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Spirit of the Welsh Press.1

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Spirit of the Welsh Press. 1 ■ « rBy H GWYLIEDYDD,"¡ TILE WELSH BAPTIST UNIOX. The annual meeting of the Welsh Baptist DIllon-held at Carmarthen last week—has created a stir throughout the ranks of Welsh nonconformity. The immediate cause of it Was a paper read by Mr. Iwan Jenkyn, of Pontypridd, on II The Present Condition of Nonconformity in AVales." The reader did Inot mince matters, but exposed to public gaze the dark spots of the kyiteiii, and e has, in consequence, been the sub- ject of severe animadversion in the organs of the different denominations. That tile readers of the Western Mail may be able to estimate the merits of the quarrel, I will <2oote Mr. Iwan Jenkyu's charges against the sects. Lie said:— n "The various sections of Nonconformity noted towards erch otht r like Ôog fighting over a bonp, ^although they strongly urged each other to oppose Episcopalianisrn. Look in what direction they juight, sectarian Phili-tinism cankered the whole, Tittir food and drii k cons-i *-te,i of malicious l>k">ttng to fecure power and influence ta ti eir cwrn wet :.t the cost of trampling on the lights of thfllr fellow men. Yet the narrow lenders of the four i!ect. in Wales cried out for disestablishment Btid disendowniint of tho Church, many (if thorn from si ec-renvy and in the hope of f over the d-r-sif,n of the spoil. The Tyst-with its usual cauuou when dealing with the shortcomings of iNoncon- ts-.says that" there is nothing to gain for religion or Nonconformity by making these things put,lic, The Herald contents itself with printing a summary of the paper. The Genedl, whilst admitting the existence oiectaTianism in Wales, denies that it is so Seaeral as represented by Mr. Iwan Jenkyn. The Tavian is very severe, and expresses a tope that Mr. Jenkyn has by this time "covered himself With sackcloth and'ashes for Laving published such rubbish." The Celt has the following strong remarks :— "The gre-it object of the piper is to curse the OMur df nominations, and tboreby make Noncon- formity a subject. of ridicule for ifca enemies. Mr. Iwan Jenkyn would huve us believe that the baptists are sha.mefuly treated by the other denominate nV Aftrr reading his unfounded, hitler, and querulous asiertious one would imagine that tho Baptists are stronger in numbers, niorj tsl-iiteJ, liberal, and pure than the other denomi- nations—Ufit the Methodists and Ind< pendents persecute them. Is ti.is the way to secure union ?" The Scrcn, on the othi-r band, has nothing but praise for Mr. I wan Jenkyn. Thus:— c. He epone the truth without fear or coneesl- Bient. lie df-sciibt'd the John Bull of the N, rth so Clearly that a blind mill rord see his graceless heart: Wi II done, Iwan Go oil, and give wings lo the truth thou hast proclaimed. The loud cheers that followed the tending of the p 'per Prillred that his heart ra were in touch with THE EISTEDDFOD AGAIN. The continued interest taken by the Welsh press iii the National Eisteddfod proves how deeply it has sunk into the affections of the Weissht people. A strong feeling has set in against the National Eisteddfod Association aa the dictator and controller of the old insti- tution, and a variety of suggestions are made how to obtain a reformation of the manage- nt, the most popular of which is that a ftrcng committee be formed of those who take Interest in it, but no practical suggestion is fna3e how it is to be carried into effeot. Cymro afraid that the Eisteddfod will be split up into sects. All agree that an Eisteddfod Without the bards would be a solecism, and yet the helplessness of that class for practical business purposes is fully recognised. 3hhe bards have of late years brought the I dorsedd jnto disrepute, which culminated at the •Trartsea hisiecidfod. The Werin states tint Mr. John Thomas—a high authority,t d one who has attended nearly every I J-ist-rddfod for the last forty 3 e--irs-is of pinion that its old a;>d distinctive charaoter ROOD. disappear. Tublic opinion will not ttaùd the farce of the Govsedd much longer, .1!d the multiplication of chaired bards is bringing the whole thing into contempt. The *rrang«u.ent made ten years ago that the Eis- teddfod should be held alternately in the Korth and South of Wales is flagrantly dis- regarded by North Wales, and the want of good feeling between the two provinces is toeeomii:g more pronoanced every year. I gave quotations last week from the North VYales papers showing the growth of this S'P. r, t. 'ihe Barter of this week renews the titicl- on the Swansea committee and the -HsriUws gem^raily. The following lan- l:'U<;ge is not likely to produce harmony between North and South :— --Pzjtiznpnt of fait--Vl,,N. wit- b nt Ir -in a the. nifciinp. It was "itly by tho "kin of their tstsi- fct;at the Llun-lly Cltoir won tin: first prize. *t Jij p^e to us thnt an organi-ed attempt wa k, ptcvrut 1ho Carnarvon C; o r having fair May. Tuc conduct of the Southerners towards | tllc,-mvi-ai m perf. c' nccord with titat, spirit. \1ri.:fD tli- eh. ir made fit if way t.) the plitform tbft were the f iUiifS—by *iut»3b;r of o i,'li?, and every i(r:p?ditnent was Ð-1;d in tlcit wa.y. It was a titsgtac to huina- lai,3,. Saclt conduct 's eot ch!ra.¡:rI8t,c of North ^flians, who woul i ireat vi.-itors from the Soj-lj ia a very ijifi, rti't ll!alrf3t, o tile, 'A 4'5' in Wiiei tiit Carnal VOU UJWll wero ti eafced i i La i i DTt. PAN JONES AND HIS YANT. Dr. Pan Jones continues to report the P-riinbulatory progress of himself and his van through South Wales. The Celt is the eccentric doctor's usual medium of communi- cation with the public, but he favours the Herald. Chjmraeg and Tarian with his pro- duction this week. I ir. Pan took it into his bead about a year ago that be had a mission to preach to farm labourers that the land lw-longs to them, and be persuaded certain People to buy a horse and van in order to enable him to carry cut his work Gnomically. He commenced his journey last A1 ay at 13 ynmnwr. The miners were nol enamoured with his scheme—they pos- thought that it was more profitable to under the earth than on its surface—and Nothing eventful took place until he reached Carmarthen, where he was not allowed to hold forth in the market without payment. The present letter describes the incidents that happened at Newcastle-Emlyri and Llandyssil, at which places a Punch and Judy man divided the honours with him. He gives the names itsd good qualities of those who belped him oa his journey, and particularises Mr. Lewis, 1 of the shop, for giving his horse some bran. He came aoross Bob Jeffreys, of tithe noto- riety, on his way. The tone of the doctor is dispiriting. D. FF. DA FYS." This mysterious and voluminous correspon- dent of nearly all the Welsh papers has been called to aocount by the llev. B. Kvans, the respected Baptist minister of Uadlys, Aber- dare, for having desoribed the Baptists of that Neighbourhood as "more drunken than mem- bers of other denominations." Mr. Evans demanded an explanation or retractation, and "D. Ff. D." accepted the latter alternative, and his communication appears in the Seven of this week. Jt appears from the correspon- dence that he lives at Pontypool and is a baptist minister, but his name does not appear in the official diary of that body. WALES FOR THE WELSH. The North Wales papers complain that an Englishman has been appointed postmaster at Abergele. The same papers express delight that her Majesty's head gardener is a Welsh- man. Cymro states that the business of the Welsh Language Society is conducted in English. The Celt gives an illustration of the Way the post-office officials are treated. The conductor of that paper addressed a letter to a friend at Welshpool,and put the Welsh name of the town outside. The letter was sent all over the Principality, and ultimately returned to the sender. Such childish folly is dignified into a grievance. TIIIC HAUL." The September number maintains the high character of this magazine. It begins with an article on missions and a sketch of a large and handsome church in India, built by the late Rev. J. Thomas, a zealous and successful missionary. The Church Missionary Society is doing great work. Its annual income ex- ceeds that of all the other societies put toge- ther. As a memento of its jubilee it is proposed to send out 1,000 additional missionaries. One interesting feature of the Halll is the carefully-prepared lessons for the use of the Sunday schools, which must prove valuable aids to teachers. The other articles contain useful information for those who are actively engaged in the work of the Church. Canon Uoberts contributes an interesting article on the late Rev. Isaac Williams, a con- temporary and friend of Pusey, Newman, and Keble. These sketches of our countrymen who make their mark abroad are valuable additions to our common literature. The Notes" by the editor are always readable, and are charac- terised by fairness, sound judgment, and culture. lie notices Mr. Owen M. Edwards favourably, and makes the sensible remark that it would be of mutual advantage to both Churchmen and Dissenters if they were to read more of the productions of their ablest and best men. Of the late Dr. Owen Thomas the editor says:— We have no re- collection of his ever having planted thorns in the breast of anybody outside the circle of his ministry. llis memory will remain dear to all Wales." Principal Roberts is described as "the cultured and devout preacher," and his appointment is described as a "death-blow to the narrow secular sectarianism that once threatened to corrupt Welsh education." Of the Welsh members he says It ai pr-ars that the only object of certain of them is to injure trie Church. They stand on the low level of sectarianism. There is the Right Honourable G. t)-bp>rne Morgan—the elegant writer and learned lawyer—his name is never heard in Parliament except to attack the Church. Churchmen are not, allowed to bury their dead without his interference. He rarely opens his mouth except to sponk against the Church that gave hirD his daily bread, the religion he professes, and the education that eUliches bim:'

OUR CHESS COLUMN. .

CHESS IN NEWCASTiE-ON-TYNE.

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