Cylchgronau Cymru

12 THE WELSH WEEKLY. June 17, 1892. CHURCH NEWS, CHURCH OF ENGLAND. On Tuesday, 7th inst., the Bev. Canon Thomas Edmondes, Cowbridge, was buried in God's acre, near the old Norman Garrison Church, Cowbridge. The Lord Bishop of St. Asaph takes the place of the late Bev. Canon Howell Evans as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Bhyl Eisteddfod. The Bishop of St. Asaph has presented the Archdeacon of Montgomery to the important rectory of Llandrinio, Denbighshire, which recently became vacant by the death of the Bev. D. P. Lewes, and which is worth about £700 a year, with house and glebe. Archdeacon Thomas will vacate the vicarage of Melford, which is worth £600 a year, with residence, and it has been offered by Bishop Edwards to the Bev. Canon Bichardson, vicar of Northop, who is well known in the diocese. PRESBYTERIAN. The pastorate of Sychnant and Pantydwr Churches has been offered to Mr. J. Millward, Trevecca College. The late Bev. B. Edwards, Llandderfel, left the sum of £100 towards educating candidates for the ministry in East Merioneth. The first psalmody and Sunday school festival in connection with the English churches of Denbighshire was held at Wrexham last Friday. The building of the new Welsh Chapel at Barmouth is being rapidly proceeded with, and if the work is continued the place will be completed before the end of the year. A new school room was opened at Tenby on Sunday, , when special sermons were preached by the Bev. B. Lewis, pastor. The site cost £500 and the building £200. The- greater part of this sum has been raised. On Whit-Monday, the anniversaries of the Mid-Bhondda Calvinistic Methodist Sunday schools, were held under the .auspices of Jerusalem, Ton and Bethel Ystrad. The Bevs. Lewis Jones, P. Gelly, and T. Davies catechised the different schools. At the Pan-Presbyterian Council, which meets in Toronto in September, there will be over 100 delegates from Great Britain and 60 from America. There will be representatives from Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, Greece, France, Hungary, Italy, and Spain. Last Sunday, the 5th inst., the Calvinistic Methodists at Cysegr held their preachiDg meeting, the Bevs. T. J. Wheldon, B.A., Bangor, and J. Williams, Brynsiencyn, officiated. The chapel was so densely packed on Sunday evening that the service had to be held in the open air. Dr. Maclaren, of Manchester, will deliver the annual address to the students of the Theological College, Bala, North Wales, on Thursday, July 7, at 11.30. Dr. Evans, of Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, will be welcomed as Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament literature at the College. Bev. D. Celyddon Phillips, of Scranton, Pa., who is now on a visit to his native land, intends remaining here "till October. Mr. Phillips was a witness of the Johnstown catastrophe, and has a very interesting lecture on the same. His address while in this country is care of Bev. E. Bees (Dyfed), Cathays, Cardiff. A Cymanfa Ysgolion was held at Gwastad, Pembroke¬ shire, on Monday, the 6th inst. Four schools took part, viz., Gwastad, Penffordd, Wiston, and Goshen. The children recited catechisms and sang, and the adults recited chapters from Charles' "Christian Instructor," and sang several anthems. The Bevs.—Bichards, Penffordd, and W. Mendus, Haverfordwest, questioned the schools. The tenth annual Musical Festival of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists of the Pontypridd district was held on Monday, at Penuel Chapel, Pontypridd, when the building was crowded to excess during the whole of the three services held. The conductor was Mr. D. L. Prosser (Eos Cynlais). The choristers, who filled the whole of the spacious gallery, were drawn from Pontypridd, Treforest, Llantwit, Vardre, Upper Boat, and Llanfabon. Mr. Jacob Bichards presided at the organ, while the meetings were presided over respectively by Mr. E. Williams, Upper Boat; Mr. B. A. Lewis, Bristol Bank, Pontypridd ; and the Bev. 3. Pumsaint Jones, Treharria. The annual conference for Liverpool and the district was held in Hengler's Circus on Monday, under the presidency of Bev. John Hughes, M.A. The statistical report was presented by the secretary, the Bev. John Williams, Chadwick Mount, from which the following particulars appeared for Liverpool and district:—Number of chapels and preaching stations, 36; number of churches, 24—an increase of one; number of ministers, 22; number of deacons, 108—an increase of 4; number of com¬ municants, 6736—an increase of 77; number of others received to communion, 229—a decrease of 64; number received by ticket of membership, 1192—a decrease of 12; number baptised, 158—a decrease of 11; number of children not yet received to communion, 2238—an increase of 15; number of applicants for Church Membership, 162 —an increase of 5; number of Sunday school officials, 834—an increase of 25; number of scholars on the roll of all ages, 6619—a decrease of 123 ; number of adherents, 11,641—a decrease of 39. The church collections amounted to £4797 15s.—an increase of £272 lis. 10d.; and pew rents, £2179 3s. 9d.—an increase of £55 lis. 9d. Total contributions, including pew rents, £14,232 7s. Of d.—being an increase of £2763 lis. lOf d.; amount of present debt on chapels, £14,704 17s. 8|d.; average contribution per member, 13s. 9*d.—an increase of 7|d. The subject appointed for further consideration was " Our duty as Christians (or as a church) in view of a present stage of the age ; (a) the corruptions of the age; (b) the democratic spirit of the age ; and (c) the doubts of the age. Suitable addresses were afterwards delivered by Principal Edwards and others. CONGREGATIONAL. The Bev. W. J. Woods, B.A., the new Secretary of the Congregational Union, closed his ministry at Clapton Park on Sunday. It is proposed to place in the City Temple an artistic window in commemoration of Dr. Parker's thousandth Thursday morning service, which is to be held on June 30. At the Independent Chapel of Drefach, on Thursday evening, the Bev. W. E.Jeffreys, the pastor, was presented with a gold watch and chain and a purse of gold by the Liberals of the district in recognition of his services to the Liberal party. Bev. J. D. Jones, B.A., B.D., of Lincoln, who has just declined an invitation to the pastorate of Emmanuel Church, Cambridge, preached at Fmsbury Park Chapel on Sunday. Mr. Jones is a Welshman, and possesses the national gift of eloquence. The Bev. George Gladstone has regretfully declined the call from Finsbury Park. He says it is only the church at Glasgow and the claims of his other Scotch work which prevent him accepting the invitation, which personally he would much like to have done. Mr. W. B. Bogers, Manager of the Lead and Silver Works, deacon of Park Church, Llanelly, and superin¬ tendent of the Sunday School, died on Monday, in his 49th year, from the effect of inhalation of fume3 while experimenting with chemicals. Bev. W. Pedr Williams preached at Charles Street Church, Cardiff, on Sunday, when the thirty-eighth anniversary of the Sunday School was celebrated. The collections, which were in aid of the school funds, amounted to £26 8s. lOd. Dr. T. C. Edwards, of Ebenezer Chapel, Cardiff, addressed the Sunday scholars in the afternoon. The 77th anniversary of the Sunday school at Castle Street Chapel, Swansea, has been celebrated. The Bev. Thos. Evans, preaching from the words, " Train a child in the way he should go," pointed out to the elders their responsibility in the education of their children. The Sunday school was an able institution, but often the good work done there was marred by the parental neglect and indifference exhibited at the homes. In connection with the philanthropic work of the London Congregational Union, arrangements have been completed whereby parties of poor children, of 50 each, are to be sent for a fortnight's holiday into the country during the summer. The first started on June 11, for Eynsford, a pretty place 20 miles away in the heart of Kent, where a dozen cottages have been secured. The entire cost to the parents will be ninepence for each child. The first Psalmody and Sunday School Festival in connection with the English Churches of Denbighshire was held at Chester Street Chapel, Wrexham, on Friday. At the afternoon meeting, presided over by Bev. M. O. Evans, a report of the Sunday School examinations was presented by Bevs. J. J. Poynter and W. E. Hughes, and the prizes distributed by Mrs. Barnes, The Quinta. The evening meeting was devoted to psalmody, Mr. Minshall, of the City Temple, acting as conductor. The Council of Secondary Education of the Congrega¬ tional Union have done well to publish in a quarto form a calendar of public schools mostly supported by members of the denomination. Useful particulars are given of each seminary, as well as full-page photographs of the respec¬ tive buildings, which will be most useful to parents desiring such information. The boys' schools thus dealt with are —Bishops Stortford, Blackheath (Missionary), Caterham, Mill Hill, Silcoates (near Wakefield), Taunton, and Tetten- hall. Those for girls are Milton Mount (Gravesend) and Wal- thamstow Hall, Sevenoaks (Missionary). A statement issued by the Hannay Memorial Committee shows the total subscriptions to have reached £2439 Is. 2d. This has allowed £2200 to be handed over to the Church- Aid Society as the "Hannay Memorial Fund," after defraying the cost of the monument erected in Abney Park Cemetery, and of the portrait in the Memorial Hall. It had been arranged, as a condition of the gift to the Church-Aid Society, that £100 a-year was to be paid to Mrs. Hannay during her life, but as she died before the first instalment was due, the Council of the Society has since voted the sum of £50 a year for five years to Miss Hannay. A Sunday School association was held at Siloh, Pembrokeshire, on Monday, the 6th inst., when Siloh and Ford schools took part. Siloh's children recited part of "Bhodd Mam," and sang, led by Mrs. J. Owen. The adults recited Acts xiii., and sang two anthems, conducted by Mrs. Harries, Castlebytbe. They were questioned by the Bev. D. Williams, Maenclcchog. Ford's children recited a catechism on " Daniel," and sang two tunes. The adult portion of the school recited 1 Peter ii., and sang several anthems. Both children and adults were conducted by Miss Griffiths in her usual masterly style. This school was catechised by Mr. J. Lewis, student of Bala-Bangor College. Both schools acted their part very well. The annual musical festival of the Independents of the Aberystwyth district was held in the Welsh Congregational Chapel in Baker Street, on Tuesday, when the churches of Llanbadarn, Talybont, Borth, Cwmervin, Caelan, Clarach, Salem, and Beulah were represented. The Talybont singers came into the town in wagons decorated with ever¬ greens and flowers. Mr. John Pritchard, Talybont, pre¬ sided over the afternoon meeting, and the Bev. G. Parry, Llanbadarn, presided over the evening meeting. Addresses were delivered by Mr. B. Edwards, Llanbadarn; the Bev. J. Llewelyn, Clarach, the Bev. B. Jones, Talybont, and Capt. W. Jones. In the tonic sol-fa examination conducted by Mr. Bees, Penygarn, five were suceesful—Mr. John Evans, Miss Jane Evans, Morfa Mill, Miss Lydia Jones, Chaly¬ beate Terrace, Miss M. J. Jones, Mary Street, and Master David T. Boberts, Custom House Street. Mrs. Garrod Thomas, wife of Dr. Garrod Thomas, J.P., of Newport, on Thursday afternoon laid the foundation stone of a building at Maindee, which is to form a portion of a new chapel capable of seating 700 people, and a large schoolroom and 10 class-rooms, which will accommodate 450 children. The stone was resting on a low wall forming a portion of the schoolroom, and was decorated with a dainty little bouquet of choice flowers. Mrs. Thomas tapped the block with a mallet, and, so that all could hear her, said : " I declare this stone well and truly laid; in the name of the Father, Son, and. Holy Ghost. Amen." Dr. Thomas expressed the pleasure afforded to his wife and himself at being permitted to take a part in that ceremony. No new Congregational chapel had been built in Newport for, he believed, more than 25 years. Two inferences might be drawn from that, the one favourable and the other the reverse, but he did not propose to attempt either. That young church was about to go out of its swaddling clothes, and to start on a new career of usefulness. He thought it had been placed in a most convenient position for growth and development, and he was sure the other churches of the town would be delighted to see it become the attractive home for many who had not hitherto been associated with any Christian church. It was true they were at present only a small band, but the Creator fertilised the • earth by small brooks and rivulets, not by mighty cataracts, and he believed that small churches were destined to fructify and be a chief means of spreading Christianity. Mr. G. J. Kenvyn gave a short history of the church, from which it appeared that in 1888 a Sunday School was formed at Kensington Hall, by the Bev. B. Bramham, of the Tabernacle, and that in June, 1890, the Bev. Harri Bevan, now of Exmouth, was appointed first pastor. When he left for his present sphere of work, the church consisted of 56 members, with a congregation of 200, 120 in the Sunday School, and 110 in the Band of Hope. A religious service formed a preface to the above ceremony, conducted by the Bev. Walrond Skinner. The dedication prayer was offered by the Bev. T. Anthony, B.A., the invocation prayer by the Bev. G. H. Cook, and the Bev. Walrond Skinner made a short speech on behalf of the town Congregational churches. Alderman Bear, Alderman G. H. Llewellyn, Councillor Greenland, Mrs. Bear, Mr. F. Castle, and others were present. BAPTIST. The Bev. G. D. Brown has left London for Antwerp, sailing thence for Africa by S.S. Akassa. The total receipts and promises on the Centenary Accounts, up to May 21, amounts to £78,084 0s. 2d. The Bev. Ernest Hughes, we are glad to see it announced, has arrived safely at the Congo since April 6. Dr. Clifford has been delivered a lecture on " C. H- Spurgeon, the great Baptist Beformer," at Bourne, on the occasion of the opening of a new schoolroom. Fron Carmel held its anniversary services on Sunday and Monday, the 5th and 6th, the ministers who officiated were Bevs. D. Powell, Liverpool; W. Mitchell, Bhos ; and A. J. Parry, Cefnmawr. Mr. E. W. Burt, B.A., formerly of Bristol College, and since of Oxford University, was also added to the missionary staff in China. It is a gratifying sign of the times that so many young men of exceptional training are led to devote themselves to the service of the Saviour in heathen lands. Notwithstanding the great number cut down on the Congo by death, other noble men and true are hastening on to offer their services to the Master in that inhospitable region. Drs. Sydney B. Webb, of Hampstead, and T. C. Paterson, of Edinburgh, are offering themselves, the one for the Congo,%nd the other for China. These are fully- qualified in the medical profession. Alderman Wilford, of Leicester, has been Sunday School superintendent for over 40 years. His friends at Dover Street have presented him with a testimonial ia recognition of this long spell of service. This is a step i° the right direction. Men who show such self-sacrificing fidelity to the Saviour in the humble walks of Christian service deserve recognition of tener. The " Centenary Memorial Volume " is now published. The book is of exceptional interest to all lovers of missionary work. It will contain numerous illustrations and maps, as well as an appendix consisting of statistical and other tables. A large circulation is predicted for the volume, and no doubt the result will be a great quickening of missionary interest by the diffusion of information relative to the past history of the Society. The anniversary of the Ebenezer Cefn was held on Whit Sunday, June 5, when sermons were preached by Bevs. A. Girdlestone, Whitchurch, and A. J. Parry, Cefn¬ mawr. The congregations were large, the collections were good, and the sermons instructive and inspiring, full of holy unction and Divine power. The chapel, built 19 years ago, is at present undergoing a thorough cleaning and painting, which it much needed. The work is undertaken by Messrs. Boberts and Son, Llangollen, and will, when finished, reflect great credit upon the firm. Members of the church are at present busily engaged in getting up a bazaar to meet the expenses as well as wipe away the re¬ maining debt on the chapel. The Denbigh, Flint, and Merionyth Association was held this week at Zion, Ctfnmawr, T. P. Boberts, Esq-» Mayor of Buthin, presided. Two conferences were held, to which a large number of ministers and delegates were gathered, about 160 in all. Much business of associational interest was transacted. The whole proceedings were characterised by marked unanimity and peaceful cordiality* As the weather was very favourable, a very large congrega¬ tion came together to the preaching services on the following day. The preachers were the Bevs. E. Williams, Holywell; O. Griffiths (Giraldus), Utica, America; D- Powell, Liverpool; W. Samuel, Liverpool; T. J. Hughes, Festiniog; W. Hughes, Charles Davits, Cardiff; H. fi» Williams, Corwen; W. Morris, Preorky; and J. Idwal Jones, Glynceiriog. A "Cymanfa Ysgolion" was held at ,Bhydwylim, Car¬ marthenshire, on Monday, the 6th inst., when the following Sunday Schools took part, viz., Bhydwylim, Horeb, Gelli, Carmel, and Blaenconin. The first three schools took part in the morning, and the last two in the afternoon. The children of Horeb and Blaenconin recited " Cate¬ chisms " and sang twice, the children of Gelli and Carmel sang one tune each, and Bhydwylim's children recited part