Christmas Evans, the Preacher of Wild Wales: His country, his times, and his contemporariesHood, Edwin Paxton
History
Christmas Evans, the Preacher of Wild Wales: His country, his times, and his contemporaries
Hood, Edwin Paxton
Evans, Christmas, 1766-1838
But Llangeitho, and its vicar, seem to demand a more lengthened notice,
as coming more distinctly within the region of the palpable, and
apprehensible. Daniel Rowlands was a clergyman, and the son of a
clergyman. At twenty-two years of age, he was appointed perpetual
curate, or incumbent, of the united parishes of Nantcwnlle and
Llangeitho, at a salary of ten pounds a year. He never received any
higher preferment in the Church on earth, although so eminent a blessing
to his country. He must have been some such man as our William Grimshaw,
of Haworth. When he entered upon his curacy, he was quite an unconverted
young man, given to occasional fits of intoxication, and in the summer he
left his pulpit, to take his part, with his parishioners, in the sports,
and games in the neighbouring fields, or on the village green.
But, in the immediate neighbourhood of his own hamlet, ministered a good
and consistent Nonconformist, Philip Pugh, a learned, lovable, and lowly
man; and, in the smaller round of his sphere, a successful preacher.
Daniel Rowlands appears to have been converted under a sermon of the
eminent Rev. Griffith Jones of Llanddouror, at Llanddewibrefi; but it was
to Philip Pugh that he was led for that instruction, and influence, which
instrumentally helped to develop his character. It would seem that
Rowlands was a man bound to be in earnest; but conversion set on fire a
new genius in the man. He developed, hitherto undiscovered, great
preaching power, and his church became crowded. Still, for the first
five years of his new course of life, he did not know that more glorious
and beautiful Gospel which he preached through all the years following.
He was a tremendous alarmist; the dangers of sin, and the terrors of the
eternal judgments, were his topics; and his hearers shrank, and recoiled,
while they were fascinated to listen. Again, the venerable Nonconformist
stepped in; Philip Pugh pointed out his defect. “My dear sir,” said he,
“preach the Gospel—preach the Gospel to the people. Give them the balm
of Gilead; show the blood of Christ; apply it to their spiritual wounds;
show the necessity of faith in a crucified Redeemer.” “I am afraid,”
said Rowlands, “that I have not all that faith myself, in its full
vigour, and exercise.” “Preach on it,” said Mr. Pugh; “preach on it,
until you feel it in that way,—it will come. If you go on preaching in
the way you have been doing, you will kill half the people in the
country. You thunder out the curses of the law, and preach in such a
terrific manner, that nobody can stand before you. Preach the Gospel!”
And again the young clergyman followed the advice of his patriarchal
friend, and unnumbered thousands in Wales had occasion, through long
following years, to bless God for it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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