The London Welshman

Notes from South Wales. (From our Special Correspondent). Sousa's Band. Sousa's Band gave public concerts at Cardiff and Swansea last week. It is an exceedingly good band, and its performances are always greatly appreciated in South Wales. The Revival in Cardiff. The most stirring and impressive Revival scenes, so far as Cardiff is concerned, are those that have taken place in the Welsh Baptist Tabernacle, on the Hayes. Through the courtesy of the editor of the Christian Herald I am enabled to reproduce a picture of this fine and historical chapel. Some very eminent Welsh divines have been asso- ciated with this place of worship, and amongst its prominent members are Sir Alfred Thomas, M.P., chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary party, and Alderman Thomas, J.P., "Cochfarf," and an ex-mayor of the town. Several hundred converts have been made, and on Sunday last there was a touching reunion when the converts were presented with Bibles, and steps taken with the object of retaining them and preventing their relapse into the old ways of sin and dissi- pation. Carmarthen Boroughs. The announcement that Mr. Llewelyn Williams will be the official Liberal candidate in Carmarthen Boroughs (Carmarthen and Llanelly towns) has created more than ordinary interest, and there is undisguised satisfaction amongst all true lovers of Wales that such an ardent Welsh Nationalist should have been selected. The South Wales Press (Llanelly), in an admirable leader, strikes the right key when it says: Plainly it is the duty of the electors of Car- marthen Boroughs to retrieve their good name, and to enjoy once more an untarnished repu- tation for purity in politics. If it were only for that reason they were delighted with the choice of the joint committee, and from that stand- point alone it was the duty of all sections of the party to rally round Mr. Llewelyn Williams. But there were other strong reasons why he should be accepted as a Godsent candidate to save the seat from the Tories. He was cultured and literary, and in reading the sketch of his career, which appeared in another column of the paper, the readers would be able to obtain some idea of his remarkable attainments." Silly Criticism. The Llanelly Guardian showed its petty spite and churlishness by publishing the following in its editorial columns:—"We do not intend discussing the political faith of Mr. Llewelyn Williams. It is enough for us that he is a pro- Boer. All pro-Boers deserve severest treat- ment." What arrant nonsense I had thought that this silly talk about pro-Boerism had died out long ago. Pro-Boer, indeed It is better to be a pro-Boer than a pro-Chinese labourer. But this is not all. In another column of the same issue of the Guardian it is written "We thought of Mr. Llewelyn Williams to subscribe towards the Heroes' Memorial, but as he is a pro-Boer, and silver and gold have I none,' we just saved the stamp." After the publication of rubbish of that type no wonder the people say that the Llanelly Guardian is deteriorating. y The Llanelly Guardian's ideal candidate would probably be some superannuated colonel or some supercilious old country squire with more money than sense. "We are so Glad." Our old friend from Aberystwyth, he who dis- cusseth so learnedly on Cymmrodorion medals, Cwm Woods, Holywell miracles, London Welsh- men, and Aberystwyth street awnings, also pub- lished the following in the last issue of his cynical sheet: Mr. Llewelyn Williams is very anxious to get into the House of Commons. The electors know Mr. Alfred Davies, but who is Mr. Llewelyn Williams ? Ask his carpet bag." Carpet bagger, indeed! Mr. Llewelyn Williams is a native of Carmarthenshire, and he was a journalist in South Wales for several years. Lancashire men who have settled in Wales should be the last persons to talk about carpet bags. Musical Items. A Birmingham journal pays a high compli- ment to the musical ability of Mr. Griffiths, who is touring with the Turner's Opera Company. Mr. Griffiths is a native of Ravenshill, near Swansea. On Wednesday, at Cardiff Park Hall, the Cardiff Male Voice Choir, conducted by Mr. Roderick Williams (winners of the chief prize in the male voice contest at last year's Welsh National Eisteddfod), gave performances of "The Desert" (David), and "Brahms' Rhap- sody." The choir, numbering 90 voices, was in excellent voice. The principal artistes were Mr. Evan Williams, the Welsh-American tenor, and Miss Ethel Vibert, London. Jews in South Wales. There must be several thousand Jews resident in South Wales at present, the greater bulk being at Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr, Newport, and Tredegar. Three or four Jews are Justices of the Peace, there is at least one Jewish soli- citor, and some twelve months ago a monthly Jewish paper was started. There are Jewish Literary Societies at Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Merthyr, and Tredegar, and the President of Cardiff University College Literary and Debating Society is a Jew. At the Swansea Jewish Literary Society some particularly good addresses have been given by Welshmen. The other day Mr. Lleufer Thomas, Swansea, gave an address on Causes for the Survival of the Jewish Nation." In his address, Mr. Thomas spoke as a member of a small nation (Wales) of which he was proud." Mr. David Davies, editor of the South Wales Daily Post, also spoke on The Jew in Gentile Literature," under the auspices of the same Society recently. According to Mr. Davies, no race had contributed more to human enlightenment, and none had done more steady work in bearing aloft the torch of civilization than the Jews." To illustrate the point, he quoted Homer, Lessing, Disraeli, Besant, and George Eliot, the latter a woman of Welsh descent. Welsh Language Society. One of the most interesting gatherings to be held on St. David's Day will be that in con- nection with the Welsh Language Society, at Llanelly-the most typically Welsh of the larger towns in South Wales. Amongst the prominent gentlemen who are expected to attend are Dr. Isambard Owen, Sir Marchant Williams, Professor Lloyd, Professor Meyer, Liverpool University, and Mr. W. Jones, M.P. The Welsh Language Society is an excellent one, and is .worthy of the support of all true lovers of Wales. I am exceedingly glad to notice that there will be a gathering of children in connection with the gathering, the local Education Authority having been asked to grant them a holiday for the purpose. The children will sing Welsh airs, and all who know Llanelly are well aware that it is very musical, and that the children may be trusted to give a good account of themselves. It is an excellent idea to get hold of the children in this manner. Childhood is the most im- pressionable period of our age, and national ideas that are inculcated in boyhood and girlhood days will not be eradicated in after years. The Onslaught on Evan Roberts. The savage attack on Evan Roberts by the Rev. Peter Price, of Dowlais, has been very generally condemned. The Rev. Peter Price has a perfect right to his opinions, but surely he might have written more courteously instead of using nasty expressions like sham revival," "mockery," "blasphemous travesty," "mock revival," "exhibition," "vain trumpery," &c. There may be difference of opinion as to Mr. Roberts' methods of conducting his services, but no unprejudiced observer will question his intense earnestness and sincerity. What a pleasant contrast to Mr. Price's wholesale con- demnation are the remarks of the Rev. D. T. Jones, the Vicar of Loughor, who has known Mr. Roberts since he was a boy.. The Vicar writes :—" Mr. Roberts has always been recog- nised as a most diligent, faithful, and persevering worker for the cause at the Methodist Chapel. Most simple and unassuming in manner, and yet most earnest and sincere, he has been brought up under the influence of religious parents, and has himself borne a spotless character throughout." The Welsh International Match. Great interest was taken throughout South Wales in the meeting of the Welsh and Scottish International Fifteens at Edinburgh, on Satur- day, and the victory of the Welshmen by six points to three was received with delight in Wales. There is no doubt that the Welsh team was the superior in science and combination, and that they deserved to win. The majority of Scotsmen admitted this still some Scotsmen did not take to defeat very kindly, and one captious critic vented his spleen in an Edinburgh paper, by alleging "caddish tricks" and rough play by the Welshmen. 'Twas always thus. Whenever gallant little Wales scores a success, be it athletic, literary, or musical, there is always a certain class in the British Isles who try to belittle those successes. The fact of Whales beating proud Scotia in football on their own sweet ground was a bitter pill, and the captious critic referred to, evidently failed to swallow it. By the way, I am told by a spectator that the Welsh excursionists were much in evidence at Edinburgh on Saturday. They numbered some 2,000, and the great majority gallantly sported the leek-a mark of patriotism that was good to see.