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VISIT OF TWO BISHOPS. St. Asaph Ruri-decanal Meeting. THE Quarterly Meeting was held at the Church House, Rhyl, during Septem- ber, the Rural Dean (the Rev. T. Mere- dith Hughes^ Prestatyn) presiding. The Rev. Lester Jones, Tremeirchion, ..pre- sented, a statement as to the amount of subscriptions of the various parishes to the Diocesan Finance Board. The ma- jority of the parishes had responded: well, but it was found that there was a de- ficit of L25 to make up the required quota. It was therefore decided to keep the accounts open until November to enable further subscriptions to be made. The Rural Dean drew the attention of the meeting to the special effort made by the S.P.G. in connection with their "Peace Thankoffering," and urged upon all the necessity of doing their utmost to make it a success. Visits of Two Bishops. Rhyl has been honoured with the visits of two Colonial Bishops during the last few weeks. The Bishop of Western Equatorial Africa—Bishop Oluwole- and the Bishop of Accra—the Right- Rev. M. S. O'Rorke. The former preached on behalf of the C.M.S. and the latter on behalf of the S.P.G. Both Bishops had large congregations and their visits were much .appreciated. The Clergy and Civil Affairs. Recently there has been a revival of clerical interest in the civil side of the parishes. No fewer than four clergy are now members of the St. Asaph Board of GuaTdians-Canon Roberts. Llanddulas; the Rev. D. Griffiths, Meliden; the Rev. J. Ll. Richards, St. George; and the Rev. D. Harris Williams, Bodfari. Canon Roberts is also chairman of his Parish Council, while the Rev. D. Grif- fiths is chairman of the- District Council and is also a member of the Flintshire County Council. Dyserth. Mrs. Lucy Roberts, Headmistress of the Cwm National School, has been ap- pointed out of many candidates to the position of Headmistress of the Mold National School (Girls). She will be much missed from Cwm, where she has been very popular. During the war she did excelient work as secretary of the Soldiers' Comforts Fund, Dyserth. S. Asaph War Memorial. SOME difference of opinion seems to have arisen in St^Asaph as ta the form the War Memorial should take. TI-w original scheme was to place a memorial in the Cathedral, but certain citizens wish for a memorial on neutral ground. As .a compromise the Chairman of .the War Memorial Committee (Mr. Clias. Hughes) wrote to the Dean suggesting that a memorial in the Cathedral grounds would meet the wishes of all parties." We a.re glad, however, to learn from the Dean's reply that the original scheme is to be adhered. to. His letter was as follows :— "Your letter was submitted to the Committee >and was given long and care- ful consideration. The members came to the conclusion that as they were ap- pointed to carry out a proposal to plaec a memorial in the Cathedral, they could not deviate from the terms of their- ap- pointment and alter the position of the, memorial. My committee deprecates the • idea that the memorial that they are re- sponsible for should be considered as a rival to the parish memorial. You will probably remember that at the first meet- ing of the Parish Celebrations Committee a letter from me was read explaining my inability to attend, and stating that whatever arrangements were made at such meeting, it was intended to place a memorial to the fallen in the Cathe- dral. So far from being opposed in any way to the parish memorial, several mem- bers of the committee intimated their in- tention of subscribing to the latter memorial, and it is hoped it will meet with every success. The question of placing ^ny memorial in the Cathedral yard would rest with the Dean and Chapter alone, and they would have to take their architect's opinion on any suggested memorial or its site." Rhyl Church Council. A MEETING of this body w.as held last week, the Vicar (Yen. Archdeacon Lloyd) presiding. A report on the Free Will Offering scheme which has recently been launched in the parish was submitted. The Vica.r, in the course of a few re- marks, said that the scheme so far was working most satisfactorily, and it was making Churchpeople take much more interest in the Church. A few had not yet sent in their subscriptions, but he had no doubt they would be forthcoming soon. He added that the allocation of the funds would, under the Welsh Church Constitution, be in the hands of the Parochial Council. It is to be hoped that the quota for the next two quarters will be on hand by Easter, so that a tull report may be published.

_r- DIOCESE OF LLANDAFF. Abercynon Church Celebrations. THE twenty-first anniversary of the dedication of Abercynon Parish Church was recently held conjointly with the Harvest Festival services. The Rev. D. II. Griffiths, M.A., R.D., Vicar of St. Woolos, Newport, preached on the Sunday to crowded congregations, and the Rev. F. C. K. Buckley, L.D., St. Peter's, Abereaned, on the Mon- day. Twenty-five years ago Abercynon was a rural, picturesque vale fifteen miles inl-and from Cardiff with about twenty houses. To-day it has a popula- tion of 10,000 people of the mining class migrated here during that period from almost every country in the British Isles to work in the coalpits which have been sunk in the basin of the South Wales coalfield. Geologically the place is still known as the "Basin" on that account. To meet this influx of popula- tion a large and commodious church was erected at a cost of £ 4,000. It was de- dicated twenty-one years ago by the late Bishop Lewis, of Llandaff. In February, 1907, the present Bishop of Llandaff (Doctor Hughes), who preached the ser- mon at its dedication, consecrated the edifice. The district was formed into a parish by the late King Edward VII. in March, 1908, and the present Vicar, who was then curate of the place, was appointed the first incumbent. Good work has been accomplished during the eighteen years the Vicar (the Rev. D. Ellis Jones, L.D.) has been in charge of the district.. He has been loyally and liberally supported by the churchwar- dens, sidesmen, Churchpeofple and the friends of the Church at Abercynon. Thousands of pounds have been raised by strenuous efforts to repay a huge debt on the church, a mission-room opened, the Primitive Methodist Chapel and the site it stands on acquired as a Church Hall for the populous parish, besides a suitable site for the erection of the vicarage and its casts, along with £ 1,400 for the augmentation of the liv- ing from various sources prior to the passing of the Welsh Church Act, Sep- tember, 1914. It may interest our English friends beyond Offa's Dyke to learn all this, as what has been done in this way at Abercynon has been accomplished by other incumbents and ardent Church- people in the various centres of the mining and seaport towns in Glamorgan -and "Monmouthshire. Facts, of this kind are tangible proofs that the Church is much alive in the service of God, aiid the uplifting, ennobling and consecra- ting of human life in our midst. Let her motto be "Forward, Upward, she is disestablished, dismembered and disendowed, and she will still reign among the valleys and hills and dales of fair Gwalithec land of saints and pro- phets. Excelsior! Llandaff Diocesan: Sunday School Council. The work 01 the above Council has been somewhat retarded by the war, but now it is hoped to bring renewed energy into Sunday-school work. An excellent organiser has been appointed, viz., Miss Dorothy Llewellyn, of Baglan Sail, Britonferry. In the early months of the coming year the Council will inaugurate a special mission of help- for Sunday- schools. Sever-al expeEfts from English dioceses have promised to come to help on this work with special lectures and demonstrations. Fuller particulars of this mission will be published in these columns at a. later date. At present the Council is forming a Diocesan Roll of Sunday-schodL teachers. Teaclwrs who have served at least three years, or have been successful in any of the examina- tions of the Sunday-school Institute, are eligible for immediate enrolment. Certi- ficates signed by the Bishop of the diocese are granted to all who have been enrolled. The work of training Sunday-school teachers is progressing satisfactorily. This year the tenth annual training course was held at Port Talbot. In addi- tion to these annual courses many others have been held in various parishes and Rural Deaneries in the diocese during the past two years. Many of the Sunday- schools of the diocese'are graded, and are carrying out the highly important work of religiou& education on the most ap- proved methods as exemplified in the best of our elementary day-schools. It is the aim of this Council to make all tlie Sun-' day-schools of the diocese as efficient as 06si possible. Sunday October 19, is the special day set apart for intercessions for our Sunday-schools, and it is hoped that this year it will be more generally observed in the parishes of the diocese,

■ i. ■ ■». PENRHYNDEUDRAETH. ON Thursday, October 9, the members of the Mothers' Union" were entertained j by Mrs. Leonard Davis, of Deudraeth. This branch has been restarted after the war with Mrs. Leonard Davis as presid- ing and enrolling m-ember; Mrs. Lloyd Davies* secretary, and Miss Hughes, The Vicarage, as treasurer. There was thirty members present. Addresses were given by the Rev*. JF. Hughes, Vicar, and also by Miss Davis, of Deudraeth, who after- wards entertained the members to tea. A delightful afternoon was spent, and it ish-oped that Mrs. Davis will receive every support to carry- on the good work so excellently begun. «

THE VESTRY MEETING, THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL, AND THE ELECTORAL ROLL, kcloted) XXV. IN every parish there shall be two churchwardens, selected froni the Elec- toral Roll of the parish, one to be elected by the qualified electors at the Easter Vestry Meeting, and the other to be nominated by the incumbent at the same time, provided that where in any parish it was customary before the passing of the Welsh Church Act, 1914, to have more than two churchwardens, the num- ber of churchwardens shall remain the same, and the method of appointing them continue in force until the Dio- cesan Conference otherwise order. XXVI. Each churchwarden shall be a com- municant of the Church in Wales above the age of twenty-one years, and &hall hold office till his or her successor be admitted. XXVII. Before being admitted to office every churchwarden shall sign a declaration before the Bishop, or his Chancellor, or the Archdeacon, to the following effect: I, i .s declare that I am a communicant member of the Church in Wales, and I will faith- fully and diligently -perform the f duties of Churchwarden of for the year for which I have been elected, and I agree to accept and obey, the decision of the Bishop or of the Chancellor of the Diocese, as to iiiy right to hold, or to continue in, the office of Churchwarden. XXVIII. The Bishop or the Chancellor of the Diocese shall without prejudice to the Archdeacon's rights as a judge of first instance-have power to hear and deter- mine ally complaint made against a churchwarden and to make such order in respect thereof as to him shall appear proper, including an order depriving a churchwarden of his office. XXIX. The Chancellor of the Diocese shall make rules as to the procedure govern- ing the hearing of such complaint, in- cluding therein any rule as to requir- ing a complainant to deposit any | security for the costs and expenses of such hearing. XXX. The qualified electom shall, elect at the Easter Vestry meeting a Committee, which shall be called the Paroehial Church Council, whose duties and rights shall, subject to the control of the Dio- cesan Conference, be. (1) To arrange in Conjunction with the incumbent the parochiaft Church budget, including the various Church expenses," the Diocesan and Central quota or apportionment, the parochial contributions for Home and Foreign Missions and any other branches of Church work, and to arrange for rais- ing the moneys required. (2) To co-operate with the incum- bent in the initiation and developmeRt of Church work, both in the parish and outside. (3) To be the normal channel of communication between the parish- ioners and the Bishop of the Diocese, to have the right to make representa- tions to the Bishop as regards altera- tions in services and ornaments, the affairs of the Church and the cure of souls in the parish. XXXI. The incumbent if willing, or, failing the incumbent, a chairman chosen by the meeting, shall preside over and have a casting vote on the Council, XXXII. The qualified electors of the parish at the Easter Vestry Meeting shall elect members to serve on the Parochial Church Council. XXXIII. The number of members tojbe elected shall be determined by the*' Diocesan Conference, provided that the Incum- bent, the Assistant Curates of the parish and the churchwardens shall be ex-officio members, and provided also that the number of clerical members shall not exceed the number of lay mem- bers.. XXXIV. No person shall be elected a member of the Parochial Church Council unless lie is a comnmnicant, and his name is on the Electoral Roll of some parish in the diocese. XXXV. The Parochial Church Council shall make rules and regulations as to its own procedure. XXXVI. The Parochial Church, Council of the parish shall elect to the Ruridecanal Conference, if any, the number of lay: representatives to which the parish is entitled on such Conference. XXXVII. The Parochial Chu-mh Council of the parish shall elect triesmially two repre- sentatives of the parish to be- members of the Patronage Board, and supple- [ mentary members thereof, as constituted by Chapter VI. of this constitution. XXXVIII. The Parochial Church. Council of ilifi parish shall elect a Secretary who shall. also act as Secretary of the Vestry meetings. XXXIX. The Secretary, or his deputy, shall at- tend and keep minutes of the Vestry meetings, and of meetings of the Paro- chial Church Council, and shall send to the Archdeacon the names and addresses of the churchwardens elected and nomi- nated from time to time, and to the Rural Dean the names and addresses of the persons elected to the Ruridecanal Conference, and to the Secretary of the Diocesan Conference the names and ad- dresses of the persons elected to the Dio- cesan Conference, and to the Secretary of the Patronage Board the names and ad- dresses of the six persons elected to serve on the Patronage Board. XL. If it Is brought to the notice of the Bishop of the Diocese that the Easter Vestry Meeting has not been held, or that churchwardens, or representatives to the Diocesan or Ruridecanal Confer- ence have not been elected, the Bishop, may appoint or cause churchwardens and ■ representatives )to be appoi ntEdi, and shall give notice thereof at the next Dio- cesan Conference. XLI. In addition to the qualified -electors, all other residents in the' parish over sixteen and under eighteen who have been baptised and confirmed, and are admissible to Holy Communion, and do not belong to any religious body which is not in communion with the Church in Wales, shall be entitled to be present and to speak at the Vestry Meeting, but not to vote. XLII. tlf an objection is taken to any person upon the- groulld that he has not the qualifications referred to in the previous paragraph hereof, the chairman of the meeting shall decide the question, and his decision shall be final, XLIII. Tf the chairman presiding at a Vestry Meeting decide that any person has no right to be present thereat, such person shall, on rnuest of the chairman, leave the meeting,, but shall be entitled to thrneeting, but shall be entitled to that in any case where the incumbent is Rural Dean, the appeal shall be to the Archdeacon. THE FIRST SCHEDULE. Declaratiotn to be signed by a person desiring to become a qualified elector. i, J 8 of. declare that I. am entitled to be placed upon tlie Electoral Boll and become a qualified- elector of the parish of in accordance with.. paragraphs .II.; 111.; and XIII. of Chapter V. of the Consti- tution of the Church in Wales, and I agree to accept and be bound by the rules and regulations contained in'such constitution, and am not on the roll of any other parish in the Mmai Deanery,

NEWS FROM BRECON AND DISTRICT. > Personal. His many friends will be very pleased "to hear that the Rev. D. Maldwyn Davies (organising secretary of the Waifs and Strays Society for Soutli Wales) is recovering from the accident which he met with while motor cycling near Builth some time ago. He damaged his thigh, back, and head, and had to be taken to Builth Cottage Hospital. It is very unfortunate that Mr. Davies should be laid low just at present, while,. he was so busy superintending the page-" ants which are on foot to raise money., x for the new project of the Sir Edward j Nicholl Home at Llandaff for our sailors' and soldiers* orphans. We wish him a speedy recovery, so that ha may again carry on in his usual ener- getic way the important work he has in hand. C.B.MS.. MEMBERS of the C.E.M.S. Federation. in the district would-do well to start their winter meetings by studying care- fully and discussing the account of the Birmingham Conference held last June and fully reported in the last copy of the men's magazine. The C.E.M.S. in these parts, as in others, are in need of a general waking up to the seriousness of their obligations and pledge of member- ship. The "Chief Messenger," who hopes to visit all branches, is the Rev. ID-. Randeil M.C., Rector of Whittou. Radnors. St. John's, Brecon. IN the presence of members of the family, the Bishop of Swansea lately dedicated and unveiled a brass tablet in memory of his father, the late Ven. Arch- deacon Edward Latham Bevan, for many. years Archdeacon of Brecon* The brass is placed in the ehancel above the centre of tlie three sedilia, where the archdeacon's seat is reputed to have been in past times. R. K. W.

SALE OF WORK. CHURCH LIFE AT ABERYSTWYTH. In connection with Holy Trinity Church, Aberystwyth, a sale of work was held at Buarth Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Archdeacon Williams, the vgmr, in declaring the sale open, said the object was to give an opportunity for a social gathering of all members of the congre- gation-rich and poor &like--to unite in supporting their spiritual home in which they were all equally interested. He could look back on thirty years of work in the parish and could confidently say that Holy Trinity Church would not have been built but for the strenuous efforts made on its behalf. The cost altogether amounted to something like £ 17,500, which was a large sum for a small town. If it were not for the depression caused by the w<ar the work would have been completed '.three or four years ago. There still remained a debt of P,230, including £166. on the vioarage ftind* and L64 on the churchwarden's account. Was it too much to ask the congregation to make every effort to free the church 'altogether from debt by next Easter when the Disestablishment Act would come into operation? The Church in Wales would then have to work in altered conditions and new responsibili- ties would have to be borne by the laity. The Church had emerged out of the great troubles of disestablishment and disendowment with favourable pro- spects. He was not at all downhearted, having always acted on the principle of trusting the people. He believed that the people would always look after their religious interests. What had been done in the" past he was sure could again be accomplished in the future. He hoped, m that the congregation would continue ta work zealously and earnestly year after year to carry on God's work in the r parish. There was work for them to do at home and. also abroad—a work which would be rewarded with blessing. A special feature of the sale of work < was a miscellaneous stall to which con- tributions were made by the children of > the Church and Band of Hope.

SWANSEA AND DISTRICT. A Great Missioner. The Rev., Timothy Rees, of the Com- munity of the Resurrection, Mirfield, has been conducting a we-ek of instruction and devotion at St. Gabriel's Church, Swansea. He had been expected to com- mence his mission on September 28, but owing to the railway strike he was not able to reach Swansea until the following I Saturday. The services were not intended to con- stitute a parochial mission in the ordin- ary sense of the word, and so crowded congregations were not expected. The need of the Church to-day is perhaps less «, « for increased numbers than for increased devotion and earnestness on the part of those who are already more or less re- gular church-goers. The Community of the Resurrection has done a great work in all parts of the > country by conducting missions with this end in view. Fr. Rees has shown at St. Gabriel's that, like other brethren of the Community, he is an expert at this work, and there can be no doubt that his visit will cause a deepening of the spiritual life of the parish. Although a member of an English Community, he is a Welsh- man himself, and was formerly one of the staff of St. Michael's Theological College, Aberdare. Epoch-Making Conference. Swansea Churchmen look forward to welcoming the St. David's Diocesan Con- ference to their town next month. This year's Conference, like those of the other Welsh doiceses, will be in some isensesi unique, for it marks a transitional stage between the Diocesan Conferences of the past, which had no legal status, and those of the future, which, under the new Con-r stitution of the Welsh Church, will have very considerable constitutional powers.. Hence the representative members of this year's Conference have been elected for one year only and not, as is usually ■ the case, for three years. The Confer- ence will last for two days, and will be held in the Albert Hall on November 19 and 20, and there will also be a Con- ference Service in St. Mary's Parish ¿. .Church. Naval Souvenirs. 'V' Writing*; in the October number of the Gower Church Magazine, the Rector of Penmaen reports an interesting gift to the Parish Church of St. John the Bap- c tist. Rear-Admiral Heneage, C.B., M.V.O., has very kindly presented to the church two flags which were flown on one of His Majesty's ships during the war, and the Rector hopes to have them hung in the church in time for the har- vest thanksgiving at the end of the month. They will serve as reminders to subsequent generations of worshippers at Penmaen of the unostentatious, but none the less invaluable, work of the Royal Navy during the great war.