ART. V.-Y Dyddiadur Methodistiaidd, am 1843. (Welsh Ecclesiastical histories are seldom the history of the church. The true church contains no members whose names are not written above; and that would be the truest church history which most closely resembled the history preserved on high. When God writes up his people, he counts none who are not born again; but all that concerns this people, their wanderings, their tears, -their conversations, are found in the records of eternity. thing shews the secularity of church history more than the little notice taken of those great movements,―more eventful than controversies, or councils, or even reformations, which add to the church of such as shall be saved; and its entire oblivion of names which shine in the firmament as having turned many to righteousness. We beg the attention of our readers to a religious community, which is a mere Bethlehem-Ephratah, little among the thousands' of our high-church annalists; but whose ministers have many of them been the mightiest and most valiant in Israel, and whose communion contains within itself as vigorous and orthodox a Christianity and as many living members as any denomination in these lands. We mean the Calvinistic Methodists of Wales. Those who have read the life of Charles of Bala, must be familiar with the name. Those who are in the habit of turning over Adams' View of all Religions, may have seen a page devoted to the sect. But, generally speaking, Welsh methodism is such a terra incognita to all but the Welsh themselves, that a short article of elementary information may be acceptable to readers of the Presbyterian Review. 6 Like our own Highlands, Wales was but partially and superficially affected by the Reformation. Most of it remained dark and barbarous long after. In the days of the Commonwealth it had a little light, but though 150 faithful ministers were then planted in it, their labours were so soon suspended, that, in another generation, the short-lived sun-burst which then had gilded its mountains, became a winter-night's tradition. A century ago the apostolic labours of Vavasor Powell and Thomas Gouge might be sometimes named along with the giant feats of Owen Glendower; but it was much in the same way as a band of Highland smugglers would talk of the exploits of the covenanters, and then of Prince Charlie or Rob Roy. It was the heroism, not the holiness of the men which they admired; and they would have liked their prowess all the better if it had not been encumbered with prayer. The Welsh were then, what they are still, a people full of spirit; but it was a wild spirit,-the spirit of their own rock-goats, fearless, venturesome, and frisky,-withal disdaining the green pastures and still waters, and shunning the Good Shepherd. Wakes and fairs, feasts and revels, cock fights and bull-baitings, were the joy of the Principality, and the Sunday was their chosen day of sports. They spent it in games, music, and dancing, and drunken riot, and not unfrequently in brutal fights with one another. They had no desire for learning; and if they had, the desire must have remained ungratified, for they had scarcely any schools. They had churches and a clergy; but as the people did not attend the churches, the clergy did not interfere with the people. More than a hundred years ago a young gentleman left his home in Breconshire to study in an Oxford college. He was a graceless youth; but as Rome startled Luther, so the head quarters of Anglican divinity alarmed this young civilian. For his own safety he left the licentious atmosphere and returned no more. Awakened to a concern for his own soul, he began to bestir himself in behalf of his ungodly neighbours. Gentleman as he was, he opened a school and taught it himself. He spoke to friends and neighbours, when he found a few of them together, about their souls, and heaven, and hell, and more still about the Saviour. The Spirit of God was then working mightily throughout the world wherever a pure gospel was preached. He wrought mighty signs by the hands of Howell Harris. Multitudes of the poor ignorant men of Brecon were aroused from their deadly sleep. Ere ever he was aware Harris was an itinerant and a field-preacher, thrust forth into this labour by his burning love, and ordained by the Bishop of souls. The devil, the graceless clergy, and the ignorant people were against him; but God was with him. The mob lay in wait for him; but he took them prisoners. Magistrates put the riot-act in their pockets and went out to hear him; and then shook hands with him and invited him home to their houses. A larking youth, famous for his skill in Welsh music, returning from a fair, stopped in a frolic to hear him, and to that sermon we owe the sweet singer of Wales, and the Welsh Methodist Hymn Book.* It seemed as if there were no resisting the power and wisdom with which he spake. When his visit to any district led to an awakening, after giving the people such instruction as time allowed, he formed them into a little fellowship, the better to secure their permanence and progress. This society met once a-week to read, and converse, and pray together; and as often as he could, Howell Harris came round to see how they did. In the progress of years • Williams of Pant y Celyn. the principality was planted all over with these little companies fresh gathered from the wilderness. A gregarious propensity seems to have marked the religion of Wales from the very beginning. Its people must needs come together, and so must its ministers. That baptism of fire, in which life from above first descended on them, made them frank and af fectionate, speaking freely out their actual feelings, and confiding in one another. In the history of Howell Harris we have an instance of this propensity-this revival of the earliest Christianity. When sickness had disabled him from his wonted peregrinations, a number of those who had been converted under his ministry would not be content unless they would come and live beside him. The people of Ayrshire took possession of Fenwick glebe, that they might enjoy William Guthrie's ministry. The people of South Wales took possession of Trevecca House, that they might enjoy the spiritual guidance of the man who had first brought them to Christ, when he could no longer visit them. The following is an extract from a letter of the Rev. Henry Venn, and will show the impression made on the mind of a sober and pious clergyman of the church of England: "From Bath, through Bristol and Gloucester, we arrived at Trevecka, in Wales. Howell Harris is the father of that settlement, and the founder. After labouring for fifteen years, more violently than any of the servants of Christ, in this revival, he was so hurt in body as to be confined to his own house for seven years. Upon the beginning of this confinement, first one, and then another, whom the Lord had converted under his word, to the number of near a hundred, came and desired to live with him, and that they would work and get their bread. By this means, near a hundred and twenty men, women, and children, from very distant parts of Wales, came and fixed their tents at Trevecka. We were there three days, and heard their experience, which they spoke in Welsh to Mr Harris, and he interpreted it to us. Of all the people I ever saw, this society seems the most advanced in grace. They speak as men and women who feel themselves every moment worthy of eternal punishment, and infinitely base; and yet, at the same time, have such certainty of salvation through the second man, the Lord from heaven, as is, indeed, delightful to behold. My heart received a blessing from them and their pastor, which will abide with me.' Under the preaching of Daniel Rowlands, and other gifted men of God, the connexion became so numerous as to require some systematic organisation. Of this the great instrument was Charles of Bala. He did for the methodism of Wales what Wesley did for the methodism of England. He gave it the embodiment of rules, and of a regular constitution. Without Wesley's authoritativeness, he had much of Wesley's quiet sense and wisdom, and Life of Venn, 2d ed., pp. 121, 122; quoted also in Life and Times of Lady Huntingdon. with far clearer views of truth, had a similar ascendancy among his brethren. Charles had a single eye. There was no ambition of leadership about him, and perceiving this, his brethren the more readily followed him. He sought the wisdom from above, and followed Bible light whenever he could obtain it. In the year 1790, a set of rules was prepared, which may be considered as their ecclesiastical polity, and though many of the members still continued to receive ordinances at the hands of the parish ministers, from that time forward Calvinistic methodism may be reckoned a new denomination. The final separation from the church of England was effected in 1811, when they began to ordain ministers of their own. The doctrines of the Welsh methodists are Calvinistic. The confession of faith drawn up by their associated ministers is substantially equivalent to the Westminster Confession. It gives no deliverance on the magistrate's province regarding things sacred, and whilst some of the members are in favour of establishments, a much larger number are against them: but the subject being of little practical moment to them, the diversity breeds no variance. Their government is essentially presbyterian. The ministers and elders of each county meet once a-month in association, a meeting which we would call a presbytery, and our Dutch neighbours a classis. This monthly association has oversight of all the congregations within its bounds. If dissension or error has found its way into any church or society, the case comes under the jurisdiction of the association; and as the association appoints the trustees of chapels, and takes charge of the trust-deeds, its authority is paramount, should the case occur of a corrupt or disaffected congregation disputing its decisions. This association also makes trial of the gifts and ministerial fitness of those who desire to become preachers, and if they be approved, fixes the limits within which they shall exercise their vocation. Part of the time of each meeting is devoted to familiar converse among the members regarding the state of religion in different congregations, and its progress in their own souls. The free and confiding way in which such intercourse is conducted, shows a high state of spirituality and brotherly love among the office-bearers. In this respect they surpass, as a body, any church with which we are acquainted. Public worship, and the preaching of the word, accompany each associationmeeting. Then there is a higher court, called the quarterly association, which takes charge of the entire general interests of the connexion, and decides those cases which the inferior courts refer to it. The brethren of North Wales hold their quarterly association somewhere in the north, with corresponding members from the south; and conversely, the ministers and elders of the south hold their association or synod in the south, with usually one or two members from each county of the north. When both northern and southern associations have come to the same conclusion regarding any matter, that decision is the mind of the whole connexion. As the quarterly association brings together the ministers of so many counties, the opportunity is always improved, and several are selected to preach, whilst a prodigious concourse of people assembles from all the surrounding country. And as these are not sermons perfunctory or pro formá, not mere synod sermons, preached to give the remoter brethren time to gather, but the most earnest efforts of their most successful ministers, in a congregation vast, far-travelled, and full of eager expectation, it seldom happens that such an occasion passes away without leaving its trace of evident blessing. In their office-bearers, consisting exclusively of ministers and class-leaders, or ruling elders, in their ministerial parity, and in their courts of review, the constitution of Welsh methodism is exclusively presbyterian. The only deviation from the presbyterian type is one in the congregational direction. Each congregation contains within itself a Christian fellowship, called the Private Society. It originated in the time of Howell Harris, and is a private meeting of the church members with their children. These assemble once a-week, none being present but themselves, and spend the time in social worship and conference. The rule for the guidance of these private meetings directs : "When they are assembled together, let one of their leaders, or any other member capable of it, in the first place, read a chapter from the Bible distinctly and deliberately; then let him give out a hymn, and afterwards go to prayer, for the Lord's blessing on them and their meeting-for their king and country-for all men-and in an especial manner for the success of the gospel over the world. The remaining part of the meeting is to be spent in free conversation-for instruction, admonition, and comfort. Nothing is to be introduced that has not a reference to the state of their souls. The meeting is to be concluded with prayer and praise." And thus far the institution is only such a fellowship-meeting as is frequent amongst ourselves. But the peculiarity of Welsh methodism is, that this fellowship-meeting includes all the church members in that particular locality; that a regular attendance is a term of communion; that in fact the private society is the church assembling in that place; and that the admission of new members depends on the voices of those who are members already. It is not the minister and elders, but the society, who finally decide on the fitness of candidates, and admit and reject them accordingly. Questions affecting the Christian character of existing members are discussed by the society at large; and should any be found to walk unworthily, his exclusion is the direct act of the entire body. So that in all which relates to the admission and exclusion of members, |