Cylchgronau Cymru

TIÎE Cambrian Temperance Chronicle (Cronicl Dirwestol Cymru), Vol. I.-No. 1. JUNE, 1891. ONE PENNY. \_All Rights liesen-ed.] THE LATE REV. WILLIAM EVANS, TOjLSTYREFAIL. ^^fl|7UCH has been written about the late MjJ^Ìji) venerable patriarch of Tonyrefail, since — ■— liis deatli. We do not propose to add bere anotber biograpbical sketcb; and tbat is tbe more unnecessary, as a member of tbe family is busily engaged in preparing bis memoir. Our object in tbe present notice is to place before our readers a short account of bis efìbrts on belialf of tbe cause of Temperance. We bave been some- what anticipated in this by Dr. John Thomas, of Liverpool, in his work on the Temperance Re- form in Wales, a volume of great interest, wbich was published a few years ago to celebrate thejubilee of the Tem- perance movement in tbe Principality. In that excellent volume Dr Jobn Thonias makes several ailusions to Mr Evans in highly eu- logistic terms and re- lates numerous in- stances of his services to the Temperance cause. He speaks of lhni especially as a most fair and efìective advo- cate of the principle of total abstinence, al- ways using " soft words and strong arguments"; and emphasises on the fact of Mr Evans' consistent adherence to the practice as well as the advocacy of the principle to the end of his days. Öo far as it may be ascertained, and it may be taken as an undoubted fact, it was in the month of September in the year 1837, tbe late liev. W. Evans signed the total abstinence pledge. It was at tbe close of a Temperance meeting beld at Tonyrefail. The immediate cause of his taking tíie step was tbat a person in the meeting said to him, " Mr Evans if you will sign, I will sign." " Then to tbe table," was liis instant- aneous reply. And so both went to the table, and subscribed their names to the total abstinence pledge. The worthy minister realised in a moment liis oppor- tunity of doing good to his neighbour, and made no besitation in accepting tbe cballenge tbrown out to him. Quickness of movement was one of his special characteristics. And in the ready action of that moment may be per- ceived the key note of his advocacy of tem- perance, that is to say doing good to others. From the day be placed his hand upon the tem- peranceplougb, he never looked back. And es- ptcially during the first years of the movement and particularly within the boundanes of Gla- morganshire, and while he was still in the ful- ness of his strength he laboLired much to enforce the principles of total abstinence and to persuade his fellow ■ countrymen into the paths of sobriety. And it sbould be remembered that his hands were i already full, being as he then was one of W7ales' most popular preachers and his preaching en- gagements very numerous. We are glad to be