Cylchgronau Cymru

March 18, 1892. THE WELSH WEEKLY. 11 H. Chambers, B. Johnston, A. Lucas, Mortimer, A. Morley (distinguished in French), Yeatman. V. Class- Cox, Johns, Wilkinson ; over age, G. Harvey. Notice has been given to the Committee of the Congre¬ gational Union of a nomination of the Kev. D. Burford Hooke"as acting and business Secretary of the Union." The matter is under the consideration of the special sub¬ committee appointed to consider the Secretariat question. The death is announced of Mr. Thomas Williams, for many years a deacon of Amana Church, Carnarvonshire. Bev. Newman Hall ha? been offered, by the University of Edinburgh, the degree of D.D. By the will of the late Mr. T. Simpson, of Spalding, the London Missionary Society receives £300. Bev. John Beown, D.D., of Bedford, and Mr. T. W. Harrison, of Hanley, have been appointed English delegates to the triennial Council of the Congregational churches of America, which will assemble in the autumn at Minneapolis. Newland Mission Chuech, Lincoln (Bev. J. D. Jones, M.A.., B.D.), has been reopened after reconstructing and adding to the seats, and renovating the school buildings. Bev. David Bobeets, D.D., of Wrexham, who has nearly completed 53 years of active ministerial service, has so far recovered from the severe illness which followed an attack of influenza, as to be able to resume his pulpit ministrations. By the death of Bev. John Thomas, of Hill Chapel, which occurred on the second inst., Swansea Congrega¬ tionalism lost one of it most prominent figures. For more than 30 years he had been well known as a very acceptable local preacher in both Welsh and English; seven years ago he undertook the pastorate of the new English cburch at Town Hill. Here he worked hard and gathered to¬ gether a considerable congregation. His death was quite unexpected, the immediate cause of death being the rupture of a blood-vessel. He was 67 years of age. His funeral took place on Monday, and was one of the largest ever seen in the district. All the district ministers of every denomination were present. At the house and cemetery the following ministers officiated : Be s. D. Jones, W. J. Nicholson, J. Phillips, J. Matthews, F. Samuel, and T. S. Evans. The funeral sermon will be preached on Sunday night by the Bev. F. Samuel, a friend and neigh¬ bour for over 30 years. A theee nights mission has been held at Pencra:g, near Boss, conducted by the Bev. J. Landel Jones. The Bev. A. M. Fairbairn, D.D., Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, will deliver a course of eight lectures at Union Theological -Seminary, New York, on the " Morse Foundation " on " The Place of Christ in Modern Theo¬ logy "—a subject which he divides into the following chapters, which will be treated of in the successive lectures : (1) " The Beturn to the Christ of History," March 21; (2) " The Law of Development in Theology," March 22 ; (3) " The Place of Christ in Universal History," March 28; (4) " The New Testament Interpretation of Christ," March 29; (5) " Christ the Interpretation of God," April 4; (6) " The Father and the Incarnation," April 5 ; (7) " Christ and the Church," April 11; (8) " Christ and the Scrip¬ tures," April 12. The membership in Ebenezer Church, Cardiff (Pastor, Bev. T. C. Edwards, D.D.), is 486, an increase of 81 during the past year. The total amount collected was £562 3s. 8d. The quarterly meetings of the Congregational Union of South-West Carnarvonshire were held at the Memorial Chapel, Portmadoc, on March 7 and 8. On the first day, in the absence of Bev. B. Lumley, the Chairman for the year, Bev. T. Jones, Tabor, took the chair. Several ministers, students, and deacons spoke on " Secret Prayer," the Bev. D. Bowlands, Talysarn, by appointment, leading the discussion. It "was agreed that the June meeting be held at Llithfaen. The total destruction of Drws-y-Coed Chapel,'by a huge rock falling thereon, was under con¬ sideration, and £20 was voted from the funds towards the building of a new chapel. Vote3 of condolence with Mr?. Spurgeon and family, as well as with the widow of the late Professor Lewis, B.A., Bangor, wera passed. A vot3 of sympathy with the Bev. Dr. Thomas, in his illnes3, was unanimously passed. A transfer letter to Bev. D. S. Thomas to Arfon Union was granted. Kind remarks were made regarding several faithful deacons who have lately passed away. On Monday evening a most enthusiastic missionary meeting was held, addressed by the eminent missionary from China—the Bev. W. Hopkin Bees. This was truly a most successful meeting. Preaching services were held during Sunday, each service being well attended. Bev. J. A. Jenkins, B.A., of the Bichmond Boad Con¬ gregational Church, Cardiff, has been invited to preach one of the sermons at the May meetings of the Congrega¬ tional Union. Bev. J. Fleming Williams has been elected Alderman of the London County Council. Baptist. The winner of the Craven Scholarship this year is a son of a Baptist deacon. Mr. G. M. Buck is the son of Mr. M. C. Buck, a deacon of Pembroke Chapel, Liverpool. This scholarship is worth £80 a year for seven yeais, the mghest classical distinction that can be won by an under¬ graduate, and is known as the Blue Bibbon of the Univer¬ sity. It has never before been won by Caius College, nor has a Liverpool college man ever obtained it. Mr. Buck has had a distinguished collegiate career. He entered the Middle School of Liverpool College, in Shaw Street, when eight and a half years of age, and in six months gained his class piize. la the three following years he won each year the Junior M'Neile Scholarship, and when 13 was awarded the nomination to the Upper School in Lodge Lane. Then at the age of 16 he went to Cambridge to try for an entrance scholarship at Gonville and Caius College, and as a result was offered a scholarship of £40 per annum, which, however, was declined. The following year he again entered for a scholarship at Caius College, and came out at the head of the list of candidates in the joint examination of three colleges, and was awarded a scholarship of £80 per annum. la 1888 he was Laurenc Exhibitioner of Liverpool College, and in 1889 he wa given the Canning Exhibition, tenable at the University for three and a half years, value £45 per annum. At Cambridge Mr. Buck has worked hard. He has annually taken a distinguished place in the examinations of Caius College, and has had his scholarship increased to £100 per annum, besides securing other prizes and valuable awards. In May next Mr. Buck will pass his tripos examination, and will take his B.A. degree in time. The opening services in connection with the New English Baptist Chapel, which has been erected in Salop Boad, Oswestry, were begun on Sunday, and were of a most suc¬ cessful character. For many years the Baptists in Oswestry have felt the need of a more commodious and inviting structure than the old and unpretentious building hitherto occupied by them, which for nearly a century has been the home of the cause, and at last, following in the "leading light" with other denominations who espouse the prin¬ ciples of a free religion, they have succeeded in erecting an edifice which does credit to themselves, and makes a material addition to the architecture of the town. The new chapel is erected on a site on the west side of Salop Boad. It is cruciform in plan, with nave, transept, and chancel, in the Gothic style of architecture. The length of the interior is 65 ft., exclusive of the chancel, and the width 34 ft. The chapel will afford sitting accommodation to a mixed congregation of 500. The total cost of the handsome building, exclusive of site, is £2750. On Sunday, the 6th inst., in the morning, at 7 and 10 o'clock, prayer meetings, which were well attended, were held, the pastor, the Bev. G. Archer, presiding. At the morning service there was a large congregation ; the Bev. T. J. Wigner preached. la the afternoon the Bey. J. J. Poynter, pastor of the Congregational Church, was expected to preach, but failed through illness. Mr. Wigner again took the service, directing his address more particularly to the young members of the congregation. The evening service was a very crowded one, Mr. Wigaer again preaching. On Monday there was a tea meeting held in the Public Hall, and a public meeting in the evening at half-past seven. The chair was occupied by Colonel Griffin, of London, President of the Baptist Union, who was suppor¬ ted by the pastor, Bev. Mr. Archer; Mr. John Wills, the architect; the Bevs. A. J. Parry, of Cefnmawr ; W. Maurice, of Shrewsbury; and W. J. Dyer, of Bridgenorth; Councillor B. Owen, of Wrexham ; Alderman C. G. Bayley ; and Mr. J. Parry Jones, of Beechfield. The spirit of harmony and goodwill manifested throughout the whole proceedings of both days were most refreshing to behold. The Bev. J. Grennell, of Nant Mawr, Buckley, Flintshire, is severing his connection with the church there, intending to emigrate to Canada on the 21st instant. A farewell meeting will be held on Monday, the 21st, presided over, it is expected, by Dr. Gethin Davies, Bangor; at this meeting a testimonial will be presented to Mr. Grennell. The Bev. Mr. Jenkins, of Lord's Hill, Salop, is going to succeed the Bev. D. Davies at Buckley, Mr. Davies having removed to Tarporley. The Buckley church may deem itself exceedingly fortunate in obtaining the services of Mr. Jenkins. He laboured long and well at Lord's Hill. The Monmouthshire Association held its quarterly meeting at Moriah, Bisca, February 23. Amongst many other matters which occupied the attention of the Conference was the Brittany Mission. A committee was struck out to report on the matter. A vote of sympathy with the late Mr. Spurgeon's family, also with the Tabernacle church, was passed. Attention was given to the county Home Mission Fund, and measures were adopted for bringing the claims of this society press- ingly before the churche?. The Welsh Baptist church of Everton, Liverpool, has always done nobly towards the Mission Fund—its regular annual contribution always exceeding a hundred pounds a good way. We understand that its figure for the cele¬ bration contribution is £250. We know that if it has set its heart upon this amount it Will not fail to reach it. An interesting ceremony took place on Tuesday even¬ ing, the 8th inst., at Nebo, Ebbw Vale, the Bev. W. Powell presiding. The occasion was the presenting of the Bev. W. Jones, the late pastor, with a purse of gold, by the church, and an illuminated address by the Band of Hope Union, in recognition of his services to it, as its pre¬ sident for a period of four years. Also the British Women's Temperance Association presented Mrs. Jones with a silver- plated biscuit jar, as a mark of their respect for her, in view of her services as vice-president of the society. Wesleyan Methodist. In connection with the new Welsh chapel at Pontar- dulais, which is in course of erection, an interesting cere¬ mony was performed on the 27th ult. A number of guinea bricks, 26 in all, were placed in a prominent position in the front wall by the children of the church and Sabbath - school. Addresses were delivered by the Bevs. Thomas Jones, J. Pritchard, Messrs. E. Bath (the architect) and Edward Hughes. An interesting selection of music was rendered by the choir under the leadership of Mr. Edward Jones. The total proceeds of the day amounted to £27 12s. The new schoolroom at Bhayader, which is being erected at a cost of nearly £300, is rapidly approaching completion. It will be opened at the end of April or the beginning of May by the Chairman of the Cardiff and Swansea Dis¬ trict, the Bev. P. Neville Andrews. The friends at Queen's Koad, Aberystwyth, were glad to receive a visit the other day from their recent minister, the Bev. T. Wynne Jones, now of St. Helen'?, Mr. Jones was down for the nuptials of the Bev. J. G. Davies (CM.). On Friday, the 4th inst., the Corwen Wesleyan Choir performed the cantata " Under the Palms " at the Assembly Booms. The Hon. C. E. Wyner was in the chair. Mr. J. E. Thomas conducted, and the principal soloists were Miss Williams, Mrs. Morris, Mr. J. E. Thomas, and Mr. W. E. Jones._, Mrs. Curry and Miss Humphreys accompanied. Home Mission sermons were preached at Lion Street, Brecon, on Sunday last, by the Bev. P. Neville Andrews of Cardiff. On the following Monday evening the annua public meeting was held. Mr. O. P. Larkin presided, and addresses were given by the Bev. P. N. Andrews, E. Albert Evans, and'others. On Sunday week the sermons at the Central Hall, Birmingham, were preached by the Bev. E. Lloyd Jones, Bhyl. At night hundreds were unable to obtain admission. A committee of leading ministers and laymen in North Wales is appealing for public subscriptions in order to erect a suitable monument over the grave of the late Bev. Samuel Davies, for 21 years Chairman of that district. The Bev. Evan Evans, of the Welsh Chapel, City Boad, London, is still diligently raising funds for the relief of the debt upon that edifice. During the past few months he has collected over £100, mostly in sovereigns, half-sovereigns, crowns, and half-crowns. When will the day dawn which shall see this magnificent chapel free from debt ? . Amongst those recently elected upon the Brjnmawr School Board we note with pleasure the name of Mr. William Bobert3, a prominent local Wesleyan, who occupied an honourable place upon the poll. Becent legacies towards various Wesleyan funds in¬ clude £5000 by the late Mr. J. Crone, of Ptnrith, and £300 by the late Mrs. Emma Jane Evans, of Hampstead, London. The oldest Wesleyan Chapel in North Wales is said to be that at Pentre Llivior, in the Newtown Circuit. Upon the question of relieving Chairmen from Circuit work, Mr. B. Pearson Price, of Swansea, writes to the Methodist Times :—"I have felt this to be the greatest need of this district for years past. I have a strong conviction that such a Chairman would do more to strengthen, con¬ solidate, and extend our work than the appointment of a district missionary or district lay agents, and the Home Mission District Fund would be employed to better purpose in providing for the necessary expenses. But it is time each district committee had the power to nominate its own Chairman." Mr. John Jones, of Liverpool, another pro¬ minent Welsh layman, writes :—" I thoroughly agree with the principle set forth, and have for some years felt fully convinced that the absence of some such oversight is the great defect in modern Methodism. We in North Wales have long felt the need of such an appointment. I would like the preliminary mode of electing the Chairmen to be left as much as practicable in the hands of our people, on the same principle as the appointment of ministers at present, the final decision to be left with the Conference." Me. Chables Moegan, the writer of the interesting sketch of the Cardiff University College in last month's Cymru, is a Wesleyan, and brother to Mr. B. Morgan, the Junior Circuit Steward of the Cardiff (Wesley) Circuit. Eithee Dr. Waller or Bev. H. J. Pope, it is generally believed, will be President at the next Conference. If the former is elected, Bev. J. E. Clapham will probably be made Secretary. P.S.—In last week's column of Wesleyan News the amounts stated to have been raised by various Circuits in the Cardiff and Swansea District were for Foreign Missions only. MINISTERIAL RECORD. Presbyterian. Jones, William, Morriston, resigns. Congregational. Jones, J. Selin, Llanidloes, resigns. Jones, J. T., Bangor College, accepts call to joint churches of Marsh Lane, Bootle, and Clarendon Bow, Seacombe. Thomas, J., Swansea, died on Wednesday, 2nd inst. Baptist. Geennell, J., Nant Mawr, Buckley, resigns. RECHABITISM. The nineteenth annual session of the Gweot and East Glamorgan District of the Independent Order of Becha- bites (Salford Unity Friendly Society) was held at the Temperance Hall, Merthyr, under the presidency of Mr. D. M. Williams, Tonypandy, supported by Messrs. T. Jones-Parry, P.H.C.B. and D.S. ; J. Price, Blaina ; D. Thomas, Bhymney; and J. Morris, Mountain Ash. From the report of the District Executive Committee it appeared this was the largest district in Great Britain, and that the junior district was the largest in the world. During the past year, 11 new tents had been instituted, and the membership had increased during the past year from 4239 to 5377. This was the largest increase in any one year, and unparalleled in the history of the Order. The funds, notwithstanding that £400 had been paid out in death claims and £178 tranferred to the management, yet showed an increase of £510 12s. 5d. During the year, 33 members and four members' wives had died, being a little over 7 per 1000. Beference was made to the splendid reception given to the High Movable Conference at Cardiff in August last, and it was decided that in view of the management fund being in such an excellent con¬ dition, there should be no district levy for the ensuing year. The election of officers resulted as follows:—Dis¬ trict Chief Buler, Mr. J. Morris, Mountain Ash; District Deputy Buler, Mr. Charles Hunt, Ferndale; District Trea¬ surer, Mr. Daniel Thomas, Bhymney; Auditors, Messrs. Swarbrick, Tredegar; and M. J. Jones. During the after¬ noon session, Mr. John Lee, High Deputy Buler of the Order, was introduced as a deputation from the Board of Directors, and received a hearty welcome. In the evening a large meeting was held under the presidency of Mr. W. L. Daniel. Addresses were delivered by Messrs. John Lee, T. Parry-Jones, Bev. Morris Morgan, Bev. W. J. Morris (Pontypridd), and Alderman Thomas Williams.