The London Welshman

Notes from South Wales. (From our Special Correspondent.) Of Course. At Chertsey Police Court, Lord Ninian Crichton Stuart, second son of the late Marquis of Bute, of Cardiff Castle, was summoned for driving a motor car at an excessive speed. The case was dismissed, as the police failed to identify him as the person who drove the car." Wrth gwrs No Cream in Glamorgan. Attention was drawn at a late meeting of the Glamorganshire Chamber of Agriculture to the fact, that at the County Council dairy classes, Glamorganshire cream was not used in the manufacture of butter, it being stated that the county did not possess a single creamery, because, owing to the scarcity of pasturage, it was impossible to get native cream. Impudence. A Mr. Joynson Hicks, who, at the General Election, was decisively defeated in North-West Manchester, by Mr. Winston Churchill, uttered a challenge" to Mr. Lloyd-George. In a speech at Sale, Cheshire, this Mr. Hicks described Mr. Lloyd-George as the real author of the Education Bill and the wire-puller behind Mr. Birrell, and invited him to come out of the little Welsh constituency where he lived and ruled like a guerilla or robber chief. Let him choose any Lancashire constituency with not less than 2,000 Radical majority, and he (Hicks) would fight him himself. He (Hicks) would give him 2,000 start in 15,000, and trust to honesty, truth, and justice to give a solid majority against him." Of course, Mr. Lloyd- George took no notice of this bombastic Lan- castrian-the President of the Board of Trade has something better to do—but Mr. Hicks repeated the challenge" at a meeting of Churchmen in Mountain Ash, and called Mr. Lloyd-George a coward The weather has evidently upset Mr. Hicks. He should take ice-cream. A Remarkable Statement. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Mon- mouthshire Baptist Association at Rhymney, recently, the Rev. John Williams stated that during the past year the names of 1,219 members had been erased, as compared with 483 in the previous year. For every two persons baptised, the names of three had been erased. During the religious revival, the Baptists received a large number of new members, and the great lapse referred to by the Rev. John Williams was undoubtedly due to a big percentage of these converts backsliding. This is, un- fortunately, the result of most religious revivals. Nevertheless, there are many permanent con- versions in South Wales as a result of the unique Revival in which Mr. Evan Roberts played such a conspicuous role. By the way, the question is often asked What has become of Mr. Evan Roberts' revival zeal ? Will he, again, hold similar religious gatherings ? Or, will he henceforth become a recluse ? It is understood that he is at present staying at Leicester. Texts on Tramcars. I notice that the Swansea Tramway Company have agreed to a request made by a local gentleman to allow the cars to be used for the exhibition of religious texts. These scriptural excerpts are to be placed in front of each car In bold lettering. It is hard to believe that this policy will do any good. There is such a thing as excessive religious zeal, and the placing of religious texts on cars already containing adver- tisements of somebody's soap, &c., is calculated to defeat its own object. Aberystwyth Eisteddfod. I heartily congratulate the promoters of the Aberystwyth Whit-Monday Eisteddfod upon the genuinely Cymric spirit of their programme. Every item was a Welsh one, as befits what is essentially a Welsh Institution. And, what is more, the items selected were exceedingly taste- ful. There are, naturally, many readers of the LONDON WELSHMAN who are interested in the Eisteddfod, and, as they may not have seen the Aberystwyth programme, I cannot do better than give it here :— Soprano Solo Blodau 'r Haf." Quartette. "Ar y Ian." Baritone Solo "YFellten." Choral Coron Cyifawnder." Ditto. "MilwyryGroes." Tenor "YCardotyn." Party of sixteen "0 na hyddem fel y blodau. Duet Cyfiawnder a chariad." Children's Choral Cwsg, f'anwylyd cwsg." Solo for Girls Y deryn pur." Recitation for Children Cedwch o'r ymylon." Contralto "Rhosynyrhaf." Contrast the above with the Eisteddfod held at Llanharran, Glamorganshire, on Whit-Tuesday. Here are the Llanharran items :— Solo for Boys "Where is my boy to-night ? Recitation V dyn bychan. Solo for Girls My Saviour." Contralto Solo "Speak, I pray Thee Gentle Jesus." Recitation, Adults Ymholiadau." Juvenile Choirs Own selection. Bass "The Day Star." Soprano Wilt thou lov, me." Open Solo Heart of a Rose." Duet Y Bardd a'r Cerddor." Tenor "TheLover'sMusing." Open Solo "Come unto Me ye weary." Mixed Choirs "YFfrwd." Male Voice Roman Soldiers." Comparisons, it is said, are odious but a com- parison of the above will easily convince the impartial reader that the Aberystwyth programme is a genuine Eisteddfod programme, and the Llanharran one, which is typical of many similar gatherings in Glamorgan, is neither one thing nor the other. "Owe No Man Anything." I notice it stated that the Rev. Lewis Lewis, M.A., a retired clergyman, of Gilfach, Llanwinio, Carmarthen, whose estate is valued at ^11,514, made a curious will. He directed that his estate should not be wound up for one year, and that any of his nephews or nieces indebted to him should repay any sums due. He asked them "to bear in mind the motto of Burns, Can honest man is the noblest work of God,' and the word of a greater, owe no man any- thing,' an inspired command which we are bound to obey." This is very easy advice to give by a man worth ^11,514. The Rev. J. Towyn Jones. The Rev J. Towyn Jones, pastor of New Bethel Congregational Church, Garnant, has finally decided to undertake the duties of Welsh Congregational Missioner in response to the invitation of that denomination. The Rev. J. Towyn Jones is a strong man, and one of the best known ministers in Wales. He is eminently qualified for the important post which he has undertaken, and Welsh Congregationalists are pleased at his decision. The Rev. J. Towyn Jones is a powerful preacher, a capital organiser,' and a born politician. He will enter upon his new duties at the commencement of October, with the best wishes of his hosts of admirers. Sound Advice. Like many members of the I.L.P. in other places, the South Wales extreme Labourists are most unreasonable. Mr. John Burns, M.P., speaking at the National Liberal Club, said, "he viewed with positive disfavour and regret the tendency of the Labour movement to isolate itself from men who are in sympathy with its aims, but are not manual labourers." It would be well if that class of Labourists who tried to hound Mr. S. T. Evans, M.P., out of Mid- Glamorgan, will remember Mr. John Burns' sound advice. The House of Commons," continued Mr. Burns, wants, in the interests of the poor, the disheartened, the weak, and the lowly, the best minds, the best thought, the best tongues, and the best services. It mattered little to him (Mr. Burns) whether they were lawyers or labour leaders, dustmen, business men, artists, or journalists, so long as they shared the aims of the poor. Labour should do nothing to discourage those men of other classes coming in to harness themselves to the chariot of the poor, and to yoke themselves to the service of the commonwealth."