. But the transformation during the century was

vary remarkable. Bishop Edwards when he came to the diocese said "I must confess to the great work which has been accomplished in this diocese in building new churches and restoring the old". And he added that the chief credit for all the should go to Bishop Vowler Short. The tribute as we have indicated before was well merited. But the prosperity of the Church does not depend only on the leadership of its bishops but on the devotion of its clergy and laypeople. And it is not too much to say that the Church regained its respect and effectiveness in Wales through the untiring efforts of a new set of clergy which entered its Ministry during the 19th century. They were of the people of Wales, from and coal mines and quarries. They went to country parishes and were content to stay there. If they were keen Welshmen they could expect no great promotion, but that did not worry them. The debt of the Church to them is incalculable. Ellis Wyn mentions that he as editor of "Yr Haul" does not write for a parish but for a whole province. He is able to do it, he says, because he has a small parish. If he were in a big parish he could not do it. "A stonemason cannot climb two ladders at the same time." It may be that the greatest loss of the Church today is the virtual disappearance of the country clergy, with leisure to be among the people. It is sad to see our clergy burdened with too many cares and always in a rush.

ELIS WYN THE POET.

As we saw the muse was strong in Ellis Roberts' grandfather Robert Ddu Eifionydd - and to a lesser degree in his father Morris Roberts (Eos Llyfnwy). Ellis inherited their talents and we recall that the – Rev. John Jones, Llanllyfni lent him books on poetry. By the time he went to Eben Fardd's school at Clynnog he had developed considerably as a poet, and Eben Fardd saw signs of a great future for him as a poet. He composed "a Cywydd Brud (A composition in strict metre) to Ellis Roberts, a yung poet and one of Eben Fardd’s scholars 1850." In this cywydd he says that Ellis will surpass all other poets. Before this in 1849 Ellis had competed in Aberffraw Eisteddfod on the unpoetic theme "The Defense of Gibraltar by General Elliot." The adjudicator said – "A very good cywydd; 376 lines; evidently as the name implies the work of a young person and one of very promising genius …his day to win laurles is not far hence." The nom de plum was "Arfon Ifanc." We have Ioan Madog's account of how he met the young poet as they were crossing the Menai Straits that day. "A sickly looking young man came to sit by me in the boat. It appears that he knew me and he greeted me by name. He said he was going to the Eisteddfod. He looked poorly but he was so gentle and humble that I took to him and asked him whether he troubled his head with poetry. He said he was very fond of Welsh poetry.

"What is your work my boy?" I said. "My father is a miller and I work with him in the mill," he replied. "Tel me, can you speak English?" "No," he said. "Well, take my advice and learn English…"

And as we have seen, he did. There was promise in the young man and he went on to win many important prizes - Eisteddfod Rhuddlan 1850 (Boadicea); Ffestiniog 1854 (Caethwas - A Slave) – he walked all the way from Caernarfon to be present - Llanelli 1856 (Sabbath); Ruthin 1857 (Beli a Bran); Caernarfon 1870 (Cwareiddiad - Civilization); Caernarfon 1880 (Buddugoliaeth y Groes -The Victory of the Cross); Llangurig 1882 (St. Curig). In 1858 he came second to Eben Fardd at Llangollen Eisteddfod (Boswort Field) and one of the three adjudicators – Caledfryn - thought he should be put first. But in spite of all these successes and others not mentioned here, nothing of this work has lived. As poetry it is dead, like the enormous quantity of similar poetry produced for eisteddfodau in the 19^th century. The subjects set were so unpoetical and it was the fashion to produce very long and ponderous odes. Many of the poets would have been much better off if they had not entered so many competitions. Competition is a spur but inspiration does not arrive to order. Having said that we must set Ellis Roberts and the other poets in the background of their period. That rather arid period came to an end with the appearance of Elfed and T.Gwynr Jones and we enter a new world when we read their poetry and the work of those who followed them. But in his day Ellis Roberts was regarded as a very fine poet and an extremely able adjudicator. He had been adjudicating for years at smaller eisteddfodau before he ecame a National Eisteddfod adjudicator in 1874 at Bangor. It was at Wrexham in 1876 that he was received into the Gorsedd of Bards taking the nom de plume "Elis Wyn o Wyrfai." He was received on the same day as Dyfrig the Vicar of Pwllheli - another of the cultured Welsh clergy. Dyfrig says that he met Elis Wyn on many occasions but that their meeting in the train between Afon Wen and Llanwnda stood out in his memory. Dyfrig expressed his sympathy with Elis Wyn on the death of his wife. Elis took out of his pocket the commemorative verses he had written and gave them to Dyfrig to read. "They are excellent," said Dyfrig. And Elis Wyn said "They are a true expression of my broken feelings," as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

What if Elis Wyn had foregone the starchy eisteddfod competitions and allowed his inspiration to be expressed in simple sincerity? No doubt he would have produced poetry of lasting value. The promise about which Eben Fardd wrote so eloquently became stifled somehow along the way. And yet when one comes to read a composition like "BUDDUGOLIAETH Y GROES" which is extremely long and which is written in couplet form from beginning to end (and therefore becomes tedious) one cannot fail to be impressed by the dedication and sincerity of the poet. He has given himself entirely to his great theme and he traces it from God's purpose in the very beginning until the great victory of Christ at the Ascension and the fulfillment of God's promise at the end. It is a monumental piece of work - little read

today but highly praised in 1880.

The last piece of poetry that Elis Wyn composed was a simple hymn for children. It is rhythmic and happy:-

Codwch gyda'r wawrddydd,

Devch i Eglwys Dduw

Pan fo gwlith y dolau

Oll yn berlau byw;

Clywch y ffrwd yn trydar

Mawl ar raian man,

Clywch fe leinw'r adar

Lwyni haf a chan;

Clywch atseinia'r, clychau

Trwy y goedwig fawr,

Megis sain caniadau

Engyl glan y wawr.

Elis Wyn in his last illness wrote for children and the simplicity of the hymn is very appealing. And so we are led next to think of Elis Wyn as hymn writer.

THE HYMNS OF ELIS WYN.

Generations of Welsh church people were brought up on "Hymnau yr Eglwys" and the writer of this essay was one of those people. It still has a warm spot in the hearts of all who used it. Its effective lifespan was from 1892 until 1941 when "Emynau'r Eglwys" appeared. A living Church needs a new hymn book every fifty years or so and Elis Wyn had been busy before he died on a fuller edition of Hymnau yr Eglwys. But for some reason that edition never appeared. In the foreword to Hynau yr Eglwys these words appear – For as much as the renewed and developing life of the Church is gathering strength and is daily becoming more catholic, and more national in its identity, and since there is a continuing call for more hymns and tunes to meet its needs we have been urged to bring out this selection. "In that selection Elis Wyn included 26 of his hymns (or translations). In "Yr Emyniadur" (Bishop Lloyd's Hymn Book) 1897 only one translation appears; in Emynau'r Egwlys, 14 ymns or translations and in Emynau Hen a Newydd (1954) 16. In "YR HAUL" for 1893 Elis Wyn published a whole range of hymns for the whole Christian Year after the pattern of John Keble in English. Some of them are very good and some of indifferent quality. It was a case of over-production! The teaching of the Church and the themes of the Christian year are the main inspiration of Elis Wyn's hymns. They are objective in their essence and do not express the depth of personal experience such as we see in the hymns of Ann Griffiths or Williams Pantycelyn for instance. They are teaching hymns and as such appeal more to the mind than to the heart. This is in line with the Anglican ethos! They are written with care and devotion. He was a very good translator of hymns and among his best translations are from the English hymns "O God our Help in Ages Past" and "Jerusalem The Golden."

O Dduw ein cymorth ym mhob oes

A'n gobaith tra bo byd;

Ein cysgod dan bob tymestl groes

A'n bythol noddfa glyd.

Mil o flynyddoedd yri dy wydd

Fel doe yn cilio sydd,

Neu fore wyladwriaeth fer

Yn darfod gyda'r dydd.

……………………………………..

Caersalem euraidd ddinas,

O fel e llaeth yn lli,

Wrth feddwl am dy urddas

Llesmeiria ‘nghalon i;

Pwy all ddyfalu’r mwyniant

I'n haros yno sy,

Disgleirdeb dy ogoniant

A'r gwynfyd perffaith fry?

……………………………………..

His hymn on marriage is still very popular :-

O flaen yr allor sanctaidd

Mor hardd yw'r mab a'r ferch

Sy'n addunedu'n wylaidd

I'w gilydd gred a serch;

A gweddi gras a bendith

Offeiriad nefoedd wen

Yn disgyn megis manwlith

Yn ennaint ar eu pen.

……………………………………..

His hymn on the Conversion of St. Paul ends beautifully :-

O brysia cymer feddiant llawn

O’r uchaf ddysg a'r gwychaf ddawn,

A dwg bob talent fedd y llawr

I adeiladu d'Eglwys fawr.

(Arise and take full possession of the highest learning and the richest talent, and bring every gift that earth can give, to build up thy great Church)

That was an ideal cherished by Elis Wyn, and realised in him too.

But ever one's favourite is Elis Wyn's carol -

Yng nghanol gwlad Judea dlos

Yr oedd bugeiliaid glan

Yn aros yn y maes liw nos

I wylio'r defaid man;

Proffwydol gerddi Seion gu

Gyd-ganent ar y llawr

I ysgafnhau y cyfnos du

Gan ddisgwyl toriad gwawr.

It is rhythmic, simple, and vivid. The great eisteddfodic odes have all been forgotten. They were fettered productions. But when Elis Wyn allows his inspiration to move freely and simply, his poetry lives.

ELLIS ROBERTS THE MAN.

We have spoken of the miller, the teacher, the priest, the editor, the poet and prose-writer, the controversialist, the novelist, the hymn-writer, the musician. He was extremely versatile and extremely industrious. But what sort of man was he? Let three of his friends answer.

We have already met Dyfrig the Vicar of Pwllheli. He says :- Ellis Roberts was a very pure character. There was no stain on him as a man or as a writer… he wrote a great deal in support of the Church, but in defending himself and the Church though often he had to hit hard, he never wounded his opponent in an ungentlemanly way by taking unfair advantage of him… he was a very honourable character. He was a real gentleman by nature and richly blessed with strong common sense. In addition to this he was characterised by a ripe judgement, patient deliberation, and genial temperament toward all those who differed from him in religion or politics. He would not say an unkind word behind anyone’s back, friend or foe; to denigrate or to slander was not in tune with his nature,. He had a frail body at best and since he worked so diligently and studied so hard it is no wonder that the sunset came when he was 68." A notable tribute.

The point he makes about Elis Wyn's bearing in debate is borne out by this tribute from Manchester Guardian, "Controversial questions had as a rule but little attraction for him; but when occasion arose he could strike out with vigour and effect. There was always however a touch of grace and courtesy in his writing and his hardest hits seldom gave offence."

Charles Ashton, Llanymawddwy asks this question :- "Was Elis Wyn more - than a poet and writer? What was it that drew tears from his parishioners on the day of his funeral. There is not a single widow in the parish of Llangwm that cannot answer these questions. During the twenty-three years he served the parish, he-was never deaf to the needs of the widow end the orphan; he could never look on wretchedness without trying to relieve it… it was not church people alone he served but everybody, church and chapel alike. No nonconformist in Llangwm, we believe, failed to be won over by his devotion, his kindness, his gentleness and his consistent Christian way of life."

Thomas Edwards (Gwynedd) gives a living portrait of him:- He had piercing eyes and an intelligent keenness lit them up. His bearing was humble and his behaviour unostentatious. He was always too much in the background. He never lost his temper. He was a ready helper and he could turn his hand to anything. Once he was asked to repair a sowing machine, and at other times he was asked for medical advice. When an epidemic of diphtheria broke out in the parish it was the Vicar together with his wife and a nurse who tended the sick. He got up early, before 6 in summer; breakfast was at 8.30. From 9.30 he was in his study or at the school until lunch time; he visited in the afternoon and went to church in the evening. He possessed a clear and pleasing bass voice. He was a high-churchman by nature and - a high Tory -dead-set against the Disestablishment and Disendowment of the Church. Yet he longed for unity and deplored the schism between the Church and the Methodists. He was all for reconciliation." Dyfrig again gives a glimpse of him at home:- We met him away from home as a poet and writer and we admired him, but at Llangwm Vicarage we saw him as a man, as the head of his family, as a priest; there we observed him in his leisurely homeliness, and we loved him."

THE END OF THE ROAD.

When he was made Honorary Canon of St. Asaph in 1891 he mentioned it briefly in "YR HAUL." He said that it was a small recognition of his literary labours and of his services to the Church in Wales. It was a very meager recognition indeed - not even a cursal canonry. But perhaps he had more satisfaction from his work with the ordinands of the diocese - opening for them the window on their Welsh heritage. We cannot but marvel that he was able to do so much though frail in body. Ioan Madog said he looked frail at the Aberffraw eisteddfod; Dyfrig mentions the same thing and Gwynedd says that he suffered from asthma. On February 8th 1894 he wrote to Essie his daughter – You need not be in any anxiety about me. I am getting better. It was only a chill I had when rather low in the system, and that brought on

disarrangement of the stomach. He adds a P.S. I have resigned the editorship of the Haul and will cease work for it after February. On March 26th 1895 he wrote again to Essie, "It was not sickness that kept me from writing; at the same time it was downright sluggishness of mind and disposition - I might plead pressure of work which is my chronic state… Mrs. Jones Ty Gwyn has had a very severe attack of influenza which developed into bronchitis. She has now fully recovered. There has been a good deal of illness in the neighbourhood without however proving fatal to anyone." He wrote his sermon for Easter 1895 - he wrote every word of every sermon - on the text in Romans 4:25 "Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification." He ended like this – "The body is not something to be despised for it pleased The Son of God to become incarnate in a human body. In the body he rose again and he now rules for ever, world without end. Let us give our bodies as a living sacrifice acceptable to God, as living members of Christ to glorify him with heart and voice, in prayer and praise in his house; and with honest and busy hands in deeds of kindness and of love to help others through diffiaulties helping one another in heed, comforting one another in adveraity, axiety, and sorrow." That was an excellent conclusion not only; to the sermon but also to his ministry and his life.

He was taken ill on Thursday April 18^th and his children were sent for a once. They were at his bedside to witness his death about eight o'clock on April 23^rd. "Dear Essie, a son now, not a servant," he said to his daughter.

The day of his funeral on April 26th was cold and cheerless. There was a Welsh service at Llangwm Church and a great procession of carriages and of people on foot set out for Dinmael. At St. Catherine's there was another service there the two hymns "O fryniau. Caersalem" and "Bydd myrdd o ryfeddodau" were sung. He was laid to rest at the side of his wife Esther Mary. The bishop of St. Asaph failed to arrive in time but there were many clergy present and a vast congregation. Thy knew they were commending to God that day one of his most gifted, faithful, and beloved servants. More than a hundred years have passed since his death, but our admiration and our thankfulness for him remain. The church he prepared at Llangwm has been closed and turned to another use. "YR HAUL" has ceased to be. A heavy blight has again descended on the religious life of Wales and our nation has to be won back to God once more. Indeed each generation as it comes must be converted. In his good time God will raise and call men and women who are fitted for that task. People we believe like Elis Wyn o Wyrfai - of real spiritual conviction, of intellectual ability, and of loving zeal for the Kingdom. Amen. So be it.