The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

WELSH INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION. OPENING OF THE CARDIFF DEPOT. SPEECH BY LORD TREDEGAR. A brilliant company assembled in the Morg n I Arcade, Cardiff, on Saturday afternoon to witre-; ■ the formal opening by Lord Tredegar of the Car d ff depot of the Welsh Indusr Association. T'p company met in a spacious room kindly p ac^d at the disposal of the assoc atlo" by Messrs Morgan and Co., the depot itself offering inadequate ac- commodation for the number cf v sitors ex- pected. Messrs Morgan and essrs Howell ;o T1 d hands in suitably draping ard dec-ratirg the room for the occasion, and the artist c eTe is cf thCJ joint efforts was eminently pleisir?. General L- presided, and was supported by Lord Colonel Sir Edward Hill, KC.B., M.P., and Mr Godfrey Clark. The Chairman announced the receipt of a letter from Mr Alfred Thomas, M.P., regretting his in- ability to be present at the proceedings, and assur- ing Lord Tr:xle<"ir --ind the company cenera iy that he would do all he could to aid those weo had dis- interestedly thrown them3e'ves with such enthu- siasm into the movement for the revival of local hafcidicrafte. The Chairman Jhen proceeded to state that they owed Lady BFA Wyndh .m Qu n the inception of the association, which, if properly worked, would be fraught with great good to tire whole country side. (Applause.) As an associa- tion they hoped to be able to improve the textile fabrics manufactured in Wales and to he p cottage workers to find a better merket for the r goods. The labours of the association would he believed offer inducements to people to employ their time at home in following useful handicrafts, enabling them to add to their incomes. In old days there were such handicrafts in Wales, and the existence of the association would, he believed, go far to revive them. The depot which Lord Tredegar was to declare open would be a place where the art c'ea manufactured would be introduced to the public notice, and a centre where information effecting Welsh handicrafts would be easily obtainable. (Ap- plause.) Articles from seven out of the twe ve Welsh counties had already been forwarded to the depot, and were now exposed for selle. It was unnecesary to add the depot was not intended to enter into competition with general tradesmen. Their object, indeed, was to bringr to the know- ledge of tradesmen the fact that Welsh handicraf t were worth fostering. (App ause.) In'connection with the depot a school of embroidery had been established, under the superintendence of Miss Lena Evans, under whose tuition four pupils wer3 already at work. (Applause.) Lord Tredegar, upon rising to declare the depot duly opened, was received with cheers. The chair- man having exhausted the catalogue of "aims and objects," his Lordship said he would address them merely in the capacity of the advertiser. (Laugh- ter.) In the variety of present day undertakings those who interested themselves in pwblic work were liable to some contradiction. As a case in point he might mention that a few days earlier he had been engaged in formally opening a large in- dustry not a hundred miles from Cardiff, which would in all probability do away in a great measure with small concerns. He was now asked to per- form a duty under the auspices of an association with exactly opposite aims. (Laughter and ap- plause.) Continuing in regard to himself as an ad- vertiser for the new Association, his Lordship re- marked that they did not propose to enter into competition with "little liver pills" for the most attractive advertisement sites in the country, but at the same time they would agree with him that the function of the afternoon was primarily of an advertising character. (Applause.) It was the desire of the association to make people acquainted with the handicrafts of Wales. Not long ago he took up Murray's handbook of Welsh industries, and found the list given as follows:—Coal, iron, j copper, lead, and patent fuel. (Laughter.) Their association was designed to prove that these did not exhaust the list. (Applause.) In an interest- ing retrospect his Lordship referred to the great services rendered on behalf of Welsh handicrafts by Lady Llanover, and added that if that lady's efforts had been supported as they should have been be did not think the necessity would have arisen for the holding of this meeting. (Applause.) Concluding, the speaker said their depot was not intended as a rival to the establishments of Messrs Morgan and Messrs Howell, but he trusted it would help those engaged in Welsh handicrafts to earn a living. Colonel Sir Edward Hill, K.C.B., M.P., moved a hearty vote of thanks to Lord Tredegar for com- ing amongst them that afternoon, adding a declara- tion of sympathy with the work which the associ- ation had in hand, and voicing the general satisfac- tion felt in regard to the excellent start which had been made. Mr T. H. Thomas seconded the vote, and gave an instructive statement of the handicrafts which he hoped the operations of the society would serve TOT'tre''i ,'i >'<< The motion was carried with acclamation. A vote of thanks to Messrs Morgan for the loan ef the room, and to the same firm and Messrs How- ell jointly for its decoration, was moved by Mr (iodfrey Clarke. seconded by Mr T. O. Edwards, and duly carried. c An adjournment was then made to the depot, which has been efficiently fitted with fixtures by Mr W. Johns, and general satisfaction was express- ed with the arrangements in force.

In all Diseases, consult the eminent Specialist, Dr Bridgwater, M.D.. U.S.A.. 18, Custom House Street, Cardiff, 11 to 4, and 7 to 9. In all Diseases, consult the eminent Specialist, Dr Bridgwater M.D., U.S.A.. lo. Cus om House Street, Girdiff, 11 to 4, and 7 to 9. i! ¿

BIOGKAPHI 'AL SKETCH. The subject of our sketch was a well-known pulp t veteran, whose tall figure, thoughtful face, and earnest .Christianity were familiar to all in this dis- trict, and whose name is a household word amongst Welsh Wesleyans through the length and breadth of the Principality. A Wesleyan minister, recent- ly on the supernumerary list. he has been identified with Wesleyan Methodism in Wales for a longer period than the life of the majorTty of the present generation. He was enabled to watch the pro- gress made by his connexion from a time when Wes- leyans formed a. very unimportant community, until the "little one has become a thousand, and the weak a strong nation." The Rev. John Rees was born on the 14th day of March, 1810, in farm house in the parish of Llangurrig, Montgom- eryshire. He had the important advantage of an early religious training by godly parents, to whom the Lord had said, "Nurse this child for Me," and the favourable impression created under the parent- al roof form vivid reminiscences for him to this day. These early instructions prepared the tender heart, with which nature, had endowed him, for the ploughshare of ministry from the lips of Giants of the Welsh pulpit in thei beginning of this century. These men thundered the realties of the last judgment and the great day of Divine wrath till much more hard-hearted men than John Rees melted like slaked lime under a water spout. The real turning point in his conversion he at- tributes to a sermon preached at Llanidloes by the Rev Hugh Hughes. the grandfather of the Rev Hugh Price Hughes, describing the Day of Judg- ment. Soon after this meeting he became a mem- ber of the Wesleyan Church at that place. It is feared that conversions in the present day are not characterised by the pangs of remorse which pre- vailed in times past, when people trembled before the God-fearing ministry. Mr Rees began preaching in 1831, and became a candidate for the ministry in 1854, and this vener- able son of peace laboured for over 60 years in ac- tual work through storm and sunshine, as an am; bassador for God. < 4 Thet Wesleyan connexion has one advantage for young ministers which is not obtained anlfmg some of the other denominations. An experienced min- ister is stationed as superintendent of a circuit and a young minister or ministers, appointed under w him. This was the case with Mr Rees. In an auto-biography written for "Pregethau Uwchrifiaid" published some years ago, Mr Rees, referring to his second appontment (Merthyr Cir- cuit), mentions the renowned David Williams as the superintendent, while Robert Owen, ùohn Lloyd, and himse'f were colleagues to work under the command of the experienced veteran, and leim in the school of the propliets The secrets of church ) management, the rock on which many a noble genius has stranded. Ministerial ordination among the Wesleyans j takes place in the grext conference, and the sub- ) ject of our sketch was ordained at the conference held at Bristol in 1838, when Dr Thomas Jackson was president. Mr Reos laboured in various par' s of W;1 es and London perhaps in most of the Wesleyan circuits in Wales, preaching Welsh and l-inglish according to the reeds of the various distr'c's in which he was stationed, and was very successful in t'e work. One noble trait of Mr Rees'- nrn'slry ws the forming of new churches and extending the interest 01 the denomination. He was instrumental in the hand of God in establish'n^ the cause m fifteem places during his ministry, the last cause being at Cilfynvdd, where a church of 70 members or more was formed with a good congreraMon and a nice convenient chapel almost free from debt. But besides his devot:on to the ministry of his own denomination, the toll and cenial octogenarian extended the sphere of his onerations to temper- ance work. and took and active interest in, and a fair share of the labour of. various other local public movements calculated to elevate and enable his fe'lowmen. In united prayer meetings which have from time to time been held in Pontypridd, he was a public suppliant at the Throne of Grace, whose unassuming devotional spirit imbued his prayers with a fervency which could not fail to secure the countenance and the presence of the Master who said "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." The subject of our present sketch bore upon his lofty brow unmistakeable indications of hatitual communion with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. In the the "Records of Breconshire Methodism" we find the following remarks under the heading "John Rees" — I "This venerable and venerated minister, who now resides at Pontypridd, introduced Methodism to Llanfyrnach, near Brecon. After rendering very efficient and valuable assistance to the Rev Hugh Hughes he entered the ministry in 1833; and for 55 years (written 1888) the grace of God has been magnified in a life of unassuming but earnest and faithful devotion to his sacred work. This calm, gentle, loving spirit has braved many storms, and now the eventide has come. David's exquisite delineation of a good man faithfully pourtrays this loyal minister of Christ: "The righteous shall flourish like the pam tree. He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that he planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bring forth fruit in old age. "The stillest streams j Oft water fairest meadows, and the bird That flutters least is longest on the wing." In "Pregethau yr Uwchrifiaid," we also find a very happy, though short description, of him by the editor:—"Until lately," said the writer, "I had seen comparatively little of John Rees. Gen- tlemanly in his appearance and devotional in his spirit, with an unction attending is delivery (Toddedig ei ddawn). He is tall and handsome, strong and venerable in appearance, with a spirit peculiarly loving and Godlike (duwiolfrydig). Once or twice had I the honour to hear him preach, and it was evident that he was a son of peace. A son- orous voice, without being strong, with a tone of peculiar tenderness. His object was to speak peace to the godly, and his appearance, the tone of his voice, and the formation of his sentences, and his style of delivery, all were specially adapted to the subject of his discourse." Refined and tender as a preacher, successful as a pastor, honoured as a 'super,' and loved as a devout Christian, is it any- ponder that through, out his career, his influence was such that "Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, And fools who came to scoff remained to pray."

COAL OUTPUT IN THE COLLIERIES. r:' y t_- Last week there was again an appreciable in- crease, amounting to some 2.000 tons, in the quantity of coal raised at the collieries of the Dow- lais Iron Company, bringing up the total for the the week to about 14,000 tons. The Ocean Coal Companys Lady Windsor Col- liery, situated at Ynysybwl, had an output of 6,700 tons last week. I During the past week, up to Friday night, the output of coal from the collieries under the Blaen- avon Company amounted to 3,475 tons, being an increase on that of the preceding week, which was j 2,730 tons. The blast furnaces have not yet been blown in, and, consequently, a large number of I, workmen are still out of employment. The output for the past week at the collieries I in the Llansamlet and Birchgrove districts was 6,714 tons, compared with 5,980 tons in the pre- ceding week and 6.920 tons the week before last. Cwrt-y-Bettws shows some 400 tons. and the Old Pit, Birchgrove. 300 tons increase on the week, ) whilst a decrease is attributed to a couple of the lesser collieries. The output from the Rhymney Pits is still in- creasing—the first week after the strike, 1,COO tons, second week 5,000 tons. and the third week 7,000 tons. The Lower Duffryn CoHiery (Powell Duffryn Company) was laid idle for the last three days of the week, through a lack of trucks, which, it is hoped, will only be temporary.

In all Diseases, consult the eminent Specialist, Dr Bridgwater. M.D. U.S.A., lb, Cus om House Street. Cardiff. 11 to 4. and 7 to 9. In all Diseases, consult the eminent Snec ahst. I Dr Bridorwater M.D.. U S.A., 18. Cus om House Street, Cardiff, 11 to 4, and 7 to 9.

5 SOME EASY-GOING CLERGY. People expect a great deal of parsons now-a-days, (says "Martin West" in "The Church Gazette." Now, if a parson were to do as little as at one time would have gained him the reputation of a diligent parish priest, and a model for imitation, the local papers would be inundated with letters showing him up, and his Bishop would dread the postman's knock. What, for example would be said of a very worthy vicar I once knew who only had the Communion service twice a year? The wire was so expensive, he said; but I thirk it was be- cause he did not care to lengthen the morning S:T- viceThe vestry of his church he found it convenient, to keep his potatoes in, so he alwys robed in church. In the out-of-the-way place in which I lived, the Communion office was seldom said. Th Clerevman who administered the Sacrament once a month was suspected of being a Puseyite, if not a Jesuit in disgu:s9. Once a quarter was the rule, and Sacrament Sunday was quite an event. The Eucharist, was not the only matter in which par- sons were lax. Sermons were frequently omitted on all sorts of excuses. I have known the absence of a moon made an excuse at night, and the early dinner in the morning. In one church in Surrey the parson avowedly only preacBed once a day because he had only time, or inc'ination, to pre- pare one sermon a week. As the quality of the one sermon was high, the congregation liked him none the less, and they certainly admired his hon- esty. By an oversight a Yorkshire rector forgot one Communion Sunday to take his sermon w-th him. So he omitted that part of the service. Finding no remark was made, he thought it a good opportunity to save a dozen sermons a year, and after that made it a rule never to have a sermon when the Eucharist was offered. One of the queer- est instances I have known quite recently of a parson's laxity was the shutting up of the church. On Sunday he cooly announced that they would be no service for the next three weeks, as he should be on his holiday, and he had not been able to pro- cure a locum tenens. And shut up the church was. I have since wondered whether he took it as a. compliment or not that his parishioners raised no objection. I have frequently known instances, and these within the last year or two, of parsons discontinuing week-day services during the summer because of the scant attendance, and in one case the Vicar announced that the Wednesday evening ser- vice would not be held during the winter on ac- count of the badness of The roads. Some men are very lax in visiting. 1 have known several men who never went to see their parishioners unless < they were sent for. One man frankly excused him- self on the ground that if his parishioners were good there was no need for him to visit them, and if they were bad he should have no influence. In j one London church the parson was agonisingly par- ticular as to godfathers and godmothers. So long as they were there he did not care who or what they were. Consequently, being god-parents be- came a trade with loafers. The clerk provided them at half a crown a head, having, it may be pre- sumed an interest in the transaction. As to Con- firmation, even now some parsons are very lax. In one very recent case the Bishop announced that he was coming, and, in spite of a number of ap- plications, the Vicar took no steps to form classes. Just before the time fixed he announced that there was no time to form classes, but he dared say the Bishop would come the next year or the year after. I How he excused himself to his diocesan I do not know, but Bishops are obliged to accept very poor excuses from beneficed clergy. Some clergy, though they care little for the Bishop, care a good deal for the civil law, and I have never found a parson who neglected to provide for the burial of a deceased parishioner, unless they could clearly prove he did not come under any of the existing statues.

CONGREGATIONALISM IN EAST GLAMOR- GAN. t #' We have been favoured with an advance copy of the statistical report of the Welsh Congregation- al churches of East Glamorgan District Associa- tion, which for certain reasons i-.aomewhat later than usual. The report is complete, and as far as possible correct. There are 94' churches and branches in the association (which covers about one-fourth of Glamorgan), being an increase of four during the year. Manses, 26 ministers with charge, 61—increase 3; ministers with charge 7; local preachers, 29; students in the various col- leges, 9; church members, 13,090-being an in- crease of 275; deacons, 531; Sunday school, 15,694-inerea,se, 276: hearers, 19,248-increase, 929. The chapels have seatings for 39,330. Col- lected for church purposes, £ 17,419 14s ll £ d, compared with £15J987 2s Old for the previous year, which is an increase of R,1,432 12s lid; colleges, £ 314 2s lid; foreign missions, £ t>/4 19a 2d; debt paid, E2,893 Is Old; debt remaining, 233,092 15s 5!d. which is a proportion of 22 10s 6!d for every member. There are six churches with a membership of 400 and over, Bethania, Treorky; having a membership of 664, the other churches being Ebenezer, Cardiff Cymmer, Tony- pandy, and Ferndale. There are quite a number with a membership of over 300. Two ministers died during the year-Mr Morris, Porth, and Mr Rees, Barry Dock. The statistical secretary is the Rev H. Eynon Lewis, of Brynmenyn.

REVOLUTION IN CYCLING. J. JENKINS and CO., bee to inform the pubic that they have opened a Cycle Depot, at 6, Tre- hafod Road, Hafod, and are pre.pa,red to supply Cushion Tyres, from P,5 10s; Pneumatic Tyres, from £ 7 10s. All machines guaranteed for twelve I months. All description of Repairs Done. Plating done at Lowest Rates.

WHAT MR HENNIKERHEATON HAS ACCOMPLISHED. "That battle of Imperial Penny Postige has teen fought and won-fought notly and won f iirly. There has been ink-shed, instead of boo l-shed, but the contest has been close, and at momenls. per- haps, disspiriting to al but t'ee steu esi. hearts among postal reformers. Now, huv.ever, it i,, an accomplished thing that letters wU be pos ed to Canada, to the Cepe, and to Nated loe a pen y, I insteid of twopence-halfpe iny, and w 11 come home I. at the same reduced rate. That is ihre -hi fpence saved and therefore geiie?. But th gin does not ead there. The matter ;s one of ,ood fei ow- sh.p and of a closer tie be .ween a mother.and and her daughters. That ,s well und.s o id by the man but for whom Imperial Penny Postage wou d have had to wait many a woary ye r—Mr J. Hen- n ker-Hea.on, M P. His has been the stout Leart, the unweiried brain, (he h nd that has held th3 pen of power, the tongue that has queitioned m n- isuers, in ao:.s .11 and out, in the Hoase of Com- mons. He went to the Berlin International Tele- graphic Conference at the ins ance of the Govern- ment of Tasmania., and succeeded in cutting down the cost of cable me-ssages to Austraii>. This was the first of his triumphs, and t made him long for others. On January 1st, 1831, the postage to India and to the principal colonies was reduced to half the former rates. The hali-penny open en- velope enc'osure, the private post-card, the plain stamping on letters of the hour at which they were posted—these were among the ref rms that fol- lowed. By 1895 Mr Henniker-IIeaton was able to boast that forty of the reforms he advocated had been adopted by Parliament and the post and tele- graph authorities. The express letter system came a litt'e later. Meanwh. le the anomalies of the tele- graph service were a constant butt. By what logic, asked tue member for Canterbury, is Edge Hill in Warwickshire charged as one -word and Edge Hill, Liverpool, charged as two words, but West Kirby as one word? Why is 'upstairs' tiken as one, and 'downstairs' as two ?-"fis') -market' as one, and cattle marked as two? Why, indeed? Even the department began to wonder, and some- thing was done to simplify and unify the codifica- tion. There was only one point when Mr Henni- ker-Seaton seemed temporarily to lose the sym- pathy of legislators. Theirs, it seems, is the con- ventional stage view of that really delightful per. sonago .the mother-in-law; so when there was a question of charging one halfpenny instead of three halfpence for the transmission of her title along the wires ,there came forth even from the reform- er's best friends what Lord Beaconsfield would call 'a superb groan.' 'I shan'a rest until I have gained Imperial Penny Postage throughout the world.' That was Mr Heaton's proclamation years ago, and he has not gone back on it. The man with a purpose has it still. That idea underlies all his deeds."—From the October number of the "Wind- sor Magazine.

DILAPIDATED DWELLING AT CLYDACJH VALE. PROSECUTION BY THE RHONDDA COUN- CIL. James James, a colliery overman, residing at Clydach Vale, was summoned at the Ystrad Police Court on Monday for non-abatement of nuisances. The prosecution was taken by the Rhondda Dis- trict Council, for whom Mr W. Nicholas (of the firm of Morgan, Bruce, and Co., solicitors, Ponty- pridd) appeared. The evidence of Sanitary Inspec- tor Williams was to the effect that in January last he visited 17, Howard Terrace, Clydach Vale, and there found the premises in a dilapidated condi- tion. The back area was very much broken, also the drains were untrapped. There were numerous other defects. Witness told defendant of the nuis- ances, and asked him to remedy them. In May wit ness again visited the premises, and on the 21st of that month he served a statory notice on the defendant requesting him to abate the nuisance within seven days. In August witness in company with Herbert Jones, visited the premises and found that nothing had been done. Their wor- ships made an order for the abatement of the nuis- ance within fourteen days, and aso mulcted the defendant in 10s and costs. They added that if it was not done a heavy penalty would be imposed.

■ e J" DON'T BREAK DOWN. Mighty is the power of the spade, and those who wield it are the pioneers of our preatness. The fearless miner burrowing in the earth, and the strong navvy removing mountains are the very sinews of the nations. These men must always keep their strength at full stretph. Labour of the severest is thfeir lot, and full health is necessary to accomplish their daily tasks, and if they are at- tacked with Indigestion, Live/r Disorders, Lung Troubles, Ague, or General Debility, they take Gwilym Evans's Quinine Bitters, The Vegetable Tonic, because they know it is the Best Remedy for various ailments. We would impress upon the hard-working toilers generally of the United King- dom, and also to those who are in the Counting- house or the Market-place, that they should re- member the old saying "Prevention is better than cure," and that just as it is necessary to call a Medical man, when brains and body are over-taxed, sot is it desirable to do all that is possible to keep the system thoroughly up to the mark for every rush of competition and extra labour. You have a regular Doctor, have you a regular preservative of health to save you from the Doctor and Doctor'a Bills. If not, try Gwilym Evans' Qu'nine Bitters, The Great Tonic Preventative against Serious Ill- ness. This world-renowned remedy is sold in Bottles at 2s 9d and 4s 6d each. Beware of Imit- ations. See that you get "Gwilym Evans' Quinine Bitters" with the name "Gwilym Evans" on Label, Stamp, and Bottle. This is important. Sole pro- prietors Quinine Bitters Manufacturing Company, Limited, Llanelly, South Wales..

NOW THAT THE STRIKE IS OVER, I AjmI tfca Anticipated Bash Busnntfls HAS COMMENCED, .1 r t ii- i. ■ TRADESMEN AND OTHERS .ff I movLD 00 on NXND 1 { f ~L' r 1 r I > per all Kimb W }, < 'V,' ■< •• t, ..V- V PHomxa, t !t> ■' ■■■ V V • ;■■■ ■' i ,l;} V "t V V A- booKanrDum. md M-: ), > '¡,; .) •;} -il V- 1' I I: i'r "• 11 e:. f MACHBfmRULDTCL -V rv: 1" l lJ -1 *1.v r; t' "i: e />>■ I-'T } IT Y. DÂTIa aM at., t !■ 1 ;-m- r\ .vr 0.-1 'v. J]' "CHRONICLE" OFFICE, £ -• • 28, 24, md 25, MILL STREET, i ■ 1:0. i'; PONTYPRIDD I