He was such a strong advocate for believers' baptism, that some of his friends thought that he was sometimes too strict and severe. His answer to such was, that to bear testimony for the truth afforded him peace of conscience. He was very comfortable in his soul in his last illness, under the consideration of his interest in Christ through the free grace of God, and the nearness of that eternal glory to which he was hastening. He finished his race with joy, in 1749.

After the death of their pastor, they were not left des titute, for they had three good preachers-Daniel Garnon, David Lewis, and Evan Davis: these three were ordained at the same time—the same year their late pastor, David Richards, died. By this time, they were rich, numerous, and pros. perous. There was another very promising young preacher among them, by the name of Henry Morgans. He was educated in Bristol college, and returned home, but soon died, in 1747, aged twenty-seven years,

About 1745, three young men began to reach-John Wil, liams, George Rees, and David Thomas. By this time, they had six preachers, of no small talents, who were constantly employed in the work of the ministry, in every direction, all around, far and near, like an army with banners; and Jesus, the Captain of their salvation, was their Leader. No wonder that almost the whole region are Baptists.

In 1751, Evan Davis took the pastoral care of the church at Bethesda, Monmouthshire.

In 1758, John Williams, George Rees, and David Thomas, were ordained. In 1756, they built another meeting-house, called Middlemill, near St. David's. About this time, David Thomas went to Rhydwilim.* David Garnon also went to Ebenezer. He was born in 1702-baptized when he was sixteen years old-and began to preach at the age of eighteen. In 1776, they built another meeting-house at Fishguard. Respecting George Rees, see Rhydwilim. At the same time, Thomas Lewis and William Evans began to preach. Before the branches of this church were formed into distinct churches, the number of members was one thousand.

BETHESDA CHURCH, in the county of Monmouth. About 1700, there was regular Baptist preaching at Cas-bach, by the ministers of Llanwenarth, Hengoed, and Blaenaugwent. Several were baptized, and they had the ordinance of the Lord's

* See history of Rhydwilim,

supper administered every month, by those ministers, in regular rotation.

After them, Miles Harris of Penygarn, labored much, and baptized many in this region. Griffith Jones, also, was very useful here in his time. In 1742, they built a meeting-house, and called it Bethesda; but it is now known by the name of Baselie, from the name of the parish in which it is builtnotwithstanding the proper name is St. Bazil. It is about four or five miles from Cas-bach, where the preaching was held at first. William Philips, one of the members, preached occasionally to them at this time. And Rees Jones, who moved from Aberduar to Penyfay, and married a widow who held a farm called Ty'n-y-pwll, settled in this part. But, in a short time, both of them were found guilty of something that was not becoming the gospel of Christ.

On the third day of February, 1747, they were formed into a church-consisting of twenty-six members from Penygarn; twenty-one from Hengoed; and thirty baptized lately in this region-in the whole, seventy-seven: but they were a long time after this, before they had a minister of their own.

At last they obtained Ďavid Evans, of Llanglophan, in the county of Pembroke, who settled with them in the month of August, 1751. Edmund Watkins preached on the occasion, from 1 Thess. 5:12, 13—“ And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them highly in love for their work's sake."

He was a godly, laborious, and diligent man, in the ministry, but not very successful.

CRAIGFARGOED CHURCH, in the county of Glamorgan. In 1750, Charles Winter, and twenty-four members of the church at Hengoed, imbibing the sentiments of the general Baptists, left that church, and built a new meeting-house, of the above name, within four miles of the former house. C. Winter preached and administered the ordinances to them, until he died in 1773, aged seventy-three. He was baptized in 1726 -ordained about 1738., He was a pious and intelligent man, of a mild, easy, and peaceable disposition.

Thomas Williams was an assistant preacher in the church for a short time. Morgan Thomas, from Newcastle, was an assistant, and died in 1774.

After the death of these ministers, the particular Baptist ministers were invited to supply them, but they refused to ad

minister the ordinance to them, on account of the difference in sentiments.

In 1777, one of the members of the church, who had been regularly called to the ministry among them, and educated in Carmarthen college, was ordained. His name was Jacob Isaac. He was a good preacher, and a man of good moral character; but notwithstanding all this, the congregation is very small, and very few added to the church. It appears that Arminianism cannot agree with the soil of this Princi. pality.

GLYNCEIRIOG CHURCH, North Wales. About the year 1700, there were several Friends, (the people called Quakers,) about Newbridge, in this region. They built a meeting-house, and called it the Cefn. However, as they decreased in number, they let the Baptists have the house in 1715. The Baptists met in the house for many years, for prayer, reading, and religious conversation, having no minister to preach to them. In 1740, they invited Evan Jenkins, of Wrexham, to preach to the Cefn, which he did occasionally as long as he lived.

David Jones, his successor, at Wrexham, often preached at the Cefn. Some of the people from the Glynceiriog, having heard him preaching at the Cefn, invited him to preach in their neighborhood, which was as dark and ignorant, in divine things, as the regions of Asia or Africa. But out of curiosity many of them came to hear, and some of them were converted to God and yielded obedience to his commands. In 1758, several were baptized, and the work of the Lord prospered. A great revival commenced. Forty-eight were added to them by baptism, in a short time. The whole region seemed to be in a sort of fermentation. Some were converted-some were convinced-some were alarmed, and others enraged-and some were determined to put a stop to these things. Those who would not go to church were put into the Bishop's court; but, to their great surprise, when Dr. Drummond, bishop of St. Asaph, came through on his visitation, he told them to let the Baptists alone to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences; and charged them not to disturb them. This, in a measure, put an end to that sort of persecution; but as yet there was no peace: The sword of the father was against the son, and the son against the father; the mother was against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother. Several instances occurred, of parents having turned their chil dren out of doors, because they made a profession of the reli gion of Christ. At that time, the law required that every

house for religious worship should be licensed, but some of the great men in the neighborhood were determined to refuse them a license, and had done so repeatedly, until they sent to London to ask the aid of the Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty. The consequence was, that the license was immediately granted, and the Baptists were no more persecuted, but much respected by the greatest men in the land. In 1761, they built a meeting-house, which was opened in August, 1762. In 1764, they were constituted a church; for they had been a branch of Wrexham before that time.

John Hughes, a member of the church, was their first pas tor. He was baptized in 1765, began to preach in 1768, and was ordained in 1770. In the same year, he baptized his brother-in-law, Maurice Jones, who had been preaching in the Calvinistic Methodist Connection for some time. However, he soon removed from there to Blaenaugwent; and some time after, John Hughes left them, and settled at Brassey Green, Cheshire.

About this time, Edward Jones, brother to Maurice Jones, began to preach-and they are supplied by other ministers. They break bread at Glynceiriog and Cefn-bychan, every other month.

EBENEZER, in the county of Pembroke. In 1766, there was a dispute in the church of Cilfowyr, about laying on of hands on the baptized; and though it was considered by the association, no bar of communion, yet it was the cause of the beginning of the church at Ebenezer, as they were not for it they had their dismission from Cilfowyr, and formed themselves into a church in 1767.

John Richards, one of their original constituents, was their Pastor-William Williams and Thomas Henry, assistants. Soon after this separation, William Williams was ordained, and many were added unto them. In 1768, they built a meeting-house, and had the pleasure of administering the ordi nances of baptism and the Lord's supper, on the day it was opened. The same year, their aged pastor, John Richards, died. He began to preach with the Presbyterians at Llechryd. He was a good preacher, but always shut his eyes in preaching as well as praying. He was baptized at Cillowyr in 1714, and ordained at the same place in 1743. Though he was not popular, yet his gifts and talents were well calculated to edify He died in a good old age, and in full assurance of eternal bliss, through Jesus Christ. He was buried at Cil. fowyr. The following epitaph is on his tomb-stone:

the saints.

"Underneath, lieth what was mortal of the Rev. John Rich. ards, who began in the ministry of the gospel about 1713, had a share in the pastoral at Cilfowyr for many years, and was the first pastor at Ebenezer-in which charge he finished his course June 27th, 1768, aged 79."

He gathered materials for the history of the Baptists in three counties in Wales-Carmarthan, Pembroke, and Cardigansome years before his death.

About this time, Daniel Garnon removed from this place to Llanglophan, and became an assistant in that church, until he died, on the 18th of February, 1777, aged 75 years.

Thomas Lewis and Benjamin Davis began to preach in this place, about this time. Both of them went to Bristol college, and settled at Bridgewater, England.

In 1775, this church built a large meeting-house in the town of Cardigan.

William Williams was their second pastor. He was a nobleman of considerable landed property, and a magistrate of the Quorum. As such, he acted in three counties-Carmarthen, Pembroke, and Cardigan. He was the only dissenting minister, as far as we know, that ever was thus honored, in that country. His church and congregation were also rich and very respectable, although there were many poor members among them, to whom he was very liberal. However, he taught the church a bad habit. Instead of receiving some money from them, at every church meeting, he always took out his purse, and laid it on the table, and then divided the contents among those that were considered worthy of having assistance. When this church was obliged to act, after his death, it was a difficult work with them at first. Williamn Williams was truly a good and pious man, much respected by the poor, and both respected and dreaded by the richest men in this region so well qualified was he as a justice of the peace-so well acquainted with the law of the land-and so majestic was he in his appearance on the bench in court, that he was never contradicted. In the house of God, however, he was quite another man. Here he looked more like the criminal than the judge-so free and affable, so mcek and humble was he, that every one of his flock loved him dearly, and there was nothing more dreadful to the feelings of any one guilty of a crime, than the thought, that Williams of Cardigan would be there. Oh! how could he bear to look at him.

TABERNACLE CHURCH, in the town of Carmarthen, belonged to the Welsh Baptist association, held at Abergavenny on