Cylchgronau Cymru

/f /?££0/?0 0F CHRISTIAN WORK AMONG THE Calvinistic Methodists or Presbyterians of Wales. Vol. III. No. 1.] JANUARY, 1887. [Price One Penny. 3Iotes cm5 ©omments. The years are passing away, and many of our friends have crossed the river and reached the "lando' the leal" since we last wished our readers a Happy New Year. During the course of the year 1886, the angel of death was busier than usual in thinning the official ranks of our Connexion, and called home several prom¬ inent laymen as well as a goodly array of faithful ministers of the Word—some who had only just sharpened their swords for the fight, and some who had been long in the very thick of the battle, and who had bravely borne the heat and burden of the day. Let us pray God to send fresh men—strong and true—to fill up the ranks, for the warfare is getting fiercer every day, and we need sturdy and robust men to stand the brunt of the battle. The latest departure has been that of the pure-minded and saintly man of God —the Rev. Samuel Jones, Penarth, who, after an illness of many months' duration, quietly passed away on the night of December the 16th, and whose mortal remains were followed to the silent grave by a large company of ministers and friends. It may surprise those of our readers who did not know Mr. Jones, to learn that he was regarded by those who knew him as one of the deepest and most original thinkers that Welsh Methodism has ever produced, and that his influence in moulding the character of thoughtful young men, especially in the prime of his days, was very powerful. Dr. Saunders, in an address at his funeral, stated that when a young man he himself was more indebted to Mr. Jones than to anyone else, and he also said that the late Rev. Henry Rees and Principal Griffiths of the In¬ dependent College, Brecon—two of the severest critics and highest authorities upon such matters—-told him that they looked upon Mr. Jones as one of the great¬ est preachers of the day. He was a man of feeble health right through his life, and being also of a retiring disposition, he seemed to be out of his element—from home—-almost everywhere except in his study and in the pulpit. We have seen him ere now behind a counter, but any¬ one could see he was not "at home" there ; and we have seen him at the busi¬ ness meetings of the Connexion, but it did nob require a very penetrative mind to see that he was not " at home " there. Let him, however, ascend the pulpit, and you would find him a man " at home" there—especially if he had the meeting all to himself—and he would set before you, in language pure and chaste, thoughts both new and old, drawn out of the boundless treasures of the Scriptures. And now he is truly gone home—to the very central home of the divine things, where he shall revel to his heart's content in "the deep things of God," and where he shall know amazing truth even as he is known. " Thou art gone to the grave ! but we will not deplore thee, Whose God was thy ransom, thy guardian and guide ; He gave thee, He took thee, and He will restore thee, And death has no sting, for the Saviour has died." The Week of United Prayer has now be¬ come a regular institution in our midst, and we hope that all our churches—both small and great—will prove faithful there¬ to this year again, and that they will stir themselves up to take hold of the Lord's strength, being fully assured that " the fervent prayer of the righteous man avail- eth much." In issuing the programme of subjects, the Evangelical Alliance states :—Never was prayer more needed than at the present time. The state of the Church and the state of the world alike call for fervent and abundant sup¬ plication. We have come on "perilous times." We see " distress of nations." There is much of insubordination and law¬ lessness in various countries. In nearly all lands there is much suffering on account of the stagnation of trade. In Europe there have been ominous threaten- ings of war. Most nations are called to solve political problems of great per¬ plexity. As Christians, we must call to mind the promises given to prayer, and the special promises given to united prayer. " Call upon Me," said the Lord, "in the day of trouble ; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." While there is much cause of anxiety, which should make us feel that only God can be "a very present help in trouble," there are also signs of the times which are greatly fitted to cheer and encourage us. Among these none are more remarkable than the quickening of the missionary spirit, the amount of blessing which is graciously granted to the evangelising of the nations, and the " great and effectual doors" which are so wonderfully opening to us. Therefore, with fervent supplication, let us mingle hearty thanksgiving to the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. We are glad to find that the Noncon¬ formist churches of Chester recently held an All-Day Convention, at which our min¬ isters—the Rev. John Williams and J. P. Davies, M.A.—took a prominent part. The morning meeting was devotional, but at the afternoon and evening meetings addresses were delivered by various min¬ isters on various interesting and important subjects, followed by an open conference. A suggestion that fell from the chairman seemed to meet with much favour, It was that the Convention should have a practical issue in the establishment in the city of an Annual U nited Meeting in be¬ half of Foreign Missions, and that a monthly prayer meeting should be carried on. The meetings were characterised by great devoutness, and by an earnest desire for full consecration to the Redeemer. We are pleased to learn that our friends of the Presbyterian Church of England have at length secured a site for a church in a central position in Cambridge. They have held regular services in Oxford and Cambridge for some time, and if we are not mistaken some of our own ministers have supplied those pulpits; but no great progress can be expected until a perma¬ nent building is erected, and we are given to understand that the Church at Cam- biidge will be proceeded with at an early date. All the Calvinistic Methodists at