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--_,--TREDEGAR.

SWANSEA.

„ w NEWPORT.

.COWBRIDGE.

PONTYPOOL.

,CARMARTHEN.

ABERYSTWYTH.

PUBLIC MEETINGS HELD IN BEHALF…

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PUBLIC MEETINGS HELD IN BEHALF OF THE SWANSEA NORMAL COLLEGE FOR WALES, IN THE COUNTY OF CARDIGAN. LIKCHBTD.—On Mondoy evening, June 19, a public meeting was held in this place, at the Calvinistic Methodist chapel, when the Rev. E. Davies of Ilaverforclwestattended as a deputation in behalf of the Normal College. It was the first of a eeries of meetings which he held in Cardiganshire. The subscribers were for the most part men of the lower class of society. Their names were taken at the close of the meeting. A sum not much less than £ 20 was subscribed. TitEWES, JUNE 20.-At the Independent chapel in a small congregation the sum was about £ 15. Gi-YNARTHEN, JUNE 21.-Tlie Independents at this place have done and are doing wonders. They seem to live, move, and have their being in the voluntary principle. Though they have lateiy paid up a large sum of their chapel debt, held a large Cymmanfa at considerable expense, and have lately elected a British school, yet, this congiegation, in the midst of the moun- tains, a considerable distance from any town or hamlet, have sub- scribed £ 25 towards the Normal College. NEW QUAY, JUNE 22.—The deputation found it difficult to explain the merits of the Institution iu this place. Men of sea- faring habits are generally distant from any sympathy with mental improvement, still the subscription was very good, aud a strong spirit was raised in the place to swell it up to a very respectable amount. The next day a meeting was held at the Calvimstic Methodist chapel, Aberaeron, which was well attended, and handsome subscriptions were obtained at the close. ABERYSTWYTH, MONDAY EVENING, ,TUNE 26.—At the request of the Young Men's Society, the Rev. E. Davies delivered a lecture on' the Revolutions of Europe, viewed in connexion with religion. The lecturer occupied two hours. He was listened to throughout with the greatest enthusiasm. It is evident that the Calvinistic. Methodists at Aberystwyth are cultivating their intellectual powers to a very considerable degree. They respond to deep strokes of thought. They are absorbed by that which, gives ex- ercise to the understanding. They take a lively interest in the great events of the day, and are too noble, too independent, and too enlightened to be apathetic towards the interests of the volun- ary principle, in the great questions now agitating the public. There is something truly great in the fact of about one-third of the whole population of the town attending the Calvinistic chapel. The Young Men's Society sent the following note enclosing a sovereign for Mr. Davies, after the delivery of the lecture. The Tabernacle, Aberystwyth, June 26, 1848. "At a special meeting of the Young Men's Society, it was una- nimously resolved that the cordial thanks of the society be pre- sented to the Rev. Edward Davies, Haverfordwest, for his able lecture on the Revolutions of Europe,' kindly delivered this evening, at-the request of the committee. (Signed) "JOHN WILLIAMS, Secretary." The following evening, June 27, a public meeting was held at the same chapel, in behaif of the Normal College, John Mathews, Esq., in the chair. Several ministers addressed the meeting. The Rev. Mr. Williams, Baptist minister, delivered a most effec- tive oration. He is a man of strong intellect, keen perception, and most convincing logical ability. 11 He appears on the platform without parade, with an appearance of shyness as if he shrank from his task. He soon enraptures his audience with his copious silvery streams of pure poetic Welsh. His arguments, illustra- tions, hints, and allusions, prove that the beautiful proportions of the voluntary principle have made themselves apparent to his clear mind without mistake. In him are combined the firmness of principle with powers of oratory. We know some who astonish the world with the paint of genius, who are destitute of every grain of principle, who will cry with the voluntary principle as a stepping-stone to popularity, but who care not a straw about its life or death in the day of battle. This worthy man of God is not so. He has the scars of the voluntary warfare in his countenance. He deserves greater fair play to shins, than he obtains among his people at Aberystwyth. He is worth more than treble the salary they give him. What was done for the Normal College at Aberystwyth was about £ (>0, which is expected to be increased to nearly zeloo. In sixteen meetings in connexion with canvassing the towns, the deputation obtained upwards of £ 207 subscriptions for the Coliege. There are forty-four chapels of the Calvinistic Methodists yet to be visited in Cardiganshire. The effort already made has proved eminently successful, considering the disadvan- tages under which it was put forth. The faint cry of timidity which has been sounding now for some time that the Welsh are too poor to educate themselves, combined with the ignorance of the people about the nature and claims of Normal Institutions—the apathy of some of the spiritual guides of the people-the difficul- ties of temporal interests in which the community is involved in the present year—heavy chapel debts and efforts to build new ones in some localities, and the general movement to erect British schools, stood in the way of success in the late effort. On the other hand, the deputation found the atmosphere of Cardigan full of salutary, anti-Government-interference breezes. The bogs of Government-grant inclinations had been well drained by the Ministers of Council and the Reports, so that the air was clear of unhealthy fogs. The deputation knew the hearts of Welshmen. He appealed to their sense of justice, whether it was right to re- ceive money from the Government until it had paid its debt; whether it was right for them to receive money when they had proved themselves able to erect so many chapels in the poorest neighbourhoods. He appealed to their consciences whether they, as religious men, would submit to a system of secular education, that excludes their dear Redeemer from their beloved children—a system that prevents the schoolmaster uttering a word about eternal things without being a criminal in the sight of the law- whether they would be a party to sanction the Government in granting money to teach falsehoods of the grossest kind in order to be liberal; whether they were willing for our rulers to have no moral character in their public acts; could they believe that the moral law did not reach "the powers that be," then, if so. it would be our policy, all of us, to be Government officials; for when there would be no law" there could be no transgression," then we could dispense with Christ altogether He showed the great inconsistency of the advocates of Government interference, who, when they wish to show the need of education, talk of it as a system which is to affect the entire moral character of man. It is thus they show that it is worth having. But when they talk of it as a matter for Government interference then it is nothing but a secular affair. To get the help of religious men they magnify the thing, but when they talk of Government assistance every argu- ment is used to prove it to be as small as a pill which a doctor may give to his patient. On one hand they say the rational man needs it, on the other, it is only the animal. By such arguments a deep impression was made in each congregation in favour of voluntary education. Movements of this sort fill us with bright hopes respecting the final greatness of our beloved Cambria.

PRESENTATION" OF A PUBLIC…