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Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru. (History of the Welsh Independent Churches)

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By Thomas Rees & John Thomas; 4 volumes (published 1871+)
From the CD published by Archive CD Books

Anglesey section (Vol 2, pages 450 - 523)

The umbrella project for WALES is detailed  on this Genuki page where there is a contents listing for each county/section and data on what has been extracted/translated already.
This is the complete Anglesey section of Volume 3, in Welsh -  any existing translations will be itemised on the above page.
This extraction is as it is in the book, chapel names and page numbers act as separators.
Footnotes remain at the bottom of pages
Extraction by Gareth Hicks (May 2008), proof read by Yvonne John (May 2008) 

Chapels below; Proof read by Yvonne John (May 2008)

 


Pages 450 - 463 

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RHOSYMEIRCH

(Llangefni parish)

Dyma flaenffrwyth ynys Mon mewn crefydd. Yma dros dymor yr ymgasglai Ymneillduwyr Mon o bob enwad crefyddol, a hon yw mam holl eglwysi yr ynys. Yr oedd Ymneillduaeth wedi cychwyn yn holl siroedd Cymru flynyddoedd lawer cyn i Fon agor ei drws i grefydd efengylaidd, ac yn erbyn ystormydd cryfion o erledigaethau y llwyddwyd yn y diwedd i osod achos yr Arglwydd i fyny yn y wlad. Wrth ddarlunio sefyllfa Mon yn y flwyddyn 1730, dywed John Evans, o'r Bala : - " Yr oedd holl wlad Mon o un grefydd, nid oedd yno ddim pleidiau ond pawb yn cyrchu i Eglwys ei blwyf yn o ddyfal, ac yr oeddynt yn rhagori yn hyn ar drigolion llawer o barthau Cymru. Ond yr oeddynt yn gyffredin trwy y wlad yn dra thywyll, anystyriol, ac ofergoelus, a swn mawr yn eu plith am y tylwyth teg. Byddai son mawr am bregeth yn y Llan os digwyddai hyny fod, gan mor anaml y byddai yr offeiriaid yn pregethu."*

Mae yn ymddangos ddarfod rywbryd cyn y flwyddyn hono, i dri brawd, Howel, Harri, a Thomas, meibion Thomas Pritchard, o'r Tygwyn, yn agos i Langefni, trwy ryw foddion i gael eu dwyn i anesmwythder mawr am eu cyflwr ysbrydol, ac yr oedd ganddynt chwaer yr hon a ddeffrowyd fel hwythau am ei mater tragywyddol. Nid trwy bregethiad yr efengyl yr effeithiwyd y dwysder yma ar eu meddyliau, ond trwy ddarlleniad yr ysgrythyrau, a rhyw lyfrau crefyddol eraill y digwyddodd iddynt gael gafael arnynt. Nid oeddynt yn nodedig am eu doniau na'u gwybodaeth, and trwy gywirdeb eu hamcan, a gweddusder eu rhodiad, a chrefyddolder eu hymddiddanion, ennillasant barch eu cydnabyddion, a bu eu difrifwch hwy yn foddion i ddwyn eraill i ystyried eu diwedd. Bu Howel Thomas fyw ar ei dir ei hun, Trefolwyn, a bu Harri Thomas byw Bwlchyferi, a Thomas Thomas yn Mhenyrallt, Heneglwys. +  Nid yw yn ymddangos i'r brodyr da hyn wneyd un cynyg i gychwyn achos Ymneillduol yn Mon, ac aeth amryw flynyddoedd heibio wedi yr anesmwythder yma ar eu meddyliau hwy cyn i un ymosodiad cyhoeddus gael ei wneyd ar anghrefyddolder y wlad. Dywedir ddarfod i'r ddau flaenaf yn mhen blynyddoedd ar ol hyn gofrestru eu tai at bregethu, ac y mae hiliogaeth rhai o honynt yn glynu wrth yr Arglwydd yn Mon hyd y dydd heddyw. Dyfodiad William Pritchard i Fon a fu yr achlysur o gychwyniad Ymneillduaeth yn y wlad, a chan fod cysylltiad uniongyrchol rhyngddo ef a dygiad crefydd efengylaidd i'r ynys, yn gystal ag â dechreuad yr achos yn Rhosymeirch, nis gallwn wneyd dim yn well na dwyn ei hanes ef i mewn yma. Ganwyd William Pritchard yn Brynrhydd, yn mhlwyf Llanarmon, sir Gaernarfon, yn y flwyddyn 1702. Cafodd well addysg na'r rhan fwyaf o'i gydoeswyr, fel yr oedd yn medru Cymraeg a Saesneg, ac ychydig Lladin, ond treuliodd flynyddoedd boreu ei oes yn hollol anwybodus am ffordd iachawdwriaeth. Wedi priodi aeth i fyw i Glasfrynfawr, yn mhlwyf Llangybi. Yn ol arfer y wlad cyrchai i Eglwys y Plwyf y Sabboth, ac oddi-yno i'r dafarn i dreulio gweddill y dydd mewn coegddigrifwch. Wedi bod felly un nos Sabboth yn hwy nag arferol yn y dafarn, cychwynodd tuag adref, ond yn fuan dyrysodd a chollodd y ffordd. Wedi edrych o'i gwmpas

* Trysorfa. Cyf. II. Tu dal. 438.          + Methodistiaeth Cymru, Cyf I. Tu dal. 105.

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canfu oleuni, a chyfeiriai ato, ac wedi myned yno, deallodd mai Pencaenewydd ydoedd, lle y preswyliai un Francis Evans. Hwyliodd yn ddioed i gychwyn tuag adref, ond cyn ei fod nepell oddiwrth y lle, dyrysodd eilwaith, ac wedi edrych o'i gwmpas a chanfod goleuni, a chyfeirio ato, cafodd mai wrth Pencaenewydd yr ydoedd drachefn. Gwnaeth y trydydd cynyg i fyned tuag adref, oblegid yr oedd y ffordd yn hollol gyfarwydd iddo, ond buan y gwelodd ei fod wedi dyrysu drachefn, ac nid oedd dim i'w wneyd ond edrych o'i gwmpas am oleuni, a chyfeirio ato, a gwelodd mai yn yr un man yr ydoedd y drydydd waith, ac yr oedd erbyn hyn yn dechreu dod i feddwl beth a allai hyn fod. Aeth at y ffenestr a gwelai Francis Evans a'r Bibi ar y bwrdd o'i flaen, a'i deulu o'i gylch, ac wedi clustymwrando, clywodd ef yn darllen y bumed-benod-ar-hugain yn Mathew, ac ar of darllen, plygai ef a'i holl deulu ar eu gliniau i weddio. Arosodd William Pritchard i wrando y weddi, a synai glywed y gwr yn gweddio dros ei deulu a thros ei gymydogion annuwiol ar i'r Arglwydd eu dychwelyd o'u ffordd drygionus. Cychwynodd tuag adref, a chafodd ei lwybr yn glir o'i flaen, ond yr oedd yr amgylchiad wedi myned yn ddwfn at ei galon. Teimlai euogrwydd a chywilydd fod ganddo yntau deulu, ond nad oedd erioed wedi gweddio gyda hwy. Bu mewn ingoedd mawrion yn achos ei gyflwr dros ysbaid dwy flynedd, ac o'r diwedd cafodd "orphwysdra i'w enaid blinderog a llwythog," ac ymunodd ar eglwys Ymneillduol yn Mhwllheli. Gan fod William Pritchard yn ddyn mwy deallgar a gwybodus na'r rhan fwyaf o'i gymydogion, daeth yn lled fuan yn gyhoeddus fel crefyddwr, ac ni bu llygaid ellyllaidd yr erlidwyr yn hir cyn ei farcio allan fel nod i'w cynddaredd. Agorodd ei dý i dderbyn yr efengyl, ac yr oedd Glasfrynfawr yn "lletty fforddolion " i'r pregethwyr a ddeuai heibio. Daeth Lewis Rees, o Llanbrynmair, heibio, yr hwn a ddywedai am Howell Harries, yr hwn erbyn hyn oedd wedi dyfod allan " yn llawn gwreichion goleu, tanllyd, o Drefecca fach," a phan y daeth Howell Harries heibio, dywedodd wrth William Pritchard am Jenkyn Morgan, yr hwn oedd yn bregethwr tanllyd, ac yn cadw un o ysgolion cylchredol Madam Bevan. LIwyddwyd i gael Jenkyn Morgan i Lasfrynfawr i gadw ysgol, ac erbyn hyn dechreuwyd llunio chwedlau celwyddog ar William Pritchard a'r ysgolfeistr, gan haeru eu bod yn dysgu egwyddorion cyfeiliornus i'r plant, a bod llong o'r gwledydd tramor yn dyfod i ryw borthladd cyfagos, a'u bod yn bwriadu gwerthu y plant yn gaethweision fel nas gwelai eu rhieni mo honynt byth mwy. Taenai eraill eu bod am ddenu dynion o'u plaid i godi gwrthryfel yn y wlad, a haerai eraill mai ymgasglu yr oeddynt i fyw mewn annuwioldeb a thrythyllwch, a llawer o chwedlau celwyddog eraill.

Yr oedd William Pritchard wedi clywed am un Mr. John Owens, yr hwn oedd yn Ficer Llanor a Dyneio, ac yn ganghellwr Bangor, ei fod yn ddyn o ddoniau mwy na chyffredin, ond ei fod yn ymosodwr diarbed ar y  "Pengryniaid," fel y gelwid yr Ymneillduwyr mewn ffordd o wawd, ac ar un Sabboth aeth i'w wrando yn Llanor. Pan ddaeth o'r Llan gofynwyd iddo gan ryw un beth oedd ei farn am y bregeth, ac atebodd yntau ei fod yn ei hystyried yn gyfeiliornus, ac yn wrthwyneb i air Duw. Gwysiwyd ef am hyn i ateb yn y llys eglwysig yn Mangor, a bu yr achos yn hongian am yn agos i dair blynedd, ac yntau yn methu cael neb i gymeryd ei blaid, ond o'r diwedd codwyd yr achos o'r llys eglwysig i Frawdlys y wlad, a chymerodd y Dadleuwr Williams, Tyfry, Mon, at ei amddiffyn, a phrof-

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wyd trwy dystion credadwy, fod yr hyn a ddywedai William Pritchard am gyfeiliornadau y Canghellwr yn gywir, ac felly ennillodd y prawf. Dywedai y Dadleuwr Williams wrth William Pritchard y gallasai ddiswyddo y canghellydd, os ewyllysiai fyned yn mlaen a'r achos, ond nid oedd yn ei ysbryd i ddial ar ei wrthwynebwr ; ond yr oedd yn nghalon ei wrthwynebwr i ddial arno ef, ac ni orphwysodd nes y llwyddodd trwy chwedlau celwyddog i'w droi allan o'i dyddyn, ac yn y flwyddyn 1742, bu raid i William Pritchard adael Glasfrynfawr. Symudodd i Blas Penmynydd, yn Mon, ac ennill mawr i'r Monwysiaid fu ei ymsefydliad yn eu plith, canys o'i symudiad ef yno y gellir dyddio cychwyniad Ymneillduaeth yn yr ynys. Yr oedd yr holl ardaloedd cylchynol wedi clywed son am dano cyn ei ddyfod, ei fod yn ddyn o ryw grefydd ryfedd, ac y byddai i bawb a wnai gyfeillach ag ef neu a'i deulu yn sicr o fyned allan o'u synwyrau. Edrychid arnynt fel pla yn y wlad, ac ymgadwai pawb oddiwrthynt fel pe buasai y gwahanglwyf arnynt, ac yn enwedig yr oedd urddasolion yr Eglwys Sefydledig yn pentyru arnynt bob dirmyg. Yr oedd yn y gymydogaeth wr yn byw, yr hwn oedd yn arfer masnachu llawer mewn defaid, ac anfonai ddeadelloedd o honynt i ýd a gwair William Pritchard, ac ni feiddiai ef na'i weision eu troi allan. Dyoddefodd ef a'i deulu sarhad a cholled ddirfawr er mwyn enw yr Arglwydd Iesu. Yn nechreu y flwyddyn 1743, daeth Mr. Lewis Rees, o Lanbrynmair, i Blas Penmynydd, a phregethodd gerllaw yno, ac oedfa i'w chofio oedd yr oedfa hono. Ceir yr hanes canlynol am dani yn y Crynodeb o hanes, dechreuad, a chynydd yr eglwysi Annibynol yn Mon, gan y Parch. W. Williams, yr hwn a gyhoeddwyd gan gyfarfod chwarterol Mon, yn y flwyddyn 1863. Derbyniodd Mr. Williams yr hanes oddiwrth Mr. D. J. Beynon, Nantgarw, yr hwn a fu unwaith yn weinidog yn sir Fon. Yr oedd y ffaith yn adnabyddus o'r blaen, ond y mae y manylion a ganlyn yn gaffaeliad ychwanegol.

" Yn y flwyddyn 1814, pan oedd y diweddar Dr. Arthur Jones, Bangor, ar daith yn Mon, pregethodd ar ganol dydd mewn ty a elwir Hafod, yn mhlwyf Llangwyllog. Aeth Mr. Beynon yno i'w gyfarfod. Yr oedd hen wr yr Hafod yn gristion cywir, ac ar y pryd yn bur oedranus, ac yn hollol ddall. Yn ei ymddiddan a Mr. Jones, adroddodd mewn dull effeithiol iawn hanes ei droedigaeth. Cymerodd hyny le, meddai, o dan bregeth Lewis Rees, y waith gyntaf yr ymwelodd a Mon, yn ymyl y Minffordd, yn mhlwyf Penmynydd. Yna aeth yn mlaen a'r hanes fel y canlyn; - Ni bu Saul o Tarsus erioed yn fwy penderfynol i garcharu dysgyblion Iesu nag oeddwn i a'r fintai erledigaethus oedd wedi ymgasglu gyda phastynau i gyfarfod y pengrwn oedd i ddyfod i bregethu yn Mhenmynydd. Yr oeddym oll wedi cytuno, os efe a bregethai y gwnaem ben am dano rhag blaen. Ac wedi iddo ddyfod yno, dechreuasom wasgu yn mlaen tuag ato, a phan aeth i ben hen gareg fawr yn ymyl yr hen  dý hwnw, (Minffordd,) trodd ei wyneb tuag Arfon, a rhoddodd y penill hwnw i'w ganu gan ryw nifer fechan oedd yn ei ganlyn:-

"Disgwyliaf o'r mynyddoedd draw,
Lle daw i'm help 'wyllysgar,' &c."

Ninau yn tybied mai disgwyl gwyr arfog o fynyddoedd Arfon yr oedd ef, giliasom ryw ychydig oddiwrtho. Ac wedi ymgynghori, penderfynodd rhai o honom gael clywed beth oedd gan y pengrwn i'w ddyweyd, ac felly, ni aethom dros y clawdd yr ochr isaf i'r ffordd, a cherddasom yn araf a distaw

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yn nghysgod y clawdd, hyd nes y daethom ar gyfer y man lle y safai. Nid oedd ef yn gallu ein gweled ni, ac nid oeddym ninau am ei weled yntau, ond yr oeddym yn clywed pob gair a ddywedai mor eglur a phe buasem yn ei ymyl. O dan y bregeth hono, ar y diwrnod rhyfeddaf yn fy oes, y daethum i adnabod fy hun fel pechadur colledig, yn mhob man, ac er pob dim, oddi allan i Iesu Grist, a hwnw wedi ei groeshoelio. Diolch iddo byth am fy nghipio fel pentewyn o'r tân.' "

Yn ddioed ar ol hyn cofrestrodd William Pritchard y ty bychan a elwid Minffordd at bregethu, ac yn mis Ebrill, 1743, daeth un Benjamin Thomas, o'r Deheudir yma, gyda'r bwriad o bregethu, ond ymgasglodd torf o erlidwyr yno, a ffyn mawrion yn eu dwylaw, i aflonyddu y cyfarfod, ac yr oedd gan un o honynt ffon a phen haiarn iddi, wedi ei darparu yn bwrpasol gyda'r hon y bwriadai roddi ergyd marwol i'r pregethwr. Gyda fod Benjamin Thomas yn dechreu pregethu., taflodd un o'r dihirogod lestriaid mawr o ddwfr am ei ben, a dechreuasant ei guro a'u holl egni, ond gan ei fod yn ddyn cryf a bywiog, diangodd yn ddiogel o'u gafael heb gael nemawr niwed. Howel Thomas, un o'r tri brawd, at y rhai y cyfeiriasom, a gafodd yr ergyd a'r ffon a'r pen haiarn, a tharawyd ef mor egniol nes yr oedd ei waed yn llifo, a'r pen haiarn gan nerth yr ergyd a dorodd, ac a aeth dros y clawdd i'r cae. Dilynodd yr erlidwyr y trueiniaid diniwed ar hyd y ffordd, gan eu curo yn greulawn a'u ffyn mawrion, nes y dywedir fod. eu gwaed yn ffrydio ar hyd y ffordd am bellder o fwy na chwarter milldir. Ond William Pritchard oedd prif nod eu cynddaredd. Ar un boreu Sabboth daeth yn agos i ddau-cant-a-haner at Blas Penmynydd, gan dybied fod pregethwr wedi dyfod yno er nos Sadwrn, ond fel y digwyddodd nid oedd yno yr un, ac yr oedd gwr y ty oddicartref. Nid oedd ond y wraig a'r forwyn gartref, ac yr oedd baban bychan deufis oed yn mreichiau y wraig, ac y mae yn hawdd dychmygu ei theimladau cyffrous wrth weled yr haid erlidgar fel gwaedgwn o gylch y ty, ac yn bytheirio y llwon mwyaf arswydus, ac yn dyweyd, "Yr ydym ni wedi dyfod yma i ladd dy bengrwn di a'i bregethwr." Ond yn eu cynddaredd wedi gweled eu bod wedi eu siomi, drylliasant yr holl ffenestri, a distrywiasant bresebau yr anifeiliaid, ac aethant i'r ysgubor gan gymysgu y ceirch a'r haidd yn nghyd, a thyngu y lladdent bwy bynag a'i gwrthwynebent. Ychydig cyn hyny, yr oedd un o'r gweision yn yr ysgubor, ddechreunos yn trwsio aradr, a bachgen yn dal y ganwyll iddo gael goleu, saethodd rhywun ergyd atynt, ond yn rhagluniaethol aeth rhyngddynt i'r pared, heb i un o honynt gael dim niwed. Teimlodd William Pritchard o'r diwedd fod y triniaethau creulawn hyn yn ormod i'w dyoddef, ac wedi cael cyfarwyddyd cyfreithiwr, yr hwn oedd yn ewyllysiwr da i grefydd, gwysiwyd yr erlidwyr i ymddangos o flaen y Brawdlys yn yr Amwythig, a bu raid i rai o honynt dalu yn llawn am y golled a wnaethant, a diangodd eraill rhag ofn carchar a chrogbren. Effeithiodd hyn i fesur i ostegu yr erlidiau cyhoeddus, ond yr oedd yr elyniaeth yn aros yr un, a llwyddasant i gael gan ei feistr tir ei droi allan o Blas Penmynydd. Yn y flwyddyn 1745, symudodd i Fodlewfawr, yn mhlwyf Llanddaniel, ond nid oedd pobl Llanddaniel yn ddim boneddigeiddiach na phobl Penmynydd ; ac yn enwedig wrth fyned i a dychwelyd o farchnadoedd Caernarfon, ymosodid arno gan wyr eglwysig a'u cynffonwyr, fel un oedd yn hau heresiau ac ymbleidiau yn y wlad. Un tro fel yr oedd yn dyfod dros Fol-y-don, digwyddodd fod un o brif erlidwyr y wlad gydag ef, sef Mr. Morris, o ardal Paradwys. Dechreuodd

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hwnw ffonodio ei geffyl ac yntau yn dra mileinig, gan dyngu a rhegu yn ysgeler, ac wedi dyfod i'r lan parhau i guro yr oedd Mr. Morris yn ddiarbed. Gofynodd William Pritchard iddo, "Paham yr ydych yn fy nghuro heb un achos?" Atebodd yntau, a'r ysbryd drwg lonaid ei safn, " Y mae hyny yn ormod o barch i ti." A chan nad oedd un tebygolrwydd i gael heddwch, rhuthrodd William Pritchard iddo, a thaflodd ef i lawr ar ei gefn, a llusgodd ef gerfydd ei draed ar hyd y gro, nes torchi ei ddillad a pheth o'i groen hefyd. Erbyn hyn yr oedd y gwr wedi newid ei dôn, ac yn gwaeddi yn groch am ei fywyd. Ond ni ddaeth nob i'w helpu, a deallwyd ar ol hyny nad gwr a oddefai bob sarhad ac anmharch oedd William Pritchard. Prynodd dyn yn Niwbwrch gyllell fawr gyda bwriad i'w ladd, a daeth i Fodlew i'r perwyl, ond erbyn iddo gyrhaedd yno cafodd William Pritchard yn cadw dyledswydd gyda'i deulu, fel yr arferai wneyd hwyr a boreu. Pan welodd y dyn hyny, dywedodd yn synedig, " Yn enw'r mawredd, os peth fel hyn sydd ganddo, ni wnaf fi ddim iddo." Wedi gweled nad oedd ei erlid a'i bastynu yn tycio, nid oedd dim i'w wneyd ond defnyddio yr un tric ag a ddefnyddiwyd o'r blaen i'w godi o Glasfrynfawr, ac o Blas Penmynydd, a llwyddodd yr un ystrywiau i'w godi o Fodlewfawr. Bu yn edrych yn gymylog arno am le i fyned iddo yn yr adeg yma, oblegid yr oedd tirfeistri erlidgar yn cyngreirio yn  erbyn, ond "cyfododd goleuni i'r uniawn yn y tywyllwch." Clywodd fod lle yn rhydd gan William Bulkeley, Ysw., Bryndu, ac aeth ato i ymofyn y lle. Gofynodd y boneddwr iddo, " Pa beth yw yr achos dy fod yn colli dy le ? A'i methu talu yr oeddit ?" "Nage, nage," meddai yntau, " ond o achos fy marn am bethau crefyddol, ac am fy mod yn Ymneillduwr oddiwrth Eglwys Loegr " Os nad oes rywbeth heblaw hyny yn dy erbyn, ti gei ddigon o dir genyf ti," ac felly fu. Rhoddodd brydles iddo ar Clwchdernog, yn mhlwyf Llanddeusant, ac yno bu weddill ei oes. Mae yn debyg iddo symud i Clwchdernog rywbryd yn 1749, oblegid yr ydym yn cael yn nydd-lyfr John Wesley, iddo fod yn pregethu yn nhy William Pritchard yn agos i Lanerchymedd, yn mis Mawrth, 1750, a thrachefn yn Ebrill yr un flwyddyn. Bu William Pritchard yn ffyddlon gyda chrefydd hyd derfyn ei yrfa. Ystyriai ei hun yn aelod hyd ei ddiwedd yn Mhwllheli, a chyrchai yno bob mis i gymundeb, er fod ganddo agos i bedwar ugain milldir rhwng myned a dychwelyd, ac ar y Sabbothau eraill elai i Rosymeirch, ac yr oedd ganddo dý bychan ar dir Clwchdernog, lle y cynelid gwasanaeth crefyddol, fel y cawn weled pan ddeuwn at hanes Llanddeusant. Er fod William Pritchard yn Annibynwr egwyddorol, etto yr oedd yn nodedig o ddiragfarn at enwadau eraill, ac yr oedd wedi cymdeithasu llawer, yn enwedig a phregethwyr y Methodistiaid, ac yr oedd ei dý yn agored i'w croesawu.   Yn nechreu mis Ebrill, 1773, daliwyd ef gan glefyd trwm, ond dyoddefodd y cwbl yn dawel ac amyneddgar, ac un o'i ymadroddion diweddaf oedd - "Siglwch fy sail, "Siglwch fy sail os gellwch. Y mae cadarn sail Duw yn sefyll." Bu farw Mai 9fed, 1773, a rhoddwyd ei weddillion marwol i orwedd yn mynwent Rhosymeirch.

Yr ydym trwy y cofnodiad blaenorol o fywyd William Pritchard wedi parotoi y ffordd i roddi hanes yr achos yn Rhosymeirch. Er i'r ty bychan, Minffordd, yn Mhenmyndd, gael ei gofrestru at bregethu, nid yw yn debyg i eglwys gael ei ffurfio yno, ac nid oes genym sicrwydd am ddyddiad na lle ffurfiad lle ffurfiad yr eglwys. Yn Hanes Eglwysi Mon, dywedir mai mewn lle a elwir Caeaumon, yn nghanolbarth yr ynys, yn nhy un John Owen. y

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ffurfiwyd yr eglwys, a hyny yn y flwyddyn 1744. Nis gallwn gael allan i sicrwydd a oedd Jenkyn Morgan gyda hwy ar gychwyniad yr achos. Dywedir iddo fod yma ugain mlynedd, os felly rhaid iddo ddyfod yma yr un adeg a William Pritchard, yn 1742, oblegid 1762 yw y dyddiad diweddaf yr ydym yn ei gael yma. Yn y flwyddyn 1746 yr urddwyd ef yn Watford, gerllaw Caerdydd, lle yr oedd yn aelod ; ond gyda bwriad iddo weinidogaethu yn Mon yr urddwyd ef. Tebyg mai grinder gweinidogion yn y Gogledd a barodd i'r urddiad gymeryd lle yn Watford ; ac am yr un rheswm yr urddwyd Lewis Rees yn Blaengwrach, i fod yn weinidog yn Llanbrynmair. Yr oedd Jenkyn Morgan yn derbyn cynorthwy o'r Trysorfwrdd Presbyteraidd, fel gweinidog Rhosymeirch, o'r flwyddyn 1747 hyd y flwyddyn 1762. Y mae yn sicr ei fod yma pan adeiladwyd y capel yn 1748, oblegid efe a brynodd dyddyn bychan, Ty'nyreithnen, lle yr adeiladwyd y capel. Y personau mwyaf blaenllaw gyda'r achos yn adeg codiad y capel oeddynt, John Hughes, Rhydyspardyn; John Roberts, Dafarn-newydd; William Pritchard, Bodlewfawr, a John Owen, Caeaumon. Bu Jenkyn Morgan ar daith trwy y Deheudir yn casglu at y capel, oblegid yr ydym yn cael yn llyfr eglwys Brynteg ei fod yno Ebrill 22ain, 1759, yn casglu at gapel yn ynys Mon, ac iddo gasglu 3p. 12s. 6c. Ac y mae yr ysgrifenydd wedi cofnodi fod y Sabboth hwnw yn Sabboth cymundeb. Nid ydym yn sicr a'i yma y bu farw, a'i ynte a ddychwelodd i'r De, ond y mae yn eglur i'w gysylltiad gweinidogaethol a'r lle derfynu tua'r flwyddyn 1762. Nis gallwn gael allan pwy a'i dilynodd yma yn uniongyrchol. Yr oedd yma un David Williams yn y flwyddyn 1766. Nis gwyddom ragor yn ei gylch na'i fod y flwyddyn hono wedi derbyn help o'r Trysorfwrdd Presbyteraidd, oblegid ei gysylltiad a Rhosymeirch. Yr oedd yma un Samuel Phillips yn y blynyddoedd o 1769 hyd 1771, ond nid oedd yn weinidog yma. Nid oedd yr un gweinidog yma yn y flwyddyn 1770, canys yr ydym yn cael llythyr oddiwrth yr eglwys at reolwyr y Bwrdd Cynnulleidfaol, wedi ei arwyddo gan John Owen a William Parry, diaconiaid, a William Thomas a John Hughes, henuriaid, yn erfyn am i Thomas Roberts, aelod o'r eglwys, yr hwn oedd wedi dechreu pregethu., gael ei dderbyn i'r athrofa yn Abergavenny. Mae y llythyr wedi ei ddyddio Mawrth 8fed, 1770, ac y mae yn dyweyd yn bendant eu bod heb weinidog sefydlog. Bu un Evan Evans yma yn 1773. Yr oedd Abraham Tibbott yma yn 1775, a bu yma dros rai blynyddoedd ar ol hyny. Yn y flwyddyn 1784, daeth Mr. Benjamin Jones yma, yr hwn a fuasai am ychydig yn weinidog yn Mhencader. Cynyddodd yr achos yn fawr yn nhymor gweinidogaeth Mr. Jones, a bu yn dra ymdrechgar i sefydlu achosion mewn rhanau eraill o'r wlad. Bu dadl fawr yn yr eglwys yn yr adeg yma yn nghylch "Personau y Drindod," ac ysgrifenodd Mr. Jones lyfr bychan ar y pwngc, yr hwn a dynodd y ddadl i derfyniad buan. Cyfododd dadl arall cyn hir, ar gwestiwn mwy athronyddol, sef fod dyn yn gynwysedig o dair rhan, corph, ac enaid, ac ysbryd. Terfynwyd hono hefyd trwy fwyneidd-dra a chraffder Mr. Jones. Bu yma yn ddefnyddiol hyd y flwyddyn 1791, pryd y symudodd i Bwllheli, lle y treuliodd weddill ei oes. Yn Hanes Eglwysi Mon, dywedir fod yr eglwys wedi bod dan fugeiliaeth Mr. Zeccheus Davies a Mr. William Jones, a rhoddir ar ddeall iddynt fod yma o flaen Mr. B. Jones, ond nis gallwn weled pa fold y gall hyny fod. Yr oedd Mr. B. Jones yn weinidog yma yr holl amser y bu Mr. William Jones yn Mon, oblegid yr ydym yn ei gael yn Machynlleth ar ol ei ddychweliad o Fon tua'r flwyddyn

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1788. Dichon iddo fod yma yn cadw ysgol, ac yn cynorthwyo Mr. Jones gyda'r achos newydd a gychwynwyd ganddo yn Beaumaris. Am Mr. Z. Davies, tua'r flwyddyn 1793, yn mhen dwy flynedd wedi ymadawiad Mr. B. Jones i Bwllheli y daeth ef i Landdeusant i bregethu a chadw ysgol, ac yr oedd yno yn 1795, pan adeiladwyd y capel ; ac yr ydym yn tueddu i feddwl na bu yr eglwys hon o gwbl dan ofal y naill na'r llall o honynt. Mae yn hawdd iawn cymysgu lleoedd, a phersonau, a dyddiadau wrth ymddibynu ar draddodiad. Mae yn ymddangos i Mr. Abraham Tibbott ddychwelyd yma o Lanuwchllyn wedi ymadawiad Mr. B. Jones, ond ni bu yma yn hir, canys mewn llythyr a ysgrifenodd at reolwyr y Trysorfwrdd Cynnulleidfaol Medi 30ain, 1795, dywed ei fod wedi rhoddi rhybudd i'r eglwys o'i fwriad i ymadael, a bod yn ei fryd weithiau i ymfudo o'i wlad. Yn y flwyddyn 1798, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. Jonathan Powell, o Rhiadrwy, a bu ef yma yn llafurio am 23 mlynedd. Daliwyd ef gan afiechyd cyn diwedd ei oes fel y gorfodwyd ef i roddi ei weinidogaeth i fyny yn Hydref, 1821, a bu farw yn mis Gorphenaf, 1823.

Yn mhen blwyddyn wedi i Mr. Powell roddi y weinidogaeth i fyny, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. David James, myfyriwr o athrofa Neuaddlwyd, ac urddwyd ef Ebrill 24ain, 1823. Pregethwyd ar natur eglwys gan Mr. W. Jones, Caernarfon ; holwyd y gofyniadau gan Mr. J. Evans, Amlwch ; dyrchafwyd yr urdd-weddi gan Mr. O. Thomas, Llanfechell ; pregethwyd i'r gweinidog gan Mr. D. Roberts, Pentir, ac i'r eglwys gan Mr. T. Lewis, Pwllheli.*   Llafuriodd Mr. James yma hyd oni orfodwyd ef gan nychdod a gwendid i roddi y weinidogaeth i fyny, ac er ei fod yn aros hyd yr awr hon, y mae wedi ei gwbl analluogi i gyflawni ei ddyledswyddau. Derbyniwyd ef ar Drysorfa yr Hen Weinidogion, ac y mae er's blynyddoedd wedi cyflwyno i fyny ei ofal eglwysig. Cyn diwedd y flwyddyn 1868, rhoddodd yr eglwys hon mewn cysylltiad a'r eglwys yn Sardis, Bodffordd, alwad i Mr. John R. Davies, myfyriwr o athrofa y Bala, ac urddwyd ef Ionawr 13eg, 1869. Pregethwyd ar natur eglwys gan Mr. R. E. Williams, Beaumaris; holwyd y gweinidog gan Mr. W. Jones, Amlwch; dyrchafwyd yr urdd-weddi gan Mr. W. Griffith, Caergybi ; pregethwyd i'r gweinidog gan Mr. M. D. Jones, Bala, ac i'r eglwysi gan Mr. E. Evans, Sciwen. +  Yn ddioed wedi sefydliad Mr. Davies, adeiladwyd yma gapel newydd yn lle yr hen gapel a fu yn gyrchfan i'r llwythau dros gynifer o flynyddau, ac agorwyd ef yn nechreu y flwyddyn 1870. Er na bu yr eglwys yn Rhosymeirch erioed yn gryf a lluosog, etto gan mai dyma yw yr achos hynaf yn y sir, a bod llawer o rai rhagorol y ddaear wedi eu claddu yn y fynwent gerllaw, teimlir ymlyniad cryf gan lawer trwy y wlad at yr achos henafol hwn. Heblaw y rhai y crybwyllwyd eu henwau yn barod, bu yma lawer o wyr rhagorol, er nad oeddynt yn llenwi cylchoedd amlwg a chyhoeddus iawn gyda chrefydd. Yn mysg lluaws o gymeriadau nodedig a fu yn perthyn i'r eglwys yn Rhosymeirch, yr oedd William Thomas, Meillionen. Argyhoeddwyd ef mewn modd tra nodedig. Yr oedd merch iddo wedi priodi â Richard Jones, Maesmawr, Llanfechell, mab i John Owen, Caeaumon ; ac ar un Sabboth gwresog yn yr haf aeth William Thomas i edrych am ei ferch yn y Maesmawr, ac wedi bod yn yr eglwys, fel y mae yn debyg, unodd a'r cwmni oedd ar y fynwent yn chwareu pel ar ol y gwasanaeth. Gan ei fod wedi chwysu wrth chwareu

* Dysgedydd, 1823. Tu dal. 187.  + Dysgedydd, 1869. Tu dal. 63.

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tynodd y cadach sidan coch oedd am ei wddf, a rhoddodd ef ar fedd-faen yno, ac wedi darfod y chwareu aeth gyda'r lleill i'r dafarn, ac wedi bod yno dros ychydig, cofiodd William Thomas am ei gadach sidan a adawsai ar gareg fedd yn y fynwent, ac wedi myned yno, cafodd hi fel y gadawsai hi, ond y foment y cydiodd ynddi, aeth yn lludw yn ei law. Aeth y peth fel saeth i'w feddwl, a dywedodd, "Fi haeddodd gael fy ysu, ac nid yr hen ffunan," ac o hyny allan dechrenodd ddilyn bywyd newydd, a bu yn aelod ffyddlon yn Rhosymeirch hyd ddydd ei farwolaeth. Arferai godi yn foreu iawn, yn enwedig ar y Sabbothau, i ddarllen a myfyrio; ac un boreu Sabboth, pan y cyfododd y teulu, cawsant ef ar ei luniau wrth hen faingc, a Bibl Peter Williams yn agored o'i flaen, ac wedi marw!! Mae yr hen Fibl hwnw ar gael yn awr, ac yn eiddo Mr. Owen Thomas, Neuadd, Cemaes.

Codwyd y personau canlynol i bregethu yn yr eglwys hon: -

  • Thomas Roberts. Ganwyd ef yn Ty'nllwyn, Trefdraeth. Aeth i athrofa Abergavenny yn 1770. Urddwyd ef yn Lloegr, lle y bu yn llafurio am lawer o flynyddau.
  •  Lewis Powell. Mab y gweinidog, Mr. Jonathan Powell. Addysgwyd ef yn athrofa Wrecsam, ac urddwyd ef yn Llanrwst, ond aeth i'r Eglwys Sefydledig, a bu farw yn Llanon, sir Gaerfyrddin.
  • Benjamin Powell. Mab arall i'r gweinidog. Urddwyd ef yn y Wyddgrug. Aeth drosodd i'r America, ond bu farw yn ieuangc.
  • Hugh Thomas, Treforllwyn. Derbyniodd addysg dda yn moreu ei oes, a bwriadwyd ef i fod yn feddyg, and dychwelodd adref a gweinyddodd fel goruchwyliwr tirol, ac fel meddyg yn achlysurol. Dywedir ei fod yn gristion cywir, ac yn rymus fel pregethwr. Bu yn pregethu am bymtheng mlynedd, a bu farw yn 1800, yn 42 oed.
  • Robert Hughes. Urddwyd ef i gynorthwyo yn y weinidogaeth yn y sir. Derbyniodd alwad o Saran a'r Bontnewydd, lle y bu dros rai blynyddoedd, ond y mae yn awr yn ei gymydogaeth enedigol, ac yn pregethu yn gynorthwyol lle y byddo angen ei wasanaeth.
  • Hugh Parry. Urddwyd ef yn Bagillt, ond y mae er's blynyddau wedi ymuno a'r Bedyddwyr.

COFNODION BYWGRAPHYDDOL

JENKYN MORGAN.  Nid oes genym un sicrwydd hollol am amser a lle genedigaeth y gweinidog rhagorol hwn ; ond yr ydym yn barnu ar seiliau lled gedyrn mai yn ardal Caerphili, Morganwg, y ganwyd ac y magwyd ef; ac mai yn ysgol Mr. David Williams, Pwllypant, gweinidog yr eglwys yn y Watford, y derbyniodd ei addysg. Yr ydym hefyd yn barnu mai yn y Watford y derbyniwyd ef yn aelod eglwysig, ac mai yno y dechreuodd bregethu. Tua y flwyddyn 1740, os nad yn gynt, anfonwyd ef i'r Gogledd i gadw un o ysgolion rhad Mr. Griffith Jones, Llanddowror. Agorodd ysgol yn agos i'r Bala, a bu yno am ryw faint o amser yn ddefnyddiol iawn fel ysgolfeistr a phregethwr. Darfu i Mr. Lewis Rees, ar un o'i ymweliadau a Phwllheli, grybwyll ei enw fel dyn rhagorol yn y cymeriad ysgolfeistr a phregethwr. Cynhyrfodd hyny awydd yn y bobl yno am sicrhau ei wasanaeth yn Lleyn. Aeth hen wr duwiol o'r enw Francis Evans yn ei unswydd i ardal y Bala i ddeisyf arno fyned gydag ef i sir Gaernarfon, a llwyddodd i gael ganddo addaw myned. Yr oedd William

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Pritchard, o Lasfrynfawr, er ei fod wedi cael ei ddychwelyd at yr Arglwydd, hyd yn hyn heb uno yn weithredol a'r Ymneillduwyr, ond yn cwbl gydymdeimlo a hwy yn eu holl weithrediadau. Barnodd Francis Evans, gan fod Jenkyn Morgan yn cadw ysgol dan Mr. G. Jones, person, Llanddowror, y gallesid llwyddo i gael eglwys y plwyf iddo at gadw yr ysgol yn Lleyn, ond anfon William Pritchard at y person i'w gofyn. Aeth W. Pritchard ato, ond gomeddodd ei gais iddo am y drwgdybiai fod yr ysgolfeistr yn un o'r erefyddwyr. "Wel," ebai Pritchard wrth y person, "os oes genych chwi awdurdod ar eich eglwys, y mae genyf finau awdurdod ar fy nghegin; efe a gaiff gadw yr ysgol yno," ac felly y bu. Daeth lluaws i'r ysgol o blant a dynion mewn oed, a bu yr ysgolfeistr yn ddiwyd iawn yn eu dysgu a'u hegwyddori ; a byddai hefyd yn fynych yn pregethu yno. Un tro daeth yno ddyn o'r enw Richard Dafydd i'r cyfarfod, a cherrig yn ei logell, gyda bwriad i daro y pregethwr, ond tarawyd ef yn effeithiol gan Ysbryd Duw. Ymunodd yn fuan a'r crefyddwyr erlidiedig, a bu am flynyddau cyn ei farwolaeth yn bregethwr defnyddiol. Yn mhen rhyw faint o amser wedi iddo ymsefydlu yn Lleyn, priododd Jenkyn Morgan un o ferched y Tyddynmawr. Wedi i'w noddwr, William Pritchard, gael ei ymlid gan erledigaeth o sir Gaernarfon i Fon, aeth yntau ar ei ol yno; ac wedi llwyddo i gasglu eglwys fechan, urddwyd ef yn weinidog iddi. Yn y Watford, Morganwg, ei fam-eglwys, yr urddwyd ef. Cymerodd yr urddiad le yn mis Mehefin, 1746, pryd y gweinyddwyd gan Meistri Lewis Rees, Edmund Jones, ac eraill . * Wedi ei urddiad dychwelodd i Fon, ac yn y flwyddyn 1748, fel y gwelsom, adeiladodd gapel Rhosymeirch. Bu yn gweinidogaethu yno, yn Amlwch, a manau eraill yn Mon, hyd derfyn ei oes. Bu farw naill ai yn niwedd y flwyddyn 1762, neu yn gynar yn y flwyddyn ganlynol. Yr ydym wedi methu cael allan pa le y claddwyd ef. Mae yn debyg ei fod o bump i saith-a-deugain oed pan y bu farw. Dyoddefodd lawer o erledigaeth trwy holl ystod ei fywyd gweinidogaethol. Bu yn cael ei erlyn amryw weithiau yn Llys Esgobol Bangor.+  Yr oedd Jenkyn Morgan yn bregethwr rhyfeddol o effeithiol ac arddeledig. Cafodd oedfaon nodedig a bythgofus. Adroddai yr hybarch John Evans o'r Bala, hanes un o honynt, a chyhoeddodd Mr. Charles o'r Bala, ei adroddiad yn yr hen Drysorfa, yr hwn sydd fel y canlyn : - " Yr oedd, fel y byddai yn fynych yn y wlad y pryd hwnw, 'noswaith ganu' gan ieuengctyd y gymydogaeth, yn ysgubor Ty'nynant, gerllaw y Bala, yn cael ei chynal bob nos Sadwrn. Yr oedd yr ysgubor dan yr un tô a'r tý. Cafodd hen wr, un o'r Ymneillduwyr, yn ddwys ar ei feddwl roi cais am genad i Jenkyn Morgan ddyfod i'r ty, yn ymyl yr ysgubor, i bregethu ; a hyny ar un o'r nosweithiau, ac ar yr un pryd ag y byddai y bobl ieuaingc yn yr ysgubor wrth eu dawns. Yn rhyw fodd cenad a gafwyd ; a myned a wnaeth Jenkyn Morgan, a'r hen Ymneillduwr gydag ef, at y ty. Daethant yno erbyn bod y bobl ieuaingc wedi dyfod yn nghyd, Aeth Jenkyn i'r ty, a Duw Goruchaf gydag ef, ac a ddechreuodd ar ei orchwyl. Aethant hwythau, a'u telynwr, a'u plaid yn nghyd (Satan a feddylir), at eu gorchwyl hwythau i'r ysgubor. Gan fod y ty a'r ysgubor mor gyfagos, yr oedd swn y naill blaid yn cyrhaedd y llall. Dechreuodd y bobl ieuaingc gyda mawrawch ac egni ar eu dawns, gan feddwl boddi y sain, a llwyr orchfygu y gwaith oedd yn y ty ; ond llaw yr Arglwydd a fu arnynt mewn ffordd

* Llawysgrifau Thomas Morgan, Henllan.  + Thompson's MSS.

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ddirgelaidd, fel na chawsant na hwyl na thymer ar eu dawns, er eu holl ymgais a'u hymegniad. Yr oedd Jenkyn erbyn hyn er's tro wedi ymaflyd yn ei waith, ac yn cael ei gynorthwyo ynddo. Un o'r dawnswyr a giliodd oddiwrth ei gymdeithion at ddrws y ty i glust-ymwrandaw ; ac wrth wrando, glynodd y gair ynddo, fel y bu raid iddo dynu yn mlaen i'r ty. Yn y man, un arall a'i canlynodd, a thrydydd, a phedwerydd, a phumed, nes y daethant o'r diwedd oll i'r ty, a'r hen delynwr hefyd ; a gorfu arnynt ymlonyddu i wrandaw. Tra yr oeddynt yn gwrando, syrthiodd y fath ysbryd grymus o argyhoeddiad arnynt y telynwr a chwbl, nes y llefasant allan, fel y tair mil yn Jerusalem gynt, (Act. ii. 37), os nid yn yr un geiriau, etto mewn geiriau ag oedd yn arwyddo yr un dychryn ac ofn yn achos eu heneidiau. Wedi yr oedfa aethant allan dan lefain felly, ar hyd y ffyrdd a'r caeau, tua'u cartrefydd. Myfi a adwaenwn bump o'r bobl hyn, a gawsant eu galw yn yr oedfa hon, y rhai a barhausant yn syml a sylweddol yn eu proffes grefyddol hyd ddydd eu marwolaeth." Nid oedd yr oedfa hon ond un o lawer o rai cyffelyb a gawsai y dyn da hwn yn ystod ei oes. Yr ydym wedi taro wrth lawer o grybwylliadau parchus am enw Jenkyn Morgan, mewn hen lawysgrifau, ond yn anffodus nid oes genym ddim ychwaneg o ddefnyddiau i roddi hanes helaethach o'i fywyd, ei ddyoddefiadau, a'i lwyddiant. Ymneillduwr oedd ef o'r dechreuad, ond iddo fod am dymor, fel llawer o wyr ieuaingc eraill o'r cynnulleidfaoedd Ymneillduol, yn cadw ysgol dan Mr. G. Jones, Llanddowror.

ABRAHAM TIBBOTT. Ganwyd ef yn Llanbrynmair yn y flwyddyn 1752, a derbyniwyd ef pan yn ieuangc yn aelod o'r eglwys oedd dan ofal ei ewythr Mr. Richard Tibbott. Cafodd addysg dda, a gwnaeth y defnydd goreu o'i  fanteision, a chyfrifid ef yn ysgolhaig rhagorol. Bu yn gweinidogaethu yn olynol yn Rhosymeirch, yn Llanuwchllyn, ac wedi hyny yn Rhosymeirch, ac yn y Cymer a Llangynwyd, Morganwg, a dychwelodd drachefn i Fon yn niwedd ei oes, er nad ydym yn sicr fod unrhyw eglwys dan ei ofal yn ei flynyddoedd diweddaf. Yr oedd yn "wr cadarn nerthol," a gosodai ei arswyd ar bob erlidiwr a fynai ymosod arno. Pan oedd ef, ac eraill, yn dyfod o gapel Llanfyllin unwaith, safai yr erlidwyr yn un rhes ar y ffordd i'w hatal yn mlaen. Ofnai ei gyfeillion, a safent yn ol ; " Dewch, dewch yn mlaen," ebe Mr. Tibbott, a chyda hyny ymaflai yn ngyddfau y ddau agosaf atto o'r erlidwyr gan eu dymchwel ar unwaith un i bob ffos oedd o bob tu yr heol, a gwnaeth ffordd rydd i'w gyfeillion fyned trwodd yn ddiangol. Dro arall pan y pregethai yn Nghaernarfon, ceisiai dyn ymwthio Yn mlaen trwy y dyrfa i ddyfod i'w anmharchu. "Gadewch le iddo ddyfod yn mlaen, os oes arno eisiau  rhywbeth genyf fi." Ar hyny ciliodd y bobl o' r ffordd i wneyd lle iddo, ond llwfrhaodd calon y dyn fel nad oedd nerth ynddo mwyach i ymosod, ac aeth ymaith yn llechwraidd ; a chyda hyny dywedai Mr. Tibbott, " un nôd oedd ar ei dalcen yn dyfod yma, ond pe daethai yn mlaen cawsai ddau i fyned gydag ef adref." Digon helbulus fu ei yrfa weinidogaethol, ac er ei holl nerth a'i gryfder corphorol, bu y ddiod gadarn yn fagl iddo, ac ymgymysgai yn ormodol mewn cyfeillachau oedd yn anghydweddol ag urddas ei swydd ; ond er ei holl golliadau, cyfrifid ef yn ddyn gonest a diniwed, ac yr oedd y rhai a'i hadwaenai oreu yn coleddu syniadau tyner fawn dano. Yr oedd yn efengylaidd olygiadau ar byngciau mawrion crefydd, ac yn ddisigl yn ei ymlyniad wrth yr athrawiaeth sydd yn ol duwioldeb. Bu farw yn ddisymwth ar foreu Sabboth wrth fyned at ei gyhoeddiad i Landdeusant, a chladdwyd ef y tu

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fewn i furiau yr hen gapel yn Rhosymeirch ; ac yr oedd wedi ei gerfio ar plate o dan yr awrlais yno - " Tu fewn i'r capel hwn y gorwedd gweddillion y Parch. Abraham Tibbott, yr hwn a fu farw ar y 19eg o Fehefin, 1808. yn 56 oed.

JONATHAN POWELL. Ganwyd ef yn Defynog, sir Frycheiniog, yn y flwyddyn 1764. Symudodd oddiyno i Godrerhos, ac wedi bod yn pregethu am dymor cafodd alwad o Rhiadrwy, ac urddwyd ef yno yn y flwyddyn 1790. Llafuriodd yno yn galed am saith mlynedd, gan ymladd a thlodi ac angen. Cyfododd dadl dduwinyddol yn yr eglwys, ac yr oedd yno rai personau o olygiadau Sebelaidd, y rhai y mynai Mr. Powell eu diarddel, ond oblegid fod mwyafrif yr eglwys yn wrthwynebol i hyny, aeth pethau yn anghysurus, yr hyn a derfynodd yn ei ymadawiad. Daeth i sir Fon yn y flwyddyn 1798 i weinidogaethu yn Rhosymeirch a'r eglwysi cysylltiedig, nes y bu raid iddo gan wendid a llesgedd roddi y weinidogaeth i fyny. Yr oedd Mr. Powell yn ddyn o fywyd diargyhoedd, o olygiadau efengylaidd, ac o alluoedd cryfion ; ond yr oedd ei dymer yn sarug ac afrywiog, yr hyn a filwriai i fesur mawr yn erbyn ei lwyddiant fel gweinidog. Nid oedd terfyn ar ei ffraethineb, ac yn aml dywedai eiriau fel brath cleddyf. Cymerer yr hyn a ganlyn fel engreifftiau o'r hyn ydoedd. Wrth bregethu ar ddyledswydd yr eglwys yn urddiad Mr. D. Beynon, dywedai am iddynt ofalu am ei gynaliaeth, a chan droi at y gweinidog, dywedai " ie, frawd ieuangc, beth bynag fydd ar ol i chwi, chwi gewch ddigon o waith i'ch tafod, ond wn i beth am eich danedd." Un boreu Sabboth pan yr oedd yn myned at ei gyhoeddiad yn Rhosymeirch, digwyddodd fod Mr. Christmas Evans yn bedyddio yn afon y Pandy, gerllaw Llangefni ; ac ymddengys fod Mr. Evans mewn hwyl anghyffredin yn gwaeddi " Yn mlaen yr elo yr ail fedydd." Wedi myned i'r capel cyfeiriodd at y peth glywodd ar ei ffordd, ac am y pregethwr yn yr afon yn gwaeddi " yn mlaen yr elo yr ail fedydd." "Dywedaf finau," meddai, "yn mlaen yr elo yr ail eni." Unwaith mewn cymdeithasfa yn Llangefni, diolchai Robert Roberts o Glynog, "fod gwyneb y wlad arnynt hwy yr hen Fethodistiaid."Y Sabboth canlynol, cyfeiriai Mr. Powell at hyny, a dywedai, " Bobl anwyl, beth wnewch chwi a gwyneb gwlad heb wyneb Duw." Ond o dan yr holl erwinder a'r sarugrwydd oedd ar y wyneb, yr oedd ysbryd tyner a charedig, a theimlad crefyddol dwys. Yn ei gystudd diweddaf yr oedd ei ymddiried yn yr Arglwydd yn dal yn ddiysgog. Pan y gofynodd ei wraig iddo, a oedd arno ofn marw; dywedodd, "Mae arnaf ofn i'r gelyn gael ei oddef i wneyd y porth yn dywyll; ond yr wyf wedi rhoddi fy enaid i'w gadw i'r Hwn sydd abl i gadw yr hyn a roddir ato erbyn y dydd hwnw. Nid pridd gwlyb na chlai tomlyd sydd genyf o dan fy nhraed, ond craig yr oesoedd." *  Bu farw Gorphenaf 6ed, 1823, yn 59 oed, a rhoddwyd ef i orwedd yn mynwent Rhosymeirch ; ac yr oedd amryw o weinidogion Mon ac Arfon yn cymeryd rhan yn y gwasanaeth angladdol.

Translation by Eleri Rowlands

Here were the first fruits of religion in Anglesey. It was here that over the years Anglesey's non-conformists, of all denominations, met, and this is the mother church of all the churches on the island. Non-conformism had already started in all the other counties of Wales many years before Anglesey opened her doors to evangelical religion, and in the face of powerful storms of persecution it succeeded in the end in setting up the Lord's cause in the country. While drawing a picture of the state of Anglesey 1730, John Evans, from Bala said : - " The whole of Anglesey was of one religion, there were no factions but everyone travelled to the Church of his parish quite diligently, and they excelled at this above all the people of many areas of Wales. But they were generally throughout the land quite dark, reckless and superstitious, and believed, amongst them in fairies. There would be a lot of discussion about a sermon in the church if that happened, since the priest preached so rarely."*

It appears that sometime before that year, that three brothers, Howel, Harri, and Thomas, the sons of  Thomas Pritchard, from Tygwyn, close to Llangefni, somehow became uncomfortable about their spiritual state, and they had a sister who, like them, had awoken concerning eternal matters. It was not through preaching the gospel that this intense feeling happened, but it was through reading the scriptures, and other religious books that they happened to get hold of. They weren't notable for their gifts or their knowledge, but through true objectives and the decent way they led their lives, and  the religiosity of their conversations, they won the respect of their contemporaries, and their intenseness was a means to draw others to consider their end. Howel Thomas lived on his own land, Trefolwyn, and Harri Thomas lived in Bwlchyferi, and Thomas Thomas in Penyrallt, Heneglwys. +  it does not appear as if these good brothers did anything to start a Non-conformist cause in Anglesey, and many years went by after this uneasiness in their minds before one public onslaught was made on the lack of religion in the country. It is said that the former two registered their houses for preaching a few years after this, and the descendants of some of them still cling to the Lord in Anglesey. It was the arrival of  William Pritchard in Anglesey that became the catalyst for beginning non-conformism in the country, and since there was a direct connection between him and the coming of the evangelical religion to the island, along with the beginnings of the cause in  Rhosymeirch, we won't do better than to place his history here. William Pritchard was born in Brynrhydd, in the parish of Llanarmon, Caernarfonshire, in 1702. He had a better education than most of his contemporaries, so that he could speak Welsh and English, and a little Latin, but he spent years of his youth completely ignorant of the ways of salvation. After he married he went to live in Glasfrynfawr, in the parish of Llangybi. According to country ways he travelled to the Parish Church on a Sabbath, and from there to the public house to spend the rest of the day in empty joviality. Having been like that longer than usual in the Inn one Sabbath evening, he started for home, but he became confused and lost his way. He looked around

* Trysorfa (Treasury) .Vol. II. Page. 438.          + Methodistiaeth Cymru (Welsh Methodism, Vol I. Page. 105.

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saw a light, and made his way towards it, and as he arrived, he realised it was Pencaenewydd, where one Francis Evans lived. He turned around immediately to start for home, but before he was close to the place, he became confused again, and on looking around him and seeing a light, and wandering towards it, realised that it was Pencaenewydd once again. He tried a third time to go home, because the way was completely familiar to him, but he soon realised that he had again become confused, so there was nothing to do but look around for a light, and aim for it, and he realised he was in the same place for a third time, and he wondered what was happening to him. He went up to the window and saw Francis Evans and the Bible on the table in front of him, with his family around him, and while he listened, he heard him reading the twenty fifth chapter of  Matthew, and after reading, he and his whole family went down on their knees to pray.

 William Pritchard stayed there to listen to the prayer, and he was surprised to hear the man praying for his family and praying to the Lord that his ungodly neighbours would return from their wicked ways. He turned for home, and found his way clearly in front of him, but the circumstances had affected his heart deeply. He felt guilt and shame that he also had a family, but he had never prayed with them. He was in great anguish for about two years, and at last he received  "rest for his tired and burdened soul" and he joined the non-denominational church in Pwllheli. Since  William Pritchard was a more knowledgeable and intelligent man than most of his neighbours, he soon became publicly a religious man, and it didn't take long for the elfish eyes of his persecutors to mark him out as the target for their fury. He opened his house to accept the gospel, and Glasfrynfawr was a 'wayfarers' lodgings' for the preachers who called by. Lewis Rees, from Llanbrynmair, came along, and mentioned Howell Harries, who by now had come out " full of light, fiery  sparks, from little Trefecca," and when Howell Harries passed that way, he mentioned Jenkyn Morgan to William Pritchard. He was a fiery preacher, and he kept one of Madam Bevan's circular schools. They managed to get Jenkyn Morgan to GLasfrynfawr to keep a school, and by now false stories were being devised about William Pritchard and the schoolmaster, stating that they were teaching fallacious principles to the children, and that a ship from foreign climes was coming to a nearby port, and that they intended selling the children as slaves so that their parents would never see them again. Others alleged that they intended to draw men from amongst them in order to raise a rebellion in the country, and others alleged that they were collecting together to live in ungodliness and lechery, and many other false stories.

William Pritchard had heard of one Mr. John Owens, who was the Vicar of Llanor and Dyneio, and a  chancellor of  Bangor, that he was a man of mor than usual accomplishments, but he was a ruthless aggressor of the "Pengryniaid," (Roundheads) as the Non-conformists were called in scorn, and one Sabbath he went to listen to him in Llanor. When he left the church someone asked him what he thought of the sermon, and he answered that he thought it was fallacious and false, and contrary to the word of God. He was summoned to appear in a church court in Bangor, and the case was delayed for nearly three years, as he was unable to get anyone to plead his case, but at last the case was moved from the church court to the Courts of Assize, and the Advocate Williams, Tyfry, Anglesey, defended him, and it was

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proved through credible witnesses, that what William Pritchard said about the inaccuracies of the Chancellor were correct, and he won the case. The Advocate Williams told William Pritchard that he could dismiss the chancellor, if he  wanted to carry on with the case, but he did not have the spirit to exhort revenge on his opponent; but it was in the heart of the opponent to take revenge on him, and he did not rest until he succeeded through untrue stories in turning him out of his smallholding, and in 1742, William Pritchard had to leave Glasfrynfawr. He moved to Plas Penmynydd, in Anglesey, and his settling amongst the people of Anglesey was a great blessing to them, since it was from his settling there that the beginnings of non-conformity on the island can date. The whole area had heard about him before he came, that he was a man of some strange religion, and that anyone who kept company with him or his family would certainly lose their senses. They were considered a plague in the country, and everyone kept away from them as if they had leprosy, and especially the dignitaries of the Established Church who heaped all kinds of mockery on them. A man lived in the locality, who used to market sheep, and he sent flocks of them to the grass and wheat of William Pritchard, and neither he nor his servants dared to turn them out. He and his family suffered insult and great loss for the sake of the Lord Jesus. Ate beginning of 1743, Mr. Lewis Rees, from Llanbrynmair, came to Plas Penmynydd, and he preached nearby, and it was a service to be remembered. The following story is told about it in the Summary of the history, the beginning, and growth of the Independent churches of Anglesey, by the Revd. W. Williams, which was published by the quarterly meetings of Anglesey in 1863. Mr. Williams received the story from Mr. D. J. Beynon, Nantgarw, who was once a minister in Anglesey. The facts were known before this, but the details that follow are a new acquisition.

" In 1814, when the late Dr. Arthur Jones, Bangor, was on a journey in Anglesey, he preached at midday in a house called Hafod, in the parish of Llangwyllog. Mr. Beynon went there to a meet him. The old man of Hafod was a real Christian, and at the time was very old, and completely blind. During his talk with Mr. Jones, he related in a very effective way the story of his conversion. It took place, he said, during a sermon by Lewis Rees, the first time he visited Anglesey, near  Minffordd, in the parish of Penmynydd. Then he continued with the story like this; - Saul of Tarsus was never more determined to imprison the disciples of Jesus than I was with the persecuting gang that had collected with clubs to meet the 'pengrwn' (roundhead) who was coming to preach in Penmynydd. We had all agreed, if he preached we would do away with him immediately. When he came there, we started to press forward towards him, and when he went on top of a big old rock close to that house, (Minffordd,) he turned his face towards Arfon, and he said the verse to be sung by the few that followed him:-

"Disgwyliaf o'r mynyddoedd draw, ( I look towards the far mountains)

Lle daw i'm help 'wyllysgar,' &c." (From where comes my help)

We thought that he was expecting armed men to come from the mountains of Arfon, so we ran away a little from him. We discussed it, and some of us decided to listen to what the roundhead had to say, and so, we didn't jump over the bank to the lower part of the road, but we walked slowly and quietly

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in the shadow of the bank, until we came close to the place where he stood. He couldn't see us, and we couldn't see him, but we could hear every word he said as clearly as if we were by his side. Under the influence of that sermon, on the strangest day of my life, I came to recognise myself as a lost sinner, in all ways, despite all, outside Jesus Christ, who had been crucified. Thanks be to Him for snatching me like a fire-brand from the fire.' "

Immediately after this William Pritchard registered the little house called Minffordd for preaching, and in April, 1743, one Benjamin Thomas, from the South came here, for the purpose of preaching, but a crowd of persecutors collected there, carrying big sticks, in order to disrupt the meeting, and one of them had a stick with an iron head, which had been prepared for the purpose of fatally attacking the preacher. As Benjamin Thomas started preaching, one of the scoundrels threw a large jug of water over his head, and they started hitting him with all their might, but as he was a strong lively, man, he fled from their clutches with almost no injuries. Howel Thomas, one of the three brothers, whom we mentioned, received the blow from the stick with the iron head, and he was struck with such force that his blood was flowing, and the iron head broke with the force, and went over the wall to the field. The persecutors followed the poor innocents along the road, beating them cruelly with heir huge sticks, until, it is said that, their blood flowed along the road for more than a quarter of a mile. But it was William Pritchard that was the main target of their fury. One Sunday morning nearly two hundred and fifty people came to Plas Penmynydd, assuming that a preacher had arrived there since Saturday evening, but as it turned out there wasn't one there, and the master of the house was away from home. Just the wife and a servant were home, and there was a two month old baby in the wife's arms, and it's easy to imagine her frantic feelings as she saw this persecuting swarm like bloodhounds around the house, while swearing the most appalling  obscenities, and saying, "We have come here to kill your roundhead and his preacher." But in their fury having been disappointed, they shattered all the windows, and destroyed the animals' mangers, and they went to the barns and mixed the oats and the barley together, and threatened to kill anyone who opposed them. A little before that, one of the servants had been in the barn, earlier in the evening mending the plough, and a boy had been holding the candle for him to have light, someone aimed a shot at them, but by providence it went between them into the wall, and neither of them was hurt. William Pritchard finally felt that this cruel treatment was too much to bear, and having had advice from a solicitor, who had good will towards religion, the persecutors were summoned to appear in front of the Court of Assize in Shrewsbury, and some of them had to pay in full for the loss they caused, and others fled in case they received prison sentences of even the gibbet. The effect of this was to calm the public persecution, but the persecution persisted, and they were successful in getting the landowner to turn him out of Plas Penmynydd. In 1745, he moved to Fodlewfawr, in the parish of Llanddaniel, but the people of Llanddaniel weren't any more gentlemanly than the people of Penmynydd; especially as they went and returned from the markets of Caernarfon, he was attacked by churchmen and their followers, as one who was disseminating heresies and factions in the country. Once as he was coming over Fol-y-don, it happened that he had one of the chief persecutors with him. This was Mr. Morris, from Paradwys area. He started

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beating his horse with a stick and he felt really furious, all the while swearing and threatening, and as they reached the bank while he was still beating him mercilessly. William Pritchard asked him, "why are you beating me without reason?" He answered, with the wicked spirit filling his mouth, " That is too much respect for you." And since he wasn't likely to get any peace, William Pritchard rushed at him, and threw him down on his back, and dragged him by his feet across the gravel, until his clothes tore and some of his skin too. By now the man had changed his tune and was shouting loudly for his life. But no-one came to help him, and it was understood after that that William Pritchard was not a man to endure any insult and disrespect. A man in Newborough bought a large knife in order to kill him, and he came to Fodlew to do so, but by the time he arrived there William Pritchard was with his family, as he always was morning and evening. When the man saw this, he said in surprise, " In the name of the Great one, if he is like this, I won't do anything to him." Having seen that the persecution and beating wasn't having an effect, there was nothing to do but to use the same trick that was used before to get rid of him from Glasfrynfawr and Plas Penmynydd, and the same ruse was successful in getting rid of him from Fodlewfawr. Things looked bad for him and he did not know where to turn at this time, because the persecuting landowners allied against him, but "a light arose for the just in the darkness." He heard that there was an empty place from William Bulkeley, Esq., Bryndu, and he went to ask him for the place. The gentleman asked him, " why have you lost your place? Was it that you failed to pay?" "No,no," he said, " but because of my opinions on religious issues, and because I'm a non-conformist from the English Church" if there's nothing else against you, you may have enough land from me" and so it was. He gave him a lease on Clwchdernog, in the parish of Llanddeusant, and that's where he stayed for the rest of his life. It appears that he moved to Clwchdernog sometime in 1749, as we have seen in John Wesley's diary, that he preached in William Pritchard's house near Llanerchymedd, in March, 1750, and again in April the same year. William Pritchard was faithful in religion to the end of his career. Up to the end of his life he considered himself a member in Pwllheli, and he travelled there every month to communion, even though he had to travel nearly eighty miles there and back, and on the other Sundays he went to Rhosymeirch, and he had a small house on Clwchdernog land, where he held a religious service, as we shall see when we get to the history of  Llanddeusant. Even though William Pritchard was a principled Independent, yet he was notably unprejudiced towards other denominations, and he had socialised a lot, especially with Methodist ministers, and his house was open to welcome them. At the beginning of April, 1773, he caught a heavy fever, but he endured it all very quietly and patiently, and one his last sayings was - "shake my foundation, "Shake my foundation if you can. God's firm foundation will stand." He died on May 9th, 1773, and his remains were put to rest in Rhosymeirch cemetery.

We have, through the above notes of the life of William Pritchard, prepared the way to present the history of the cause in Rhosymeirch. Even though the little house, Minffordd, in Penmynydd, was registered for preaching, it is not apparent that a church was formed there, and we have no certainty of a date or place for the formation of the church. In Hanes Eglwysi Mon (The history of the churches of Anglesey), it is said that it was in a place called Caeaumon, in the middle of the island, in the house of one John Owen that

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the church was formed, and that in 1744. We cannot find out with certainty if Jenkyn Morgan was with them when the cause started. It is said that he was here twenty years, if so he must have come here the same time as William Pritchard, in 1742, because 1762 is the last date we find him here. It was in 1746 that he was ordained in Watford, near Cardiff, where he was a member; but he was ordained in order to be a minister in Anglesey. It is likely that it was the shortage of ministers in north Wales that was the reason the ordination took place in Watford ; and for the same reason Lewis Rees was ordained in Blaengwrach, to be a minister in Llanbrynmair. Jenkyn Morgan accepted help from the Presbyterian Treasury, as the minister of Rhosymeirch, from 1747 until 1762. It is certain that he was here when the chapel was built in 1748, as he bought a smallholding, Ty'nyreithnen, where the chapel was built. The most influential people in the cause at the time the chapel was built were, John Hughes, Rhydyspardyn; John Roberts, Dafarn-newydd; William Pritchard, Bodlewfawr, and John Owen, Caeaumon.  Jenkyn Morgan went on a journey through South Wales collecting towards the chapel, as we have found in the book of Brynteg that he was there on April 22nd, 1759, collecting towards a chapel in Anglesey, and that he collected £3. 12s. 6d. And the secretary has noted that that Sunday was a communion Sunday. We are not certain that he died here, or if he returned to the South, but it is certain that his ministerial connection came to an end around 1762. We cannot find out who directly followed him. There was a David Williams here in 1766. We know nothing more about him other than that he accepted help from the Presbyterian Treasury, because of his connection with Rhosymeirch. There was one Samuel Phillips here in the years between 1769 and 1771, but he wasn't a minister here. There wasn't a minister here in 1770, because we have a letter from the church to the managers of the Congregational Board, signed by John Owen and William Parry, deacons, and William Thomas and John Hughes, elders, pleading for Thomas Roberts, a member of this church, who had started preaching, to be accepted to the college in Abergavenny. The letter is dated March 8th, 1770, and it states specifically that they do not have a permanent minister. One Evan Evans was here in 1773. Abraham Tibbott was here in 1775, and he was here for some years after that. In 1784, Mr. Benjamin Jones came here. He was for a while a minister in Pencader. The cause increased greatly during the time Mr. Jones was a minister, and he worked hard to establish causes in other areas of the country. There was a big discussion in the church at this time about the "Persons of the Trinity," and Mr. Jones wrote a small book on the subject, which quickly brought the argument to an end. Before long, another debate started, on a more philosophical question, which was that man is made of three parts, body, soul and spirit. That was terminated through the tenderness and shrewdness of Mr. Jones. He stayed here usefully until 1791, when he moved to Pwllheli, where he spent the rest of his life. In Hanes Eglwysi Mon ( the history of Anglesey Churches), it is said that the church had been under the pastorate of Mr. Zeccheus Davies and Mr. William Jones, and it is understood that they were here before Mr. B. Jones, but we cannot see how this could be. Mr. B. Jones was a minister here for the whole time that Mr. William Jones was in Anglesey, because we found him in Machynlleth after he returned from Anglesey around

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1788. Maybe he was here keeping a school, and supporting Mr. Jones with the new cause that had been started by him in Beaumaris. As for  Mr. Z. Davies, about 1793, within two years after  Mr. B. Jones had left for Pwllheli he came to Llanddeusant to preach and keep a school, and he was there in 1795, when the chapel was built; and we tend to think that the church was never under the care of either of them. It is very easy to mix up the names of places, and people, and also that of dates while depending too much on tradition. It appears that Mr. Abraham Tibbott returned from Llanuwchllyn after Mr. B. Jones left, but he wasn't here long, because in a letter that he wrote to the managers of the Congregational Treasury on September 30th, 1795, he mentioned that he had given a warning to the church of his intention to leave, and that he wanted to emigrate. In  1798, a call was given Mr. Jonathan Powell, from Rhiadrgwy, and he stayed here labouring for 23 years. He caught an affliction before the end of his life so that he had to give up his ministry in October,1821, and he died in July, 1823.

Within a year after Mr. Powell gave up his ministry, a call was given to Mr. David James, a student from Neuaddlwyd college, and he was ordained on April 24ain, 1823.  Mr. W. Jones, Caernarfon preached on the nature of church; the questions were asked by Mr. J. Evans, Amlwch; the ordination prayer was given by Mr. O. Thomas, Llanfechell; Mr. D. Roberts, Pentir, preached to the minister and Mr. T. Lewis, Pwllheli to the church.*   Mr. James laboured here until he was forced by a languor and weakness to give up the ministry, and even though he is still with us, he is completely unable to fulfil his duties. He was accepted by the Treasury of Old Ministers, and he has for years given up the care of the church. Before the end of the year 1868, this church became connected with Sardis, Bodffordd, the church of Mr. John R. Davies, a student from the college in   Bala, and he was ordained on January 13th, 1869. Mr. R. E. Williams, Beaumaris preached on the nature of the church; the questions were asked by Mr. W. Jones, Amlwch; the ordination prayer was given by Mr. W. Griffith, Caergybi; Mr. M. D. Jones, Bala preached to the minister, and Mr. E. Evans, Sciwen to the church. +  Immediately after Mr. Davies was settled as minister, work started on building a new chapel instead of the old that had been a centre of the community over so many years, and it was opened at the beginning of 1870. Even though the church at Rhosymeirch had never been strong and well attended, yet this is the oldest cause in the county, and many of the most excellent of the earth have been buried in the nearby cemetery, a great attachment is felt by many through the country towards this ancient cause. Besides those who were mentioned already, many excellent men have been here, even though they did not fill the obvious and public circles of religion. Amongst the multitude of notable characters that have been connected with the church in Rhosymeirch, there was William Thomas, Meillionen. He was convicted in a remarkable way. A daughter of his had married Richard Jones, Maesmawr, Llanfechell, the son of John Owen, Caeaumon; and on one warm Summer's Sunday William Thomas went to visit his daughter in Maesmawr, having been in the church, apparently, joined the company in the graveyard, playing ball after the service. Since he had been sweating during play

* Dysgedydd, 1823. Page 187.  + Dysgedydd, 1869. Page 63.

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he removed  the red silk handkerchief from around his neck, and placed it on one of the graves, and once he'd finished playing he went along with the others to the Inn, and after spending a little time there, William Thomas remembered his silk handkerchief that he'd left on the gravestone in the cemetery, and when he returned there, he found it as he'd left it, but the moment he caught hold of it disintegrated in his hand in a cloud of dust. The whole thing was like an arrow straight to his heart, and he said, " I deserved to be devoured, not the old handkerchief," and from then on he started leading a new life, and he was a faithful member in Rhosymeirch until his death. He used to get up early in the morning, especially on the Sabbath, to read and meditate; and one Sabbath morning, when the family got up, they found him on his knees in front of an old bench, with a Peter Williams Bible open in front of him, and he was dead!! That old bible is around now and the property of Mr. Owen Thomas, Neuadd, Cemaes.

The following persons were raised to preach in this church: -

  • Thomas Roberts. He was born in Ty'nllwyn, Trefdraeth. He went to Abergavenny college yn 1770. He was ordained in England, where he laboured for many years.
  • Lewis Powell. The son of the minister, Mr. Jonathan Powell. He was educated in Wrexham college, and was ordained in Llanrwst, but he went to the Established Church, and he died in Llanon, Carmarthenshire.
  • Benjamin Powell. Another son of the minister. He was ordained in Mold. He went to  America, but he died young.
  • Hugh Thomas, Treforllwyn. He had a good education early in his life, and he was meant to become a doctor, but he returned home and became a land overseer, and as a doctor on occasion. It is said that he was a true Christian, and powerful as a preacher. He preached for fifteen years, and he died in 1800, at the age of 42.
  • Robert Hughes. He was ordained to support the ministry in the county. He accepted a call from Saran and Bontnewydd, where he stayed for some years, but he is now in his birth community, and is a lay preacher whenever his services are needed.
  • Hugh Parry. He was ordained in Bagillt, but joined the Baptists years ago.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

JENKYN MORGAN.
We have no certainty as to the time and place of this excellent minister's birth; but we think we have safe grounds for believing that he was born and raised in Caerphilly, Glamorgan; and that he was educated in Mr. David Williams, Pwllypant's school. He was a minister in the church in Watford. We also think that he was accepted as a church member and started preaching there. Around 1740, if not earlier, he was sent to the North to keep one of Mr. Griffith Jones, Llanddowror's free schools.  He opened a school close to Bala, and he stayed there for some time usefully as a schoolmaster and preacher. Mr. Lewis Rees, on one of his visits to Pwllheli, mentioned his name as an excellent man. The people there became eager to have his services in  Lleyn. A godly old man by the name of Francis Evans went to the Bala area specially in order to plead with him to go with him to Caernarfonshire, and successfully persuaded him to promise to go. William

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Pritchard, from Glasfrynfawr, even though he had returned to the Lord, had not actively joined the non-conformists, but he fully sympathised with them in all their work. Francis Evans thought, since Jenkyn Morgan kept a school under Mr. G. Jones, parson, of Llanddowror,  that it would be possible to obtain a parish church for him as a school in Lleyn, but they sent William Pritchard to the parson to ask him. W. Pritchard went to him, but he forbade them from doing so because he mistrusted the schoolmaster and thought he was one of the religious ones. "Well," said Pritchard to the parson, "if you have the authority over your church, I have authority in my kitchen; he may keep the school there," and so it was. A multitude of children and men of full age came to the school, and the schoolmaster was very busy teaching and teaching principles to them; and he would often preach there too. Once, a man by the name of Richard Dafydd came to the meeting, with stones in his pocket, with the intention of stoning the preacher, but he was hit effectively by God's Spirit. He soon joined the persecuted religious people, and he spent years before his death as a useful preacher. Some time after he settled in Lleyn, Jenkyn Morgan married one of the daughters of Tyddynmawr. Once his sponsor, William Pritchard, had been chased away from Caernarfonshire to Anglesey by persecution, he followed him; and after he succeeded in collecting a small church, he was ordained as minister there. He was ordained in his mother church of Watford, Glamorgan. This took place in June, 1746, and Messrs Lewis Rees, Edmund Jones, and others officiated. * After his ordination he returned to Anglesey, and in 1748, as we saw, he built Rhosymeirch chapel. He ministered there, in Amlwch, and other places in Anglesey, until the end of his life. He died either at the end of 1762, or early in the following year. We have failed to discover where he was buried. It appears that he was between forty five and forty seven years old when he died. He suffered a lot of persecution throughout his ministerial life. He was prosecuted several times in the Bishop's Court in Bangor.+  Jenkyn Morgan was an extraordinarily effective preacher. His meetings were notable and will long be remembered. The venerable John Evans from Bala, recounted one of them, and Mr. Charles from Bala, published the report in the old 'Drysorfa', as follows: - " the youth of the community held a 'singing evening', as often happened in the country in those days, in the barn at Ty'nynant, near  Bala, every Saturday evening. The barn was under the same roof as the house. An old man, one of the non-conformists, mindfully asked for someone to request that Jenkyn Morgan come to the house, near the barn, to preach; on one of the evenings, and at the same time as the young people  would be in the barn at their dance. They managed to find someone who offered to go; and Jenkyn Morgan, and the old non-conformist with him, went to the house. They arrived by the time the young people had met, Jenkyn went to the house and God on High was with him, and he started on his task. They went, with their harpist, and their party along with them (Satan they thought), to their task in the barn. Since the house and the barn were so close, the noise of one party reached the other. The young people started on their dance with great energy, intending to drown the sound and to completely drown out the work in the house; but the hand of God was with them in a secret way

* Thomas Morgan's documents, Henllan.  + Thompson's MSS.

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so that they had no fun or jollity in their dancing, despite all their efforts and energy. Jenkyn had been wrestling with his task for some time, and was helped in his work. One of the dancers slipped away from his companions towards the door of the house in order to eavesdrop; and as he listened, the word clung to him, so that he had to go closer to the house. Soon, another followed him, and a third, and fourth, and fifth, until they all came to the house, and the old harpist too; and they had to quieten down and listen. While they were listening, such a powerful spirit of conviction came over them, even over the harpist, that they cried out, just as the three thousand in Jerusalem had done, (Acts. ii. 37), even if not in the same words, yet in words that caused the same fear and terror for their souls. After the service they went out crying all the time, along the roads and the fields, towards their homes. I happen to know five of these people, and they were called during this service, those who stayed simply and truly in their professed faith till the day of their deaths." This service was only one of many similar ones that this good man held during his life. We have noted many respectful references for Jenkyn Morgan, in old documents, but unfortunately we do not have any more material in order to extend his history, his suffering, and his success. He was a non-conformist from the beginning, even though he did for a while, just like many other young men from the non-conformist congregations, keep a school under Mr. G. Jones, Llanddowror.

ABRAHAM TIBBOTT.
He was born in Llanbrynmair in 1752, and was accepted when young as a member of the church under the care of his uncle Mr. Richard Tibbott. He received a good education, and ;made the most of his advantages, and he is counted as an excellent scholar. After this he ministered in Rhosymeirch, in Llanuwchllyn, and then in Rhosymeirch, and Cymer and Llangynwyd, Glamorgan, and he returned once more to Anglesey at the end of his life, although we aren't sure that he had any church under his care in the latter years. He was a strong, powerful man, and he scared every persecutor who dared to attack him. When he, and others, came from Llanfyllin once, the persecutors stood in one line on the road in order to prevent them from going ahead. His friends were frightened and stepped back; " Come, come along," said Mr. Tibbott, and with that seized the necks of the two persecutors closest to him pulling them down immediately one into each of the ditches each side of the road, and he created a way through for his friends to walk safely. Another time when he preached in Caernarfon, a man tried to push forward through the crowd in order to insult him. "Let him come forward, if he wants something from me." Just then everyone stood back to make room for him, the man acting as if he had no more strength to attack, and he went away stealthily; and with that Mr. Tibbott said, " he had just one aim in coming here, but as he came here he got two to go home with him." His ministerial career was troublesome enough, and despite all his physical strength and energy, the hard drink became a crutch to him, and he mixed too much with unsuitable people which did not suit the dignity of his position; but despite all his losses, he was considered an honest and harmless man, and those that knew him best harboured very tender thoughts about him. His views were evangelistic as he considered the greater subjects of religion, and he is unshakeable in his adherence to the godly doctrine. He died suddenly on a Sunday on his way to a service in Llanddeusant, and he was buried

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within the walls of the old chapel in Rhosymeirch; and this is carved on a plaque under the clock there - " In this chapel lie the remains of The Rev. Abraham Tibbott, who died on June 19th, 1808. at the age of 56.

JONATHAN POWELL.
He was born in Defynog, Breconshire, in 1764. He moved from there for Godrerhos, and after he had been preaching there for a while he received a call from Rhiadrwy, and he was ordained there in 1790. He laboured hard there for seven years, while fighting with poverty and need. A theological argument arose in the church, and there were people there who had Sebelite views, whom Mr. Powell was determined to ostracise, but because the majority of the church was opposed to that, things became uncomfortable, which led to his departure. He came to Anglesey in 1798 to minister in Rhosymeirch and the sister churches, until he had to give up the ministry as a result of weakness and debility. Mr. Powell was a man who led a life of conviction, of evangelical views, and was very able; but his temper was surly and uncongenial, which  militated a great deal against his success as a minister. There was no stop on his facetiousness, and he would often say words like the bite of a sword. Accept this as an example of his words. As he preached on the duty of the church in the ordination of Mr. D. Beynon, he said that they had looked after him physically, and as he turned to the minister, he said " yes, young brother, whatever is left for you, you will have plenty of work for your tongue, but I don't know about your teeth." One Sunday morning when he was travelling to chapel in Rhosymeirch, it happened that Mr. Christmas Evans was christening in Pandy river, near Llangefni; and it appeared that Mr. Evans was in great spirit and shouting" Along with the second christening." When he arrived at the chapel he referred to what he'd seen on the way, and about the preacher in the river shouting" along with the second christening." "But I say," he announced, "along with the second birth." Once in a social meeting in Llangefni, Robert Roberts from Clynog thanked, "that the face of the country was on the old Methodists. "The next Sunday, Mr. Powell referred to that and said, " dear people, what will you with  the face of the country without the face of God." But underneath all that coarseness and surliness that was on the surface, there was a tender and kind spirit, and profound religious feeling. In his last illness his trust in the Lord was unshaken. When his wife asked him if he was afraid to die; he said, "I'm afraid that the enemy will darken the gates; but I have given my soul to Him who is able to keep that soul for that day. I don't have wet soil or dirty clay under my feet, but I have the rock of ages." *  He died on July 6th, 1823, at the age of 59, and he lies in Rhosymeirch cemetery; and many of the ministers of Anglesey and Arfon took part in the funeral service.
 

CAPEL MAWR

Translation available on /big/wal/AGY/Llangristiolus/Hanes.html

"Mae y Capel Mawr yn mhlwyf Llangristiolus, ac adnabyddir ef yn aml wrth yr enw Capel Paradwys. Bu cyfarfodydd crefyddol yn cael eu cynal

* Dysgedydd, 1823. Tu dal. 258.

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yn yr ardal hon yn Ceryg-gwyddel, yn mhlwyf Cerygceinwen, ac yn y Tygwyn, yn mhlwyf Llangadwaladr, a dywedir fod y lleoedd hyny wedi eu cofrestru at bregethu. Yn ol cofnodion Llys Bangor, cawn fod lle o'r enw Bleddyncynog, yn mhlwyf Llangristiolus, wedi ei gofrestru gan un Henry Maurice, Chwefror 17eg, 1774. Henry Maurice oedd perchenog lle, ac yr oedd yn byw yn y fferm a elwir Paradwys. Ffurfiwyd eglwys yma, yn un o'r manau uchod, o gylch y flwyddyn 1763, ac yr oedd y personau canlynol yn mysg y rhai a gychwynasant yr achos :-William Parry, Tygwyn ; Hugh Williams, College, Llangadwaladr ; Owen Jones, Ceryg-gwyddel, a'i wraig; Dafydd Abraham, y Llog; Owen Roberts, Ty'nypwll; William Jones, Tyrhyswyn; Thomas Parry, Tanylan, (Cerygengan, wedi hyny) ; John Jones, Tyddyndomas, a Mrs. Thomas, Tanylan. Cyn hir ymunodd amryw eraill a'r eglwys fechan, ac yn eu plith Mrs. Hughes, Plascoch, yr hon a ystyrid yn wraig gyfrifol a rhinweddol. Yr oedd hi yn ferch i William Pritchard, Clwchdernog, a hi oedd yr unig un o'i ferched a ymunodd a'r Annibynwyr. Unodd y lleill a'r Methodistiaid Calfinaidd. Ar yr achlysur o'i marwolaeth, pregethodd Mr. Jonathan Powell oddiar y geiriau, " Llawer merch a weithiodd yn rymus, ond tydi a ragoraist arnynt oll." Awgrymai fod ei chwiorydd wedi gwneyd yn dda, ond ei bod hi wedi rhagori arnynt oll. Bu pregethu yn Tygwyn a Ceryg-gwyddel am ysbaid deng mlynedd cyn codi y capel. Yr oedd William Parry, Tygwyn, yn pregethu yn achlysurol, ac efe a John Owen, Caeaumon, ac Owen ,Tones, Ceryg-gwyddel, a Thomas Parry, Tanylan, oedd a'r llaw flaenaf yn adeiladu y capel. Yr oedd Mr. John Thomas, Tanylan, er nad oedd yn aelod eglwysig, yn garedig iawn i'r achos, ac efe arolygydd adeiladiad y capel. Yr oedd mewn amgylchiadau bydol cysurus, a'i wraig yn nodedig am ei duwioldeb. Bu hi farw Ebrill 24ain, 1783, yn 47 oed. Yr oedd John Thomas, Tanylan, yn un o 54 o bersonau a foddodd wrth ddychwelyd dros yr afon Menai o Gaernarfon, Rhagfyr 5ed, 1785. Ni achubwyd ond un allan o 55 o bersonau. Gadawodd William Jones, Tyrhyswyn, a enwyd, 80p. i'w  defnyddio yn y modd goreu at wasanaeth yr achos yn y lle, a chodwyd 100p. atynt a phrynwyd Tyrhyswyn, ac y mae y tyddyn yn eiddo yr eglwys ; ond y mae y 100p. a godwyd yn aros byth heb ei dalu. Nid oes genym ddim neillduol i'w gofnodi am hanes crefydd yn y Capel Mawr, o adeg ei adeiladiad tua'r flwyddyn 1773 hyd 1812, pan yr adgyweiriwyd ef, ac wedi hyny yn 1834, adeiladwyd ef yn dy llawer helaethach. Bu y lle hwn mewn cysylltiad gweinidogaethol a Rhosymeirch hyd derfyn gweinidogaeth Mr. James yn y flwyddyn 1866.

Yn  y flwyddyn 1869, unodd yr eglwys hon a'r eglwys yn Hermon, Llangadwaladr, i roddi galwad i Mr. David C. Rees, Talybont, sir Aberteifi, a derbyniodd y gwahoddiad, a dechreuodd ei weinidogaeth yma Awst 15fed, flwyddyn hono, ac y mae yn parhau i lafurio yma. Yn ddioed wedi ei sefydliad yma, penderfynwyd cael capel newydd yma, ac wedi penderfynu ei gael nid oedwyd dim cyn dechreu arno. Cafwyd cynllun gan Mr. Richard G. Thomas, Menai Bridge, yr hwn a fawr gymeradwywyd, ac yn Ebrill, 1870, tynwyd yr hen gapel i lawr' ac agorwyd y capel newydd Hydref 24ain a'r 25ain, 1871. Costiodd, a chyfrif y cludiad, 1,300p., ac nid oes yn aros o ddyled ond 600p., a chyfrif y 100p. sydd ar Tyrhyswyn,  ac y mae y tyddyn yn werth agos y swm sydd arno ef a'r capel. Ni bydd y ddyled yn hir cyn cael ei llwyr dalu, canys y mae gan y bobl galon i weithio."

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BODFFORDD

Translation available on /big/wal/AGY/Heneglwys/Hanes.html

"Cychwynwyd yr achos yma gan ychydig o aelodau Rhosymeirch tua'r flwyddyn 1810, mewn lle a elwir Hendy, a buwyd yn addoli yn y bwthyn llwyd hwnw am bedair blynedd. Yr oedd Mr. Owen Thomas, Carrog, yn enedigol o'r ardal yma, ac yn aelod yn Rhosymeirch, ac efe yn benaf a ofalai am yr achos bychan yma hyd 1822, pryd y cymerodd Mr. David James ofal y lle mewn cysylltiad a Rhosymeirch a'r Capel Mawr. Adeiladwyd yma gapel yn y flwyddyn 1811, yr hwn a alwyd Sardis, a chofrestriwyd Sardis, yn mhlwyf Heneglwys, gan Mr. Jonathan Powell, Rhagfyr 1 af, 1814, fel y dengys Cofnodion Llys Bangor. Y rhai oedd yn blaenori yn adeiladaeth y capel oedd - Daniel Jones, Rhydyspardyn; Robert Jones, Cerygduon, a William Evans, Ty'nyrallt. Bu y gwyr hyn a'u teuluoedd yn llawer o swcwr i'r achos bychan yn y lle. Yn y flwyddyn 1824, helaethwyd y capel, ac wedi hyny yn y flwyddyn 1846, a thrachefn yn y flwyddyn 1865. Bu y lle mewn cysylltiad a Rhosymeirch hyd derfyn gweinidogaeth Mr. James, ac felly y mae yn parhau etto dan ofal Mr. J. R. Davies.

Cyfodwyd yma ddau bregethwr :-

  • John Jones, Rhydyspardyn. Bu yn pregethu am lawer o flynyddoedd, ond rhoddodd i fyny rai blynyddoedd cyn ei farwolaeth. Bu farw Ebrill 22ain, 1861.
  • Robert Evans, (Trogwy). Addysgwyd of yn athrofa y Bala. Bu yn weinidog yn Manchester, ac yn y Maesglas, Treffynon. Mae yn awr yn Remsen, America."

 

BEAUMARIS

Dechreuwyd pregethu yn y dref hon gan Mr. Benjamin Jones, pan yn weinidog yn Rhosymeirch. Prif noddwr yr achos yma yn ei gychwyniad oedd un John Parry, bragwr, ac ar ei gais ef y daeth Mr. Jones yma. Arferai Mr. Jones bregethu ar yr heol gyferbyn a'r hen garchardy, a dywedir mai ar ddymuniad y carcharorion y dewisodd y lle hwnw, y rhai a dynent i'r ffenestri i wrando arno. Mawrth 3ydd, 1784, cofrestrodd John Parry yn Llys Bangor, le a elwid yn Warehouse at addoli. Yn Hanes Eglwysi Mon, gan Mr. W. Williams, dywedir eu bod yn cyfarfod mewn ty anedd bychan o'r enw Ty'nyrardd, yr hwn a safai yn nghwr uchaf Wrexham-street, ond tynwyd ef i lawr yn fuan ar ol symudiad yr achos oddi yno. Nis gwyddom ai yr un ydoedd hwn a'r lle a elwid yn Warehouse, ai ynte dau le gwahanol oeddynt. Yn Ty'nyrardd y ffurfiwyd yr eglwys gan Mr. B. Jones, Chwefror 27ain, 1785. Yr aelodau cyntaf a dderbyniwyd yma oeddynt - John Parry, Richard Williams, Owen Jones, William Parry, William Owen, Hugh Jones, David Davies, a William Jones. Y cymundeb canlynol, derbyniwyd John Roberts, a'i wraig; Elizabeth Parry, a David Owen. Aeth y ty anedd yn fuan yn rhy gyfyng, a symudwyd i ystafell eang yn agos i'r man lle y saif yr addoldy presonol. Yr oedd grisiau i  fyned iddi o'r heol. Dichon mai dyma y lle a alwyd yn Warehouse wrth ei drwyddedu, os felly, fe ffurfiwyd yr eglwys cyn 1785, oblegid y mae yn sicr fod y Warehouse wedi  chofrestru at bregethu Mawrth. 3ydd, 1784. Gwnaed yr ystafell hon yn gyfleus at addoli ynddi, a deuai

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Mr. B. Jones, ac eraill, yma i bregethu, a bu Mr. William Jones, yr hwn a aeth wedi hyny i Fachynlleth, yma yn ei gynorthwyo, a gwelwyd graddau o lwyddiant ar eu llafur. Ond gwelsant amserau blin a thrallodus. Deuai terfysgwyr dan ddylanw ad diod gadarn i mewn i aflonyddu yr addoliad, a goddefodd llawer gwraig grefyddol anmharch mawr oddiwrth ei gwr annuwiol, oblegid cyrchu i gynnulleidfa y saint. Teimlent erbyn hyn angen am gael capel, ac anogid hwy gan y gweinidogion a ymwelent a'r dref i edrych allan am le i adeiladu. Ond yr anhawsder mawr oedd cael tir, oblegid y rhagfarn cryf oedd gan holl berchenogion tiroedd yn erbyn yr Ymneillduwyr. Prynodd Mr. John Parry res o dai bychain heb gymeryd arno beth a fwriadai wneyd a hwy ; ac wedi gwneyd pob peth yn sicr, dechreuwyd chwalu un o'r tai er mwyn codi capel yn y lle. Cyn gynted ag y deallwyd hyny, cyffrodd cynddaredd gelynion crefydd, a gwnaethant eu goreu i atal y gwaith yn mlaen. Bygythiai un gwr, yr hwn oedd yn byw yn ymyl, a'i ardd yn terfynu ar y capel, os codid yno gapel y codai yntau dy i'w gwn wrth ei dalcen. Galwyd Mr. John Parry i ymddangos ger bron Arglwydd Bulkeley, a phan yr aeth o'i flaen dywedodd, " Yr ydwyf wedi clywed, John Parry, eich bod yn adeiladu ty drwg iawn i gynal cyfarfodydd dirgelaidd o natur amheus, ac y mae yn debyg o fod yn rhwystr i fy nhenantiaid yn y gymydogaeth." Sicrhaodd Mr. Parry "mai ty i addoli Duw oedd y ty i fod, ac nad oedd amcan gan neb i'w ddefnyddio i ddim arall ;" a llwyddodd trwy eiriau teg i dawelu holl ofnau yr hen bendefig, a chyn diwedd y flwyddyn 1788, yr oedd y capel wedi ei orphen. Bu rai blynyddau ar ol hyny cyn ei gyflwyno drosodd i ymddiriedolwyr. Gwnaed y weithred yn y flwyddyn 1792, a'r ymddiriedolwyr oeddynt Meistri Benjamin Jones, Pwllheli ; Daniel Lloyd, Dinbych ; Abraham Tibbott, Llanuwchllyn ; William Thomas, Bala ; George Lewis, Caernarfon, a William Hughes, Bangor. Gwerthwyd y ty a'r tai ar y lle iddynt gan John Parry, am y swm o 115p. Ymadawodd Mr. B. Jones o Rosymeirch i Bwllheli cyn canol haf 1790, ac felly collodd yr eglwys ieuangc yma ei nodded. Bu un Mr. Evan Jones yma yn gwasanaethu dros ychydig, a bwriadai ddyfod yma i aros, ond arosodd yn Amlwch ar ei ffordd yma. Daeth Mr. William Jones yma ar ol hyn, a bu yma am ddwy flynedd, ac yn 1792, symudodd i Penstryd, Trawsfynydd, lle y bu weddill ei oes, a cheir ei hanes yn nglyn a'r eglwys hono. Yr oedd un Jonathan Jones mewn cysylltiad a'r eglwys hon o'r flwyddyn 1794 hyd y flwyddyn 1796, canys yr ydym yn ei gael yn derbyn help o'r Trysorfwrdd Presbyteraidd am y blynyddoedd hyny. Dywedir i Mr. John Jones, mab Mr. Jonathan Jones, Rhydybont, fod yma am ysbaid. Nid ydym yn cael ei enw ef yn nglyn a bedyddiadau yr eglwys, nac yn rhestr y rhai a dderbynient help gan y Trysorfwrdd Presbyteraidd. Ai nid rhyw gamgymeriad yn yr enw tybed ydyw Jonathan Jones, ac mai John Jones a feddylir ? Os felly, ar ol Mr. W. Jones y bu ef yma. Yn y flwyddyn 1797, daeth Mr. Thomas Jones yma - un o gymydogaeth Glynarthen, yn sir Aberteifi ydoedd. Cawn iddo weinyddu yr ordinhad o fedydd yma gyntaf Tachwedd 6ed, 1797, a'r olaf a weinyddwyd ganddo oedd Chwefror 7fed, 1806, felly bu yma yn agos i naw mlynedd. Symudodd, fel yr ymddengys yn y flwyddyn hono, i Glynarthen, canys yr ydym yn ei gael wedi arwyddo tri bedydd a weinyddwyd ganddo yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn, fel Thomas Jones, Glynarthen. Y gweinidogion a weinyddai yma amlaf yn y blynyddau dyfodol, fel y gallwn farnu oddiwrth restr y bedyddiadau, oeddynt Daniel Evans,

Translation by Eleri Rowlands (Aug 2014)

Preaching was started in this town by Mr. Benjamin Jones, when he was a minister in Rhosymeirch. The main sponsor of the cause here at the beginning was one John Parry, a brewer, and it was at his request that Mr. Jones came here. Mr. Jones used to preach on the road opposite the old jail, and it is said that it was at the request of the prisoners that he chose this place. They used to collect at the windows to listen to him. It was on Marchr 3rd, 1784, that John Parry registered in Llys Bangor (Bangor court), a place called Warehouse for worship. In Hanes Eglwysi Môn (The History of Anglesey Churches), by Mr. W. Williams, it is said that they met in a small house by the name of Ty'nyrardd, that stood in the top corner of Wrexham-street, but it was pulled down soon after the cause moved from there. We do not know whether that is the same place that was called Warehouse, or if they are two separate places. In Ty'nyrardd the church was formed by Mr. B. Jones, on February 27th, 1785. The first members to be accepted here were - John Parry, Richard Williams, Owen Jones, William Parry, William Owen, Hugh Jones, David Davies, and William Jones. The following communion, John Roberts, and his wife; Elizabeth Parry and David Owen were accepted. The house soon became too small, and they moved to a large room close to where the present chapel stands. There were stairs leading to it from the road. Possibly that is the place that was called Warehouse when it was licensed, if so, the church was formed before 1785, because it is certain that Warehouse was registered for preaching on March. 3rd, 1784. This room was made suitable for worship, and

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Mr. B. Jones, and others, came here to preach, and Mr. William Jones, who after that went to Machynlleth, came here to support him, and their labour saw degrees of success. But they saw some trying and wretched times. Some rioters came by under the influence of strong drink to disrupt the worship, and many a religious wife endured much disrespect from her ungodly husband, because they gathered for the congregation of the saints. By now they felt a need for a chapel, and they were encouraged by the ministers that visited the town to look out for a place on which to build. But the greatest difficulty was to find land, because of the prejudice that all the landowners felt towards the non-conformists. Mr. John Parry bought a row of little houses without telling them of his intentions; and once he had secured everything, he started to demolish one of the houses in order to build a chapel in its place. As soon as they realized what was happening, the anger of the enemies of religion arose, and they did their best to stop the work from continuing. One man, the one who lived locally, with the garden boundary next to the chapel, threatened to build his house against the gable-end of the chapel. Mr. John Parry was called to stand before Lord Bulkeley, and when he went before him he said, " I have heard, John Parry, that you're building a very wicked house in which to hold secret meetings of a dubious nature, which is likely to be an obstacle for my tenants in the community." Mr. Parry assured him "that it was intended to be a house to worship God, and that no-one intended it to be used for anything else;" and he succeeded with fair words to quieten all the fears of the old nobleman, and before the end of the year 1788, the chapel was finished. Some years passed before it was committed to trustees. This happened in 1792, and the trustees were Messrs Benjamin Jones, Pwllheli ; Daniel Lloyd, Denbigh; Abraham Tibbott, Llanuwchllyn ; William Thomas, Bala ; George Lewis, Caernarfon, and William Hughes, Bangor. The house and the houses around were sold by John Parry, for £115. Mr. B. Jones left Rosymeirch for Pwllheli before mid summer 1790, so the young church lost his support. One Mr. Evan Jones was here serving them for a while, and he had intended staying here, but he stayed in Amlwch on his way here. Mr. William Jones came after this, and he stayed here for two years, and in 1792, he moved to Penstryd, Trawsfynydd, where he stayed for the rest of his life, and his history is connected to that church. There was one Jonathan Jones connected to this church from 1794 until 1796, we know because we have found him accepting help from the Presbyterian Treasury Board. It is said that Mr. John Jones, the son of Mr. Jonathan Jones, Rhydybont, was here for a short while. We do not have his name in connection with the church christenings, nor in the list of those who received help from the Presbyterian Treasury. We wonder whether some mistake has been made and when Jonathan Jones was named that it should have been John Jones? If so, after Mr. W. Jones it was he that was here. In 1797, Mr. Thomas Jones came here - he was one from the Glynarthen community, in Ceredigion. We found him officiating at a christening here first on November 6th, 1797, and the last one he administered was February 7th, 1806, so he was here nearly nine years. He moved, it appears, during that year, to Glynarthen, because we find him being the signatory in three christenings that he officiated in later in the year, as Thomas Jones, Glynarthen. The ministers who officiated here most often in future years, as we have seen in the lists of christenings, were Daniel Evans

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(Continued) 

Bangor; Abraham Tibbott, and Jonathan Powell. In 1809, a call was sent to Mr. John Evans, and he was ordained before the end of that year, as we have a record of his first christening on January 21st, 1810. * Mr. Evans stayed here responsibly and with respect for thirty two years, and it was during his time here that the present chapel was built, which cost £450. Because Mr. Evans' field of work was so extensive, and contained Pentraeth and Penmynydd, along with Beaumaris, in 1822, a call was sent to Mr. John Griffith, a student from Carmarthen college, to be a co-minister with him, and he was ordained on September 24th, that year. At the occasion Mr. J. Breese, Liverpool preached on the the nature of the church; Mr. J. Evans, Amlwch asked the questions; the ordination prayer was given by Mr. J. Evans, Beaumaris; Mr. D. Morgan, Machynlleth preached to the minister and Mr. D. Jones, Holywell to the church.+ Mr. Griffith didn't stay here long because he moved to Manchester, and when he left the connection between the town and the churches in the countryside was broken, and the whole care descended on Mr. Evans, as before. In 1842, through a marriage connection, Mr. Evans moved to Corwen; and because Mr. William Thomas, Dwygyfylchi, had married Mr. Evans' daughter, and had moved to the town to live with her, this church gave him a call to follow his father-in-law; and he started on his ministry in August, 1844, and his ordination service was held on 16th of the following September. This is what the author of Hanes Eglwysi Môn (The History of the churches of Anglesey) said about him, " the church and the congregation soon increased under his ministry, and a new life was started in every aspect of the cause. Some times of refreshing and renewal were experienced in the church." Many were added to the number in the church during his years labouring here, and the church enjoyed great peace and comfort. But Mr. Thomas' health greatly deteriorated and for months he languished, and on April 15th, 1866, his career ended at the age of 55, having laboured in this ministry for 22 years.

After his death the church spent years without a settled minister, but at the beginning of this year (1872) the church called Mr. Joseph Rowlands, Rhosllanerchrugog, and he started on his ministry here on the second Sunday in April, and everything is continuing comfortably, with signs for a favourable future.

We remember the names of many of the faithful of this church, besides those that have been mentioned in connection with the beginnings of this cause. Hugh George, who ministered the post of deacon well for many years. He and his wife were faithful members. John George and Richard Evans and their wives, had been faithful to the cause. Margaret Parry, had been lodging preachers for many years. Mary Pritchard, Llandegfan, who had professed her faith for 60 years, and who died at the age of 104 years.

We have found an inconsistency that we cannot solve. In a letter that we have in front of us, which was written by Mr. Evans himself, to Mr. Morgan, Llanfyllin, he mentioned that he was ordained on June 11th, 1811, and that Messrs B. Jones, Pwllheli; J. Griffith, Caernarfon; J. Powell, Rhosymeirch; J. Lewis, Bala; W. Jones, Salem; A. Jones, Bangor, and D. Roberts. Llanfyllin, were present. But the register of christenings shows that he officiated at the first christening here on January 21st, 1810, which was nearly two years before he was ordained. We tend to think that J. Evans, Amlwch, officiated at the christening which was recorded as January 21st, 1810. If we have a further explanation of this we will note it in the 'Atodiad'.

+ Dysgedydd, 1823. Page. 87.

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Mr. Thomas preached on the occasion of his death with the appropriate words - " Old pupil." William Jones and John Lewis who were faithful deacons; and Mary Williams, Rhosisaf was included; Catherine Tyrer, Catherine Williams, Wrexham-street; Elizabeth Jones, Pendre; Mary Jones, and Ann Edwards, Brynteg, excellent amongst the women of the church. Mrs. Evans, the wife of Mr. Evans, the minister, and her mother, who was a great sponsor of the cause for many years; and we don't need to mention to this generation the kindness of her daughter, Mrs. Thomas. Richard Williams and John Tyrer who were notable for their faithfulness as deacons, and they were greatly missed by them when they died. There is no doubt that there were many more who were just as faithful, but since we have no names, we cannot mention them; and we are glad to understand that many faithful still remain.

The following persons of this church were raised to preach :-
William Williams. He serves as a deacon in the church now, and also occasionally preaches. Thomas Williams. He spent some time in Bala college. Zechariah Mathers. He was educated in Bala college, and he was ordained in Ffestiniog, where he still resides.

Mr. W. Williams (Cromwel) was a member of this church originally, and returned here to live some years ago; and even though he does not have the care of a church now, he regularly preaches somewhere, and his support is a great help to this church especially during the time they had no minister.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

JOHN EVANS.
He was born in Capelgarmon, in Denbighshire, in 1779. He felt intense religious impressions when he was around twenty years old, and in a while, he joined the little church that met in a barn in his place of birth under the care of Dr. Lewis, and Mr. Azariah Shadrach, and soon he started preaching, and he went to the Dwygyfylchi area to keep a school occasionally. He experienced a great deal of opposition from his own family when he started showing an interest in religion, but that made no difference to his intentions. He accepted the call from Beaumaris, in 1809, and he laboured there gaining much approval until 1842, when he moved to Corwen. He stayed there about seven years, and then he returned to Beaumaris, for the rest of his life. For the last twelve years of his life he suffered greatly from breathing problems, which made it impossible for him to preach, except for occasions when his health allowed. He died on July 28th, 1862, at the age of 82. He had been preaching for 60 years. Mr. Evans was a good man, and his public persona had been continuous. In his heyday he had been a tall, strong, fine looking man. There was nothing sweet in his voice, but all his sermons were pure and substantial. He followed the ways of the generation of ministers that preached in Wales in his day. He was one of the first initiators of the 'Dysgedydd' ( 'Teacher' newspaper), and even though he didn't write much for it, he was zealous about it. He was in business for most of his life in Beaumaris, and he had a better

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standard of living than most ministers of his age, which gave him an influence amongst his fellow townspeople. From the theology point of view he was a disciple of Dr. Williams and Andrew Fuller, but he was always moderate in all he said. He took a prominent part in denomination matters in Anglesey for a long time, and he did everything publicly with a great deal of energy, he was always ready and willing. He lived to a fair age, and when his life came to an end his remains were laid to rest in the cemetery of Eglwys Fair ( St Mary's), Beaumaris.

WILLIAM THOMAS.
He was born in Bala, on October 25th, 1811. He received little daily education, the kind generally given to the children of workers in those days. Since his youth he had attended the Independent chapel in Bala, and he was happy to make it his home; and he spent time in the Sunday school learning and 'reciting a topic' (a peculiarly Welsh devotion of searching the scriptures), in which he was supported warmly by the minister, Mr. J. Ridge. He was brought up to follow his father's craft as a cobbler; and as a young man, he left to see the world. He went as far as Pentrefoelas, and found that there was one Owen Williams, of the same calling, living in the village, and he hoped to find work there. He humbly went to the house, and asked for work, but there was no sign of work there, but they offered him food so that he could go on his way. At the time Mr. John Roberts, Capelgarmon, was sitting in front of the fire in Owen Williams' house, and soon he was bold enough to ask, "When will you come to Bala to preach again Mr. Roberts?" "I'm not sure yet," said Mr. Roberts. " Are you from Bala?" "Yes sir." Then Owen Williams asked him, " Have you ever heard Mr. Roberts in Bala?" " Yes." " Do you go to the Independent chapel?" " Yes." " are you a member there?" "Not a full member, but I stay for the fellowship meeting on Sunday evening." Owen Williams' heart warmed to him, and he said, " Well I must find something for you to do, since you are an Independent." He stayed there for two years, and while he was there he was accepted into full membership in Bethel, Pentrefoelas. He returned to Bala, and later he went to Harwood, (Brymbo now), and while he stayed there he started preaching, and he preached a lot throughout the countryside around there, and he was very welcome as a preacher wherever he went. Through the encouragement and support of Mr. Williams from the Wern, and other ministers, he went to i'r Marton school under the care of Mr. John Jones, where he stayed for two years, and there was as much of an improvement in his teaching as could be expected in one of his age and his advantages, in such a short time. He became prominent and popular as a preacher and public speaker on temperance, and there were many calls on him to officiate in meetings and celebrations. At the beginning of 1839, a call was received from Horeb, Dwygyfylchi, and he was ordained there on August 6th, 1839. He was at that time full of zeal and passion, and powerful effects followed his sermons wherever he went. Since that time was one of powerful revival, and since he was naturally a man of warm tendencies, that revival gave him a chance to develop his gifts. No young minister had ever been more full of the spirit of his work than he at the beginning of his ministry, and he worked very much harder than his weak body allowed. He had a very thin and withered body at that time, and he preached with such conviction that his nature would sink under the burden of his work, but he was so full of the spirit of the work that he could not stop. Before

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the end of 1842, he married Miss Ann Evans, the daughter of Mr. Evans, the Independent minister in Beaumaris, and he moved there to live with her at the beginning of the following year, and he continued to travel to Dwygyfylchi to the people he loved who were under his care, in all weathers. He was loved such a lot by the whole church. In August, 1844, he took over the care in Beaumaris, and there he laboured with great approval for the rest of his life. He had gained a great deal of weight in the last eighteen years of his life, but despite that he had not gained strength, and he was often prone to hoarseness, which bothered him a lot. He spent a happy time in Beaumaris in his relationship with the church, and in his relationship with his family and circumstances, except for the last four years of his life, when he suffered storms of illness and death. His father and mother and father-in-law died, his own health deteriorated as did that of his wife, and she died on April 23rd, 1865, and his life wasn't the same after that. He didn't live a full year after her. He gradually weakened, and died in silence and peace on April 15th, 1866, at the age of 55, and everyone who knew him agreed that no more upright man than he was ever put to lie in the ground of Anglesey. Peace be to his ashes.

His brother, Mr. H. E. Thomas, formerly of Birkenhead, now in Pittsburgh, America, wrote a full biography, along with a number of sermons, and we end our notes about Mr. Thomas with the following quotes from that biography, since they are true pictures of his character.
"He was a man of deep thoughts, intense, and very gentle. He would not nor could he hide his feelings. His true attitude could be seen in his face. Look at his face any way you will. The place many a man could hide his feelings, where you may not know whether he is cross or content. From my point of view, I don't think a man like that could possess a healthy spirit, and I could never make a friend of him. William was not like that. This is what Mr. Pugh, Mostyn, said of him:- 'he possessed a cheerful spirit, kindly feelings, and inflexible honesty. There was no "deception in his spirit," and he never used soft words when harsh ones were called for.' "

His main feature as a preacher was simplicity, seriousness, and a practical inclination. He always aimed for the conscience,' said Dr. W. Rees, on the evening of his burial, and he was very sure of his target. I did not often hear anyone as sharp in his ministry.' He always preached energetically, and he sweated until it appeared he'd had water poured over him. It would have been better had he spared himself more. But he had started his ministry during a very fiery period in religion, and he never lost that spiritual heat that he possessed at that time, even though the congregations had substantially cooled by then. The fact that he was so nervous spurred him on even more than he would have liked many a time. He worked very hard at writing sermons. It wasn't easy to produce and present two sermons a week, while he also had other commitments. He often complained how difficult it was to produce the sermons and to discuss the world. People would call constantly and steal his time. A settled minister's books, money and time should never be stolen. He had to lose sleep rather than ease up on the time he worked during the day. He experienced many glorious services at home and away. He was a tool in God's hands to convict many scores of sinners. When his voice was good he had a remarkably piercing

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cry, very similar to that of Revd. John Elias. But he lost heart when he contracted bronchitis. The east wind, which hit Beaumaris very powerfully, overwhelmed him completely."

It would be easy for us to add to this, and if anyone would like to know more about him, they only need to refer to the biography, where the whole man will be apparent.

 CONTINUED


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