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Aberystwyth.

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Aberystwyth. The'annual St. David's Day dinner was held on Thursday evening last at the Talbot Hotel. Mr W. Hughes Jones, solicitor, occupied the chair, and Mr Lloyd Lewis, N. P. Bank, the vice-chair. There were also present Dr. Harries, Rev. J. A. Morris, D.D., Councillors R. J. Jones, Isaac Hopkins, and R. Peake, Messrs T. G. D. Burdett, W. T. A. Hughes Jones, Thomas Griffiths, J. Denton Perrott; John Morgan, the Larches; J. R. Bees, N. & S. Wales Bank; Hugh Hughes, solicitor; Hugh Pushe, N. P. Bank, Dolgelley; W. J. Watkins, Cartrefle J. Rea, F. M. Williams, L. A P. Bank; W. Richards, Penglaise; R. K. Jenkins, R. Jones, Graig Gcch; Vaughan Edwards, solicitor; W. Edwards. Richard Morgan, Randolph Fear, James Hughes, W, Thomas, Railway-terrace; H. Wakeling, Win. Williams. Trefechan etc. After dinner, the toast of "The Queen" was submitted by the Chairman, a toast, he said, which was always received with acclamation. That even- ing was an appropriate occasion to propose the toast, as they would all agree with him that one of her Majesty's chief features was purity of life (hear, hear). He knew they also re-echoed her sentiment that she was glad and proud to hear of the good news recording the feat of arms by her aoldiers in South Africa. (applause). The toast was loyally received to the accompani- ment of musical honours. Song, What an Englishman is made of," Coun- cillor R. Peake. The Chairman also proposed the toast of The Prince and Princess of Wales." They had seen the Prince at Aberystwytb. and during the time he was here he did his work very creditably (hear, hear). From what he bad read, seen, and heard, the Prince was always a practical man. Whatever he undertook be did it thoroughly. He had various and many duties to perform, and was always ready to perform them (applause). The toast was drunk with musical honours. Song, Off to Philadelphia," Mr J. Morgan. The next toast, that of The Navy, Army, and Auxiliary Forces," was also proposed by the Chair- man. The subject of this toast, he might tell them, were at present fighting for their Queen and country, and he was sure they would agree that they had done it well (applause). The Queen was very gratified to find her soldiers of the 19th century as brave as those of any other century (cheers). He was sure the country was very proud of the auxiliary forces and colonial forces (hear, hear). They bad done their duty like men, and they now found since this war that the auxili- ary and" colonial forces were equal to the regular forces in the battle field, and not only that, but they had found that the auxiliary forces were not useless and ornaments, but capable of giving much practical assistance and help to regular forces when they were on the battle field (hear, hear). He ventured to say that this bad never been found out until a very short time ago. He believed he re-echoed the spirit of the whole country when he said that they were proud of their forces one and all, whether they were regular, auxiliary, or Colonial forces (applause). The toast having been enthusiastically received, Dr. Harries, in responding, said on many an occa- sion when his old friends Mr Watkins and Mr Wakeling had been here proposing this toast it was during a time of peace, and with mirth, laughter, and humour, but the present was not the time for that. The British soldier bad been lately called upon to do that which they had always known him to do, and without any side or jealousy. He had fought shoulder to shoulder with the naval men. The secret of the strength of the British army was the absence of jealousy. Dr. Harries also referred to the appreciation shown by the country of the work done by the army in South Africa, and they would no doubt be pleased to hear that even in Abrystwyth-in gallant little Wales-at this meet- ing that night that their hearts had shown that glow of warmth, and affection, and joy, respect and appreciation of their great deeds (applause). Mr Wakeling also emphasized the part taken by the auxiliary forces in the present war, and said he hoped that in future the country would see its way clear to treat them better than hitherto. As far as soldiers were concerned they were the ideal, and every one who had worked with the volunteers would find that they did their work equal to that of the regular forces. He hoped the time would soon come when every man would learn to defend himself and thus be able to defend his country (applause). Mr. W. J. Watkins also responded, and said the volunteer force had existed for 40 years to his knowledge. It had always been the butt of good humour, which bad always been taken in good part, but the volunteer had shown that he was not merely for ornament, but that he was of use. They had an immense power of defence in the country if only the Government would take advantage of the suggestion made by the Earl of Wemyss, viz., to register the names of men who had served in the volunteer service of the country. Then, he had no doubt, they would very soon have one million men in the volunteer reserve of the country. Mr. Thomas Griffiths, one of the oldest volun- teers in Aberystwyth. also acknowledged the toast. At this stage of the proceedings, the Chairman announced that Mrs Hughes, wife of Mr. Arthur J. Hughes, desired him to make an appeal to the gathering. A draft of 90 Welsh Reservists were leaving for the front on the 5th March, and a parcel of mufflers, socks, and handkerchiefs were to be sent them the following day. Mrs. Hughes would be glad if sufficient subscriptions could be obtained to add a quarter-pound of tobacco to each man's gift. A collection was then taken up, which realised the sum of £1 12s. 9d. Mr. Thomas Griffiths proposed the toast of The Bishop, Clergy, and Ministers of all Denominations." The proposer said he was sorry they bad not a Bishop, or any of the clergy present, but they had one doctor present—Dr. Morris. He remembered the time when there was only one vicar at Aber- ystwyth, and he was at Llanbadarn. They lived in those days very comfortably with one, but now they had six or seven (laughter), Mr. Griffiths added that if their ministers mixed more with them they would come to know them better (hear, hear). Song, Rocked in the cradle of the deep," Mr. W. Edwards. The Rev. Dr. Morris, replying to the last toast, said he was rather surprised to hear Mr. Griffiths say that they had no bishop present. Did they not understand that he was a bishop. If they did not they ought to read their New Testament. He claimed the title of bishop, not in the technical sense, but in the scriptural sense. He was sure they all had great respect for Bishop Owen, whom he happened to know personally. Of course, he was a Churchman and he (the speaker) was a Baptist, and he hoped to baptise him some day, and welcome him to his denomination (hear, hear, and laughter). He was undoubtedly a man of great ability and learning, who adorned the Church of England in their country, and Wales especially (hear, hear). Regarding the ministers, he was sorry none of them were present. He had a very high opinion of his fellow ministers. They had been here now working some of them, for over a quarter of a centnry, and they were always on the best of terms, endeavouring to do their duty in their respective spheres (applause). Recitation, Mr. W. J. Watkins. Mr. Lloyd Lewis (vice-chairman) proposed the toast of "The Lord-Lieutenant of the County." He was a man of whom the county was justly proud. In any question arising in the county they would always find him ready to assist in every possible manner Not only that also, but they admired him for the manner in which he selected his county magistrates-irrespective of creed and party (hear, hear). He took a keen interest in the war also he had started a county subscription list for the widows and orphans of those who had lain down their lives for the country; while he had a son in active service at the front, and another son on the way out. He (the speaker) believed that if the Lord-Lieutenant were only a few years younger he would be at the front, too (applause). Song, Councillor R. Peake; song, "Good old Jeff," the Chairman. Mr. Wakeling submitted the toast of Our Connty Member," remarking that he was pleased to think that the County of Cardigan need not go out of the county to find a Parliamentary repre- sentative. In their present member they not only had a county man but a near townsman. (Hear, hear.) He was always ready to do all he could for the town and county, and in him they were ably represented. (Applause,) Song, Mr. T. Wilson. The toast of the evening, that of The Memory of the Immortal St. David," was next proposed by the Rev. Dr. Morris, who said he hoped they would drink it in pure Plynlimon water. (Cries of No, no.") He was sure they did not expect him to say much at that late hour, and there was another reason why he should not say much, and that an important one, viz., that the history of St. David had never been written and never would be written. The more they tried to read about him the more confused, he believed, their ideas were respecting him. That St. David was a Roman Catholic, was almost beyond question, and yet they, a nation of Protestants, greatly respected his memory. It was to him a mystery why it was ever thought of making him the Patron Saint of Wales. They knew nothing with regard to him in any respect. They did not know where he was born, or who were his parents: Neither did they know the chief events of his life. They had "4 few fragments here and there respecting him, and a good many traditions. How he was selected, as he aid before, as the patron saint of the Welsh nation was to him a mystery. There was another saint who seemed to be more popular than St. David. If they read the history of the Welsh saints by Williams or any other Welsh antiquarian, they would find that St. Mihengel had many more I churches dedicated to him in Wales than St. David. And that was a proof that St. Mibengel, in the opinion of the ancient Cymru, was more popular than their patron saint. But notwith- standing all that, St. David was the man who had secured the position and the renown of being their patron saint. His name was held in veneration by the Welsh nation everywhere, all over the earth, and the 1st of March was con- secrated to celebrate his memory. He undoubtedly must have been a man of great weight in his day, and must have served his generation, and on that account he thought he deserved their thanks and deserved their respect (applause). Hewas getting more popular. He was more popular now than he ever was. Distance lends enchantment to the view," and the more he was removed from them the more popular he became. He served their nation in two or three respects. First of all he was the means of bringing different characters to- gether—men of different views, religiously and politically, into contact and happy fellowship at least once a year (hear, hear). So that they got to know each other very much better and respect each other more. He looked upon that service which the name of St David served the Welsh nation as of great importance. And not only that, he had been the means of showing that the religious setniment was a strong one in the people of Wales that they had respect for their religious leaders. He must have been a religious leader. He must have left his impress upon the nation. Though, as he said before, there was some mystery in his history, the fact they must face that he was regarded by Welshmen all over the land as the great patron saint of the Welsh nation. He might venture to say that the religious sentiment in the Welsh nation was a strong one, and they had every reason—if he were not a preacher himself he would speak freely on this point-to be proud of their religious leaders (applause). He thought if they went back in their minds two centuries ago they would find that Wales produced the greatest, mightiest preachers in the whole world (hear, hear). They could not boast of their great philo- sophers or great historians, and with due defer- ence to any bard who might be present, he ventured to say they could not boast of their bards as compared with other nations. But with regard to their religious leaders, from Morgan Llwyd o Wynedd, Walter Caradog, John Miles, Vavasor Powell, Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, and Daniel Rowlands, Llangeitho, up to Christmas Evans, John Elias, and Williams o'r Wern, and others who might be mentioned, he ventured to say they were in the first rank in the history of preaching all the world over (hear, hear). There were others who belonged to the different sections of the Christian Church. He might say one thing more, they could boast of their hymnologists. William Williams, Pantycelyn, Jones, Maescwm, and Ann Griffiths would compare favourably iu their compositions with the finest hymns ever composed in the world.- In these things, he believed, as a nation they had a reason to be proud; any nation would be proud of those men whom he had mentioned already. They were not only mighty preachers, but they were mighty workers. By their indefatigable labours and exercises Wales had been evangelised. England was not evangelised that day. It was the great problem of every denomination-from the Church of England down to the smallest denomination in the country —how to evangelise the masses in England. But their men had done their work, had converted Wales from a state bordering almost on heathenism to be the most religious country and the most civilised country on the face of the earth (hear, hear). And as a representative of those men, he had great pleasure in proposing the toast of our patron saint as he was called, although he did not believe in that expression. The loving cup was then passed round, and the toast loyally drunk. Song, Hen wlad fy Nhadau," Mr. W. J. Wil- liams. Mr. John Rea proposed The County and Borough Magistrates," and Mr. T. Griffiths and Councillor I. Hopkins made suitable acknowledg- ments. Dr. Harries proposed the toast of The Mayor and Corporation of Aberystwyth." As far as his experience of many years went in connection with that body, he could only say that they had under the circumstances and under the difficulties in which they had been placed, done all and every- thing which anybody of men could be expected to do. The Council of Aberystwyth was of paramount importance in the present day, more so than in the days of the old Commissioners, when every man could do all he wished for himself. At the present time they could do nothing for themselves but all for somebody else. In doing so they were surrounded with diffiaulties-difficulties which no man who had not gone through them could possibly conceive. Often among themselves there were dissentients, they were not in unison. Dr. Harries also referred to the prejudice shown toward strangers who attempted to do anything in the town. He asserted, however, that all the improve- ments carried out at Aberystwyth for the last 30 years had been carried out by strangers. He did not wish to reflect upon the intelligence of the place, but a small circle like Aberystwyth could not compete with the universe, and if they attempted to do so they were fools. But they were not fools, and they should carry out such schemes as the College, railway, Queen's Hotel, and their long Toms," and not have any of that feeling that he is not a native (hear, hear.) Soog, Mr. John Rea. Councillors 1. Hopkins and R. Peake responded. The former said that when he was at the Council Chamber, he was not there to fight for friends or against enemies, but he was there to represent the ratepayers. Councillor Peake said he considered the Aberystwyth Corporation one of the finest bodies of men in the Kingdom. Mr. Peake also mentioned the support always given by the Council to any movement tending to the progress and development of the town. Song, the Chairman. Councillor R. Peake gave the toast of The Town and Trade of Aberystwyth," speaking in hopeful tones of the revival of the mining industry in the county. The toast was acknowledged by Mr. Thomas Griffiths and Mr. Hopkins (builder.) Mr. Hugh Hughes, solicitor, submitted the toast of The Agricultural and Mining Interests," and this was duly drunk." Other toasts honoured were those of The Press," Chairman and Vice-Chairman," and the Host and Hostess." The gathering terminated with the singing of God save the Queen."

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