Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

18 articles on this Page

IBURRY PORT. I -!

FEUNFOEL

DAFEN.

Advertising

TRIMSARAN. I -1

I LLWYNHENDY AND DISTRICT.I

I KIDWELLY.I

Advertising

FIVE ROADS. I

I LLANGENNECH.

I PONTYEATES.

ITYCROES.

ILLANDEBIE. !

I - -¡ ! TAKE THIS TO-DAY…

[No title]

1Boy's Success. I Bynea Boy's…

Advertising

200 Years of Nonconformity.

News
Cite
Share

200 Years of Nonconformity. DlTA;\J CHAPEL'S BICENTENARY. 'By our Felinfoel Correspondent.) la the year 1794 a preaching gymanfa was held in a field at Felinfoel, and, as tisuaT, hundreds of enthusiastic Welsh worshippers had come from far and near to listen to the old, oM story as interpreted by the best of Welsh divines. It was a broiling summer's day, and the preachers, who were on a plat- form, found it extremely difficult to arrest the attention of the vast, congregation under svu-b adverse conditions. At. last, one of the offi- cials espied a one-eyed young man amongst the congregation, and called him to the plat- form to preach to the people. Without any preparation, the young man mounted the platform and delivered such a stirring and life-like word-picture ox t-lie crucified Jesus, that lie immediately gained the most rapt :1î tention of the vast multitude, who finally broke out- into prayer and son, That one-eyed young man was Christmas. Evans, who afterward^ became one of the- most famous personalities in Welsh Noncon- formity. In that very held, so it is said, a similar function will be held on Tuesday and Wed- nesday next, and in importance it transcends all previous i i nt-s, for it celebrates Adulam Chapel's bicentenary, Two 'hundred yeara! Just think of it, and consider for a moment what a march forward in those years. Come with mei in. imagination to the year 1640, and see how the people fared in those days. in the vicinity of Felinfoel we find pioue per- sons who conscientiously cannot-agree with, the rites of the Established Church, and in order to hold intercourse with their God in their own way, they are obliged to worship secretly in. private houses and caves. Their leader, Robert Hughes, suffered imprisonment in Carmarthen Gaol for the sake of the cause. During the terrible persecution previous to 1660 we find, according to a most trustworthy j source, that these godly persons congregated often "near" Llanelly. So that, in spite of persecution, they persist in defying the (1).- noxious laws of the land enforcing the people to worship according to tho Tites of the Estab- lished Ohui'th, and their zeal and determina- j tion undoubtedly paved the way for that full (" I the way for iliat fiill religious toleration, which we enjoy in Wales | to-day. Our forefathers remained steadfast in I tne faith through persecution, imprisonment, I and death, and after years of self-sacrifice and, unfaltering .devotion to tho cause they were ii.,Ie to build a little chapel at Felilifoe-I in ?iig 33 feet bv 20 | the year 1709, measuring 33 feet by 20 feet. | The year 1709 not only marks the beginning the Baptist cause, in this district, hut it is ai:3o the fore-runner of Nonconformity. From that day to this the loyal standard- bearers -of Jesus have not looked back. Willi, the Toil Uf yeam the sacred little building had to be continually extended, and before- (--r.(i tlte eiglitEcnT*Ili century it. was abandoned, and au entirely new chapel was erected. But even this was not sufficient, as r j, e cause was spreading beyond all aaticipa 1 ion, Branches were built on all sides, and i of course eventually these were entirely paiated from the mother church. Notably among these may be named Llangvrulevm <1797), Sion Chapel, Llanelly (1822V, Soar. Liwynheaidy (1832), Pwll 11834). Sardis, Llano,-iy rel) (1837). Hermon (Llamuuii, Bethel i.Llanelly), Saleta -Llangenneeh), M'aes- canner (Dafen), and Burry Port, are £ il.-o- really off-shoots of Adulara. The seeds which were, sown- at Felinfoel two centuries have borne abundant fruit, and at the pre sent bne, although the. mother of local Non- conformity, it can. well said that. Adulam Chapel is as young and. light-footed as any of h? daughters, granddaughters, and great- granddaughters. 2-rj12;,W'ihH: is necessarily brief, may engender in gome readers a yearning for more det:uls. This yearning can .easily be satit-ue? by perusing a history of the chapel by tho pastor, Rev. B. Humphreys. It is written in a style which has made the name of the Rev. B. Humphreys famous among Welsh littera- teurs. and will be cherished by all who take an interest in the early s'niggles of Noiu-n- formity in Wales. L. S. Printed and Published by the "Llanelly Mer- cury" Printing Company, Limited, at their Otiice*. Street* Han ally, In tb. County ',1 (.???. arr,fi€ft.