Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

ifi 5 SMittp: A RECORD OF CHRISTIAN WORK AMONG THE CaMnistic Methodists or Presbyterians of Wales. VoL.IL No. 9.] SEPTEMBER, 1886. [Price One Penny. We are sorry to say that we have still a large number of outstanding accounts for last year's Monthly Tidings. There are no less than five thousand copies of last year's issues yet unpaid for, and we are at a loss to understand how our good friends think that we -can carry on the pe¬ riodical if they delay their payments after this fashion. Most of the distributors who are in default complain that many of the subscribers are not prompt in their pay¬ ments, and thus we suffer at the hands of both subscribers and distributors. But we readily believe that this want of promptitude is more through lack of thought than lack of will, aud we must beg of all—both distributors and sub¬ scribers—to pay up all arrears at once, aud thus relieve us from all anxiety and responsibility in this direction. We had hoped to be in a position to present our readers with a portrait of the late Rev. Roger Edwards, Mold, with our issue for this month, and for this purpose we applied to the Connexional Book Committee for the loan of the steel plate from which they had prepared his portrait, which appeared some years ago in the Drysorfa, but to our great sur¬ prise our application was refused. We were told by the secretary that we might apply again next summer to the General Assembly, which was cold comfort to us when we wanted it for our present issue. The Religious Tract Society readily res¬ ponded to our application for the loan of the portrait of the Rev. T. Charles, Bala, and Messrs. Morgan and Scott as readily lent us the portrait of the late J. B. Cough; but when we apply to our own Connexional Book Committee for the loan of a block portrait of one of our best known and recently deceased ministers, to adorn the pages of a periodical which has no other purpose to serve than the interests of the Connexion, we meet with a rebuff and a refusal! Trecastle is a small place in itself, but it is famous in the annals of Methodism from the days of Harris and Rowlands, and here it was that the talented Ebenezer Morris found Christ and commenced to preach. Many have been the Associations which have been held here from time to time, at one of which, fully one hundred and twenty years ago, the three great re¬ formers were present- -Whitfield, Harris, and Rowlands. This year, however, for the first time was Trecastle honoured with the August Association, and the whole neighbourhood gave it a very hearty reception, all denominations vieing with each other to keep up the good name of the place for hospitality and kindness. The discussion upon the future of Tre- vecca was carried on with vigour and spirit, but the attempt to block the on¬ ward progress of the movement was a complete failure, and the syllabus of study proposed by the sub-committee was favourably received, and sent forward to the various Monthly Meetings and the Presbytery for further consideration, and their views upon the scheme are expected to be brought back to the Autumn Asso¬ ciation. A matter of greater importance still, we think, is the question of the amalgamation of the two Colleges. It is important in the interests of Methodism that we should utilise the National Colleges as early and as fully as possible for the secular trail¬ ing of our ministerial candidates, but we hesitate not to say that it is more im¬ portant still, that the whole Connexion should put forth all its strength and wis¬ dom, to provide a theological training of such a character that our young ministers may hold their own in any circle to which they may be called. Of course there are difficulties in the way, but as it has been said many times before, so we say again, difficulties are only things to be overcome. We fully believe that the tide in favour of one Theological College for the whole Connexion is rapidly rising, and we hope that our men of light and leading will take the tide at the flood, and carry on the movement to a successful issue. Whest the one College is finally settled upon, as it surely must, the probability is that it will not be located either at Bala or Trevecca, and we venture to suggest that the buildings at Bala and Trevecca should be converted into Schools for the education of the sons of ministers. All other denominations have such Schools, at which special advantages are offered to the sons of their ministers, though those ministers receive a much higher stipend as a whole than ours do. We have already drawn the attention of our readers to the Conference of the English Churches of South Wales and Monmouthshire to be held on the 20th aud 21st of this month at Llanelly, but now that the time is near at hand, we would l-emind the Churches that though the Committee have done their part to provide a bounteous intellectual and spiritual repast, through engaging the services of a galaxy of our very front men, the Conference cannot be a real success, unless there be a large number of dele¬ gates present, and those ranging from the east of Monmouthshire to the west of Pembrokeshire. We understand that the friends at Llanelly are expecting a grand time of it, ample preparations being made to entertain a large number of visitors, and it would be a thousand pities to disappoint their expectations. We are glad to find that our friends in North Wales are stirring themselves up to resuscitate the Conference of the English Churches of that province, and we wish them every success, and hope that the day is not far distant when we shall be able to organize not only an annual Conference in each province, but a combined- Conference of all the English Churches, say once in every three years. Some of us remember a Conference of this kind about 20 years ago, the first of which was held at Merthyr and the second at Newtown, and though it was strangled soon after by well-meaning but mistaken men, that Conference, or English As¬ sociation as it was called, did much good, and gave a substantial impetus to the English movement in our midst; and we are looking forward to a glorious resur¬ rection some day or other for that same Association, when those who sow and those who reap shall rejoice together.