Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal

ON Sunday evening, at Aberystwyth, the Ven Archdeacon Protheroe made an appeal on behalf of the National Society, the St. David's Education Fund, and the Sunday School Institute. In the course of his sermon he explained that the leading object of the National Schools is to provide religious education, whilst the rate-supported Board Schools dissociate the spiritual from the secular. He blamed Churchpeople for sending their children to the Board Schools when National Schools were available. Replying to the argu- ment that children receive religious education in Sunday Schools, the rev. gentleman pointed out that they are held for only one short hour in each week, and the teaching is given by persons who have had no training like the day-school teachers, whilst many of the Sunday School teachers have not the capacity for the work. He also severely criticised Churchmen who give no support to the schools, and referred to the absence of teachers from their classes and the difficulty of securing y 11 teachers. The sermon caused some surprise, and there have been free criticisms as to the influences which have caused the Church Sunday Schools in St. Michael's parish to decline, it is said, in numbers and influence. —♦ COUNCILLOR J. C. ROBERTS, the new mayor of Cardigan, is the youngest son of the late Captain Thomas Roberts, of Conway, and was born on the 20th November, 1840. Having served his apprenticeship to the printing trade in his native town, he went to Wrexham, where he worked as a compositor, subsequently removing to London, where he was engaged on a Welsh work at Messrs. Clay and Son's. When the Cyfaill y Werin Welsh newspaper was started at Newcaatle- Emlyn, in 1861, he became one of its staff, and remained in connection with Y Bycl Cymreig up to June, 1876, when its copyright was sold to The Tyst a'r Dydd Printing Company, to establish an organ for the Independent connexion. Having passed over two years in Cardigan on the Herald, the first newspaper printed in the town, he removed to Merthyr Tydfil, where he was engaged at the Tyst cCr Dydd Office as overseer and reader for six years. In October, 1875, he returned to Cardigan, married Miss Elizabeth Morgan Willi- ams, eldest daughter of the late Captain David Williams, and in November opened a printing office, bringing out the first number of the Cardigan Observer, in the Liberal interest, on January 1st, 1876, which he still conducts. In days gone by he was well known in eisteddfodic circles as a successful essayist.

THERE is something very incongruous in some of the actions of our Local Board. Llangollen, all admit, depends for its welfare upon the sum- mer influx of visitors, and its chief magnet is the unsurpassable beauty of its scenery, in which the sylvan tracts that traverse the valley and the wooded plots that adorn its many slopes play an essential part. It, therefore, stands to reason that it is a duty incumbent on the Board to pro- tect such natural objects that are so indispensable to our prosperity indeed, in all other places that lay claim to the name of summer resort much, sometimes enormous expense is incurred in adorn- ing the thoroughfares and open places with trees. But in the Vale of Llangollen, it is most regret- table, every opportunity afforded to spread des- truction in that direction is seized upon with an avidity. As cases in point we may mention the trees that lined the road by the National Schools, whose branches, overhanging the path, afforded a grateful shade from the blazing noonday summer sun and lent a pleasing effect to the otherwise bare street, but the branches are no more, having been cut off; similar treatment has been meted out these last days to that well-regulated row of trees near Glanafon, that formed a pretty glade, possibly the most picturesque on the great London and Holyhead Road and not many years ago the hand of the vandal ruthlessly cut down almost the whole of those grand trees that reared their stately forms between the path and the cartway on Trevor-road, under the plea of dangerous," and probably had the Abbey been anywhere near it would have met a like fate We know there is a law by which the Board can force landholders to lop trees that are harm- ful to thoroughfares, but we know also that a certain amount of discretionary power is vested in the good sense of the Board-that they are not bound to put that law into operation in every instance. Their common sense is to be their guide to a great extent. Putting prejudice aside, it stands to reason that if the benefit derived will more than compensate for the slight damage inflicted upon the road-surface the hand of the destroyer should be stayed. And who can price our scenery! Is it then too much to pray that an immediate stop, once for all, be put to this despoliation ? +

OUR LONDON LETTER. The recent slow progress with the Parish Councils Bill has shown that after all the Em- ployers' Liability Bill and a Local Government Bill may fill up all the time next session. If so, it may be best for one of the junior Welsh members to bring in a private bill, as Sir W. Cameron did for Scotch Disestablishment; but of course on different lines, as the matter is more complicated. The parish churches must be used for Protestant purposes, and that by the present worshippers. Something, however, will have to be done so as to permit occasional use by those who accept Presbyterian or Scotch, as distinct from Episcopal or Anglican holy orders, for if this be not done, the "imprimatur" which permits only Episcopalians to preach in national buildings will itself be a form of establishment. For the rest there will be little difficulty, if the nation will be generous as well as just in the retiring allowance for real Welsh clergymen. An expe- rienced M.P. told me yesterday that there was some likelihood that the House of Commons would only adjourn for ten days at Christmas, and then go ahead! A short time ago I heard MR. E. MINSHALL give an address on congregational singing. He said that he thought the congregation ought to join in singing simple anthems but that at one service a day there ought to be an anthem sung by the choir, while the congregation sat down. He also said that in London the Congregational- ists had in musical affairs gone ahead, but the Baptists, had receded-perhaps because Mr. Spurgeon so strongly objected to an organ. Mr. Minshall is young-looking, and has hair which is long and quite grey. He speaks with quite a Welsh accent, or rather the "Chirk" accent, so common around Welshpool and Oswestry. He is the son of the late Mr. Nathaniel Minshall, and was brought up from childhood by his uncle, Mr. Charles Minshall, the solicitor, of Messrs. T. and C. Minshalls and Co., of Oswestry, and he became famous during a recent "affair" with Dr. Parker. His cousin, the son of Mr. T. Minshall, is well known as the secretary of the Educational Reform Society. LLANGOLLEN COLLEGE IN BANGOR seems to be in a state of eager industry since leaving the Valley of the Dee. Now it seems that its amalgamation with Haverfordwest is still a question of the dim future. The subscribers of the latter college agree to transfer and amal- gamate. The local committee now says the Charity Commissioners throw in legal difficulties. The Charity Commission officials repudiate this in the strongest and most emphatic way, and seem to indicate that if the property is sold the official trustee will hold the purchase money till land and buildings for use at Bangor can be bought— in fact they say that they will promote the wishes of the Welsh subscribers to the very hilt. But for some mysterious reason, the Haverfordwest local committee dont't like London-and all is at a standstill. THE ISLINGTON COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION brought in Mr. Napier, Ll.D., an able barrister, who married a daughter of Mr. Roberts, the great printing master. Several Welsh folks belonging to Islington worked hard. I noticed one Welsh canvasser, with a long beard, regale the committee during a leisure gap with a Welsh oration. The Englishmen looked on in wonder until, to the surprise of the Welshman, who had tasted a little "Scotch," the chairman broke in with thorough rattling Welsh. Neither of these people knew one another even by name, but the canvasser was much surprised. He then began to talk eloquently of his Welsh friend Evans, who was a successful surveyor at Clapham, and had left the banks of the Dee over thirty years ago. He canvassed splendidly, however, though it was pouring with rain, and Dr. Napier won by just fourteen votes in a poll of five thousand -Ap V ANER. Wednesday Morning. » LOCAL AND DISTRICT. The number of books issued at the Llangollen Public Newsroom and Library during the week ending November 25th, was 54. Owing to pressure on our space, a few reports, including that of the Flintshire C.M. Monthly Meeting, are held over, and others are condensed. The first local football match in the Junior Cup Competition was played on Saturday afternoon at the Cricket Field, in very unfavourable weather, between the Llangollen Rovers and Wrexham Olympic. The result was-Olympic, five goals; Rovers, three goals. The council of the Football Association of Wales has resolved to play the international match, Wales v. Ireland, in South Wales, probably at Swansea, on February 24th. The draw for the third round of the Welsh Challenge Cup is as follows :—Oswestry United v. Newtown, at Oswestry Cardiff or Iron- bridge v. Wellington Town or Shrewsbury Town. The ties have to be played off on December 9th. Flint and Westminster Rovers have byes, and the following clubs are exempt until the clubs left in the preliminary rounds are reduced to four :— Wrexham (holders), Chirk, Druids, and Llandudno Swifts. Two Ruthin young men, named John and Benjamin Simon, are in custody charged with unlawfully wounding Inspector George Jarvis on Saturday night, and were on Monday brought before the Rev. the Warden and Mr. W. T. Rouw. -Dr. J. Medwyn Hughes gave evidence as to the condition of the sufferer, who, he said, would not be fit to appear for at least, week.-Superintendent E. Jones applied for a remand for a week and it was granted, the prisoners being removed in custody. The event has caused excitement in the town. a& prisoners are the sons of a leading tradesman, Mr. John Simon, clothier, of Castle-street. At present the occasion of the assault is unknown, but it appears that the prisoners had been to Denbigh, Benjamin Simon having taken part in a football match for Ruthin against Denbigh. The Ruthin team were victorious, and there were considerable rejoicings when they reached home in the evening. Prisoners, after eleven o'clock, were in Well-street, near the postoffice, when the inspector saw them. A number of tradesmen residing in the vicinity heard cries for help, and ran out. Mr. Theodore Rouw blew a policeman's whistle, and Police- constable Andrew Roberts came up, and attempted to arrest the prisoners, who then turned upon him, and he was obliged to use his truncheon in self- defence. Even then the young men had to be dragged along to the police station. Inspector Jarvis was carried to his house, and it was found that he was terribly bruised about the body and head. There was a lump the size of a cricket ball on the back of the head, both eyes were closed, and the face was a mass of bruises. On Friday evening the Women's Temperance Society held a most successful meeting at the Penllyn Mission Room, when Mrs. Morgan, Blaenau Festiniog, gave a very stirring address in Welsh. The meeting, presided over by Mrs. Davies-Jones, was opened with reading and prayer by Mrs. Hughes, Epworth Villa, who also delivered a very able address in English. Miss Clarke sang with very pleasing effect, and an appropriate recitation was given by Miss Foulkes. As at the previous time, the meeting resulted in adding a good number of names to the temperance list. We understand that the committee are endeavouring to start a women's choir in connection with the society. The next meeting will be held on Friday, Dec. 22nd, at Glan'rafon Chapel. The order of services and preachers at the various places of worship of Llangollen and neighbourhood for next Sunday are as follow Parish (St.Collon's) Church: Holy Communion (plain) at8 a.m. Litany and Sermcn. followed by 2nd Celebration (Welsh) at 10 a.m.. Macins and Sermon at II 30 a.m.: First Evensong and Catechising at 3 30 p.m.; Second Evensong and Sermon at 6 p.m. Rev. Enoch Rhys James B.D., vicar; the Revs. Henry E. Thomas, B.A. (senior), and T. J. Roberts, B.A. curates. St. John's (Welsh) Church (Abbey-road): Evensong at 6 p.m. Llantysilio Church: English services every Sunday at 11 15 a.m.; also from Whit-Sunday to October (inclusive) at 3 15 p.m. Holy Communion on 1st Sunday in the month. Welsh services at 10 15 a.m. and 6 p.m. Holy Communion on 3rd Sunday in the month. Rev". J. S. Jones, B.A. (Cantab.), vicar. St. Thomas's Church (Glyndyfrdwy): Welsh service and sermon at 10 a.m. English service and sermon at H a.m. Sunday school at 2 p.m. Welsh service (sermon) at 6 p.m. Holy Communion, 1st Sunday in the month. Rev. John Evans, vicar. Rehoboth Calvinistic Methodist Chapel: sermons at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. by the Rev. John Adams, Cilcen. English Baptist Chapel (Penybryn) sermons at 10 30 a.m. and 6 p.m. by the Rev. S. Hawkes, Liverpool. English Wesleyan Chapel (Market-street): sermons at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. by the Rev. W. G. Dawson, Welshpool. Welsh Baptist Chapel: sermons at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. by the Rev. D. Williams, pastor. Welsh Wesleyan Chapel: sermons at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. by Mr. Jacob Morris, Glynceiriog. Congregational Chapel (Church-street): sermons at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. by Mr. Davies, Rhosymedre. Mission Room (Brook-street): sermons at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. by the Rev. W. Foulkes, pastor. A report drawn out by a committee appointed to take into consideration the unsatisfactory state of the question of the maintenance of the ministry was discussed at great length by the North Wales Calvinistic Methodist Association held at Aberdovey, last week, having previously been discussed by the various monthly meetings. The following is a summary of the rules proposed :-1. That all the churches of the denomination should be under pastoral care of an ordained minister, and that no preacher be ordained unless he devotes himself entirely to the work of the ministry. 2. That the pastors should be more stationary as regards pulpit supply, to preach oftener at home and in their immediate districts. 3. That a large sum of money contributed by many out of their poverty towards the maintenance of the ministry is wasted every year in travelling by train, and that this waste, together with the loss of valuable time on the part of the ministers, is unworthy of the connexion. This calls for an immediate reformation in this direction. 4. That the bulk of the money contributed in support of the ministry should be devoted for that purpose, and that there is nothing gained by bringing preachers from a long distance to supply pulpits on Sunday. 5. In order to provide adequate pastoral supervision over the weak churches, the strong ones ought to fall in line with the sustentation fund. 6. That henceforth no Sunday engagements are to be looked upon as binding if given more than one year in advance. These rules, with few modifications, were adopted by the association. --+- Last September a committee, representing North and South Wales, met in order to remodel the rules for the admission of candidates to the ministry, and these rules were presented to the North Wales Association for its approval. The question will be discussed again at the next meeting of the South Wales Association. They do not differ materially from the old ones, except that henceforth college training is imperative before the ordination of a candidate takes place. He must have gone through a special training preparatory to his entering on a theological course or having taken a degree in arts. After that he is to study for three years at one of the denominational theological colleges or any other theological college approved of by the college committee. The weekly meeting of the Band of Hope took place on Saturday at the Girls' School, Parade- street, and was presided over by Mr. Levi Roberts Market-street. This was the first gathering since the removal from the Infant School, and, judging from appearances, this room again will shortly be overflowed. The programme was of a varied character, and comprised the following :—Recita- tion, Hen gwch fy Nhad," Mr. Thomas Owens. Song and chorus, "Love at Home," Miss Mary Louisa Ellis and party. Glee, Seren Anwyl," Mr. J. E. Jones and party. Recitation, Mr. Herbert F. Jones. Quintet, "Y Blodeuyn Olaf," Mr. Levi Roberts and party. Recitation, "Bedd Argraph y Meddwyn," Mr. Robert Jones. Reading, Master Llewelyn Joses. Song, Miss Nellie Hughes. The meeting throughout was a very good one, the songs, glees, and recitations being well rendered. -+- It will be learnt with regret that Mr. Herbert Lewis has been taken ill, and it is announced that some weeks must elapse before he will resume his parliamentary duties.