Capel y Boro Service The Holy City Sun 28 June 2020 at 11am Covenant Christian High School Choirs

A Celebration of Capel y Boro Wesendonck lieder – ‘Der Engel’ Dame Anne Evans (soprano); BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Tadaaki Otaka

O Grist, Ffisigwyr mawr y byd Mewn anialwch 'rwyf yn (D R Griffiths, Deep Harmony) trigo, temtasiynau ar bob llaw, Octavia Hill heddiw, tanllyd saethau yma, Selected writings 'fory, tanllyd saethau draw; Opening music: Hefin Elis, Clive Harpwood Pa fodd y traethwn ei ogoniant ef minnau'n gorfod aros yno, Ysbryd Y Nos (W Rhys Nicholas, Pantyfedwen) yn y canol, rhwng y tân; Côr Dinas tyrd, fy Nuw, a gwêl f'amgylchiad, Jones the Borough yn dy allu tyrd ymlaen. J S Bach E B Byron Jones talks to Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, Margaret Howard (excerpt) Marchog, Iesu, yn llwyddiannus, Prélude BBC Radio 4, 23 March 1987 gwisg dy gleddau 'ngwasg dy glun; Kate Price Producer: John Jones ni all daear dy wrth'nebu,

chwaith nac uffern fawr ei hun: Mewn anialwch 'rwyf yn trigo Beti Gwenfron Evans mae dy enw mor ardderchog, (William Williams, Hyfrydol) from Memoirs Introduced by Alwyn Humphreys pob rhyw elyn gilia draw; Mae ffydiau ‘ngorfoledd yn mae dy arswyd drwy'r Intrada and welcome tarddu (David Charles, Crug y Bar) greadigaeth; tyrd am hynny maes o law. Geoffrey Chaucer A talk by John Jones on the in a version by Neville Coghill hymn writer Howell Harris Tyn fy enaid o'i gaethiwed, from The Canterbury Tales – gwawried bellach fore ddydd, Prologue Awake my soul and with the sun rhwyga'n chwilfriw ddorau Babel, (Thomas Ken, Tallis) tyn y barrau heyrn yn rhydd; William Shakespeare gwthied caethion yn finteioedd from A Midsummer Night’s I Dad y Trugareddau I gyd Dream – ‘I know a bank where (Thomas Ken, cyf. Howell Harris) allan, megis tonnau llif, the wild thyme blows’ and ‘That torf a thorf, dan orfoleddu, very time I saw, but thou Matthew 10: 40-42 heb na diwedd fyth na rhif. couldst not,’ Oberon (Act 2 Sc. 1) Salm 13 In a desert I am dwelling Charles Dickens temptations on every hand, from Night Walks Meditation by Parch Peter Dewi today, fiery arrows here,

Richards and Lord’s Prayer tomorrow, fiery arrows there; Ivo Antognini Canwn a Molwn I too await victory there, ("Canticum Novum") Wele'n sefyll rhwng y myrtwydd in the centre, amidst the fire, Côr y Boro (Ann Griffiths, Cwm Rhondda) come, my God, and behold my Y Gwladgarwr, 8 March 1873 Blessing state! Report of the opening of Capel With thy might come along! y Boro by Henry Richard MP Closing music: and Samuel Morley Esq Richard Rodgers Carousel – Ride, Jesus, successfully!

‘You’ll never walk alone’ Wear thy sword against thy thigh; Stephen Adams Eschoir Earth cannot face up to thee, arranged Bryceson Treharne nor yet can great hell itself: When in April the sweet That towards Canterbury meant Thy name is so superior, showers fall to ride. every kind of enemy retreats far And pierce the drought of March The rooms and stables of the inn away; to the root, and all were wide: dread of thee is throughout creation; The veins are bathed in liquor of They made us easy, all was of the coming to it imminently. such power best. As brings about the engendering And, briefly, when the sun had Draw my soul from its captivity, of the flower, gone to rest, let the morn of the day dawn soon, When also Zephyrus with his I’d spoken to them all upon the smash to pieces the doors of Babel, sweet breath trip Release the iron bars; Exhales an air in every grove and And was soon one with them in may captives be pushed in droves, heath fellowship, Out, like waves of a flood, Upon the tender shoots, and the Pledged to rise early and to take multitude upon multitude, rejoicing, young sun the way without either an end ever or His half-course in the sign of the To Canterbury, as you heard me number. Ram has run, say. And the small fowl are making melody The Tabard Inn in Borough High Intrada That sleep away the night with Street is where those who made the Ysbryd y tragwyddol Dduw, open eye pilgrimage to the Shrine of Thomas disgyn arnom ni; Ysbryd y (So nature pricks them and their Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in tragwyddol Dduw, disgyn arnom heart engages) the 1380s, first met. Geoffrey ni: plyg ni, trin ni, golch ni, cod ni: Then people long to go on Chaucer wrote all about them in Ysbryd y tragwyddol Dduw, pilgrimages ‘The Canterbury Tales’ introducing disgyn arnom ni. And palmers long to seek the them here in this passage from its stranger strands Prologue. Spirit of the eternal God, descend Of far-off saints, hallowed in upon us; Spirit of the eternal God, sundry lands, descend upon us: And specially, from every shire’s William Shakespeare fold us, treat us, wash us, raise us: end from A Midsummer Night’s Spirit of the eternal God, descend Of , down to Canterbury Dream – ‘I know a bank upon us. they wend where the wild thyme blows’ To seek the holy blissful martyr, and ‘That very time I saw, quick but thou couldst not,’ Oberon Geoffrey Chaucer To give his help to them when (Act 2 Sc. 1) in a version by Neville Coghill they were sick. from The Canterbury Tales – It happened in that season that Prologue one day In Southwark, at The Tabard, as I lay Ready to go on pilgrimage and start For Canterbury, most devout at heart, At night there came into that hostelry Some nine and twenty in a company Of sundry folk happening then to fall In fellowship, and they were That very time I saw, but thou pilgrims all couldst not, Flying between the cold moon Weed wide enough to wrap a Some years ago, a temporary and the earth, fairy in: inability to sleep, referable to a Cupid all arm'd: a certain aim he And with the juice of this I’ll distressing impression, caused me took streak her eyes, to walk about the streets all At a fair vestal throned by the And make her full of hateful night, for a series of several west, fantasies. nights. And loosed his love-shaft smartly Take thou some of it, and seek from his bow, through this grove: In the course of those nights, I As it should pierce a hundred A sweet Athenian lady is in love finished my education in a fair thousand hearts; With a disdainful youth: anoint amateur experience of But I might see young Cupid's his eyes; houselessness. My principal fiery shaft But do it when the next thing he object being to get through the Quench'd in the chaste beams of espies night, the pursuit of it brought the watery moon, May be the lady: thou shalt know me into sympathetic relations And the imperial votaress passed the man with people who have no other on, By the Athenian garments he object every night in the year. In maiden meditation, fancy-free. hath on. Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Effect it with some care, that he Walking the streets under the Cupid fell: may prove pattering rain, Houselessness It fell upon a little western More fond on her than she upon would walk and walk and walk, flower, her love: seeing nothing but the Before milk-white, now purple And look thou meet me ere the interminable tangle of streets, with love's wound, first cock crow. save at a corner, here and there, And maidens call it love-in- two policemen in conversation, idleness. or the sergeant or inspector Fetch me that flower; the herb I looking after his men. Drip, drip, shew'd thee once: drip, from ledge and coping, The juice of it on sleeping eye- splash from pipes and water- lids laid spouts, and by-and-by the Will make or man or woman houseless shadow would fall madly dote upon the stones that pave the Upon the next live creature that way to Waterloo-bridge; it being it sees. William Shakespeare’s Globe in the houseless mind to have a Fetch me this herb; and be thou Theatre is just down the road from halfpenny worth of excuse for here again Capel y Boro and the dramatist has saying 'Good-night' to the toll- Ere the leviathan can swim a many associations with the area. keeper, and catching a glimpse of league. These are two of Oberon’s most his fire. beguiling speeches from ‘A I know a bank where the wild Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ There was need of thyme blows, encouragement on the threshold Where oxlips and the nodding of the bridge, for the bridge was violet grows, Charles Dickens from Night dreary. The river had an awful Quite over-canopied with Walks look, the buildings on the banks luscious woodbine, were muffled in black shrouds, With sweet musk-roses and with and the reflected lights seemed eglantine: to originate deep in the water, as There sleeps Titania sometime of if the spectres of suicides were the night, holding them to show where Lull’d in these flowers with they went down. The wild moon dances and delight; and clouds were as restless as an And there the snake throws her evil conscience in a tumbled bed, enamell’d skin, and the very shadow of the immensity of seemed to Y Gwladgarwr, 8 March 1873 chapel at Boro 'Road, London, but lie oppressively upon the river. Report of the opening of finally, behold, the beautiful little Capel y Boro by Henry chapel has been opened. On Suddenly, a thing that in a Richard MP and Samuel Monday evening, a public meeting moment more I should have Morley Esq was held when S. Morley, Esq., A.S. trodden upon without seeing, He gave an address at the outset, rose up at my feet with a cry of AGORIAD CAPEL Y BORO', during which he said that it would loneliness and houselessness, the LLUNDAIN. be good to be able to speak Welsh; like of which I never heard. We Mawr y siarad, y cymhell, a'r but if he could not speak the then stood face to face looking at casglu sydd wedi bod yn Llundain language, he could co-operate with one another, frightened by one a Chymru tuag at gapel yr the nation, and he considered another. The creature was like a Annibynwyr Cymreig yn Boro' himself one of the shareholders of beetle-browed hair-lipped youth Road, Llun- dain, ond o'r diwedd, this chapel, that it was a fulfilling of twenty, and it had a loose wele y capel bychan prydferth fact to the "speculation," and that bundle of rags on, which it held wedi ei agor. Nos Lun, cynaliwyd he was ready again to assist when together with one of its hands. It cyfarfod cyhoeddus pan y cy- there is a call for that. He ended his shivered from head to foot, and merwyd y gadair gan S. Morley, speech in the midst of the cheering its teeth chattered, and as it Ysw., A.S. Cafwyd ganddo crowds of the crowd. After that, a stared at me - persecutor, devil, anerchiad yn y dechreu, yn ystod talk was given by Mr. Henry ghost, whatever it thought me - it pa un y dywedodd y buasai yn Richard, A.S (pictured below). It made with its whining mouth as if dda gan- ddo allu siarad would be good to be able to record it were snapping at me, like a Gymraeg; ond os na fedrai siarad many of the heated speeches worried dog. Intending to give yr iaith, y medrai gydweithio gyda delivered, but space is not allowed this ugly object money, I put out y genedl, ac yr oedd yn ystyried at present. my hand to stay it for it recoiled ei hun yn un o shareholders y It was a beautiful Sunday scene - as it whined and snapped and laid capel hwn, ei fod yn ber- ffaith the chapel was overflowing with my hand upon its shoulder. foddlawn i'r "speculation," a'i fod warm Welshmen worshiping in the Instantly, it twisted out of its yn barod eto i gynorthwyo pan old language of their country in the garment … and left me standing fyddai galwad am hyny. midst of the tumult of the great alone with its rags in my hands. English city, and Monday night, the Terfynodd ei araeth yn nghanol Welsh and English were seen as If you walk anywhere from the ban- llefau cymeradwyol y dorf. one wishing success to the gospel in Borough Chapel it won’t be long Wedi hyny, caf- wyd anerchiad this beautiful temple. before you see a Dickens gan Mr. Henry Richard, A.S. connection, you will see his or his Buasai yn dda genym allu cofnodi characters’ names on schools, llawer o'r anerchiadau gwresog a shops, street names. He would have draddodwyd, ond ni chaniata been well aware of the Borough gofod yn bresenol. Chapel in 1860 when he would have passed it on his famous night Yr oedd yn olygfa brydferth dydd walks around the capital. At the Sul-gweled y capel yn orlawn o back of Capel y Boro we have St Gymry twymgalon yn addoli yn Mungo’s shelter for the homeless hen iaith eu gwlad yn nghanol which we support by providing twrw dinas fawr y Saeson, a nos toiletries. Homelessness was an Lun eto, gweled y Cymry a'r issue of which Charles Dickens Saeson yn un a chytun yn wanted to raise awareness. In 1860 dymuno llwyddiant i'r efengyl yn he no doubt would have passed the y deml brydferth hon. Chapel on one of his famous night walks where he experienced the Great talk, motivation, and issue at first hand. gathering in London and Wales

towards the Welsh Congregational The present chapel building dates I saw the Holy City Aberystwyth University College and from 1870 and if you look on the Beside the tideless sea in the University of Adelaide, outside and on a tablet inside you The light of God was on its Australia. He returned to Europe in will see the names of the streets 1911, spent some time in the philanthropist Samuel Morley who The gates were open wide Ruhleben prisoner of war camp, helped raise funds for the new And all who would might enter Germany , during World War I , chapel building. He attended the And no one was denied and, eventually ( c. 1918 ) went to official opening in 1873 with the No need of moon or stars by the USA. From 1924 he taught Welsh MP Henry Richard, the night music in McGill University, Montreal, ‘Apostle of Peace’ and Or sun to shine by day Canada, but in 1928 he returned to Congregational minister (pictured It was the new Jerusalem the States, being for many years above). Richard was an advocate of That would not pass away afterwards music editor to a Boston peace and international arbitration, "Jerusalem! Jerusalem publishing company. He died in as secretary of the Peace Society for Sing for the night is o'er 1948 in Long Island, New York. forty years (1848–1884). His other Hosanna in the highest Many of his song settings and choral interests included anti-slavery work. Hosanna for evermore!" arrangements are still performed and one of his most popular is this arrangement for choir of Stephen Stephen Adams Adams’s ‘The Holy City.’ arranged Bryceson Treharne The Holy City https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=N9lgLPXsoJQ Last night I lay asleeping

There came a dream so fair

I stood in old Jerusalem In 1894, the Boro appointed Beside the temple there Richard Wagner Bryceson Treharne as its organist. I heard the children singing Wesendonck lieder – One newspaper reported: ‘His And ever as they sang ‘Der Engel’ studies at the present time are Methought the voice of Angels carried on under the care of Sir From Heaven in answer rang Walter Parrat, organist to the "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Queen, on the organ, and for the Lift up your gates and sing, piano under Mr. Franklin Taylor. At Hosanna in the highest. a recent performance in the college Hosanna to your King!" his execution on the pianoforte only

proved too forcibly the excellence of And then methought my dream his training, and called forth for the was chang'd following words of praise from the The streets no longer rang leading professional paper The Era, Hushed were the glad Hosannas Mr. W. B. Treharne did himself The little children sang great credit in Chopin's Ballads in F. The sun grew dark with mystery major, op. 35. He possessed the The morn was cold and chill refinement of taste combined with As the shadow of a cross arose technical ability required by the Mathilde Wesendonck Upon a lonely hill exquisite music, and his talent won "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! In der Kindheit frühen Tagen hearty recognition. It is not often Hark! How the Angels sing, Hört ich oft von Engeln sagen, that a youthful player has so much Hosanna in the highest, Die des Himmels hehre Wonne command of style.’ Hosanna to your King!" Tauschen mit der Erdensonne,

Born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1879 And once again the scene was Daß, wo bang ein Herz in Sorgen Bryceson Treharne studied at the changed Schmachtet vor der Welt , London , New earth there seemed to be verborgen, and held teaching posts at Daß, wo still es will verbluten, was one of the founders of the yn gwbwl iach o’th wyddfod gynt; Und vergehn in Tränenfluten, Gwalia Male Voice Choir. With a Ffisigwr mawr, O rho dy hun repertoire ranging from Mozart to i’n gwneuthur ninnau’n iach bob Daß, wo brünstig sein Gebet Puccini, Dame Anne won un. Einzig um Erlösung fleht, international fame, and her Da der Engel niederschwebt, performances of Wagner roles Christ, the great Physician of the Und es sanft gen Himmel hebt. including Brunnhilde and Isolde are world, legendary. we come to you with all our sorrows; Ja, es stieg auch mir ein Engel there is neither infection nor nieder, Here she sings a song from a cycle disease, nor sickness, Und auf leuchtendem Gefieder of five poems Wagner set by or ciliary under your pure hands. Führt er, ferne jedem Schmerz, Mathilde Wesendonck, the wife of Meinen Geist nun himmelwärts! one of his patrons, while he was Come confidently to you, working on his ‘Tristan und you know our weakness; The angel Isolde’ and they are closely linked in a cure for life wounds mood and harmonies. This is the under the hand of the man who In the early days of childhood first setting from 1857, ‘Der Engel’ was on the cross. I often heard tell of angels (‘The Angel’) recorded live by Dame Who exchange heaven's pure bliss Anne at the BBC Proms with the Breathe upon us from heaven the For the sun of earth, BBC National Orchestra of Wales wall of your strong, quiet mercy; conducted by Tadaaki Otaka in every heart of spirit, be it witness of So that, when a sorrowful heart 1994: peace in the name of Jesus Christ. Hides its yearning from the world And would silenly bleed away https://www.youtube.com/watch? The afflicted went on their way And dissolve in streams of tears, v=EXQG6eUm_NE wholly from your former heart; Great physician, Give yourself And when its fervent prayer Dame Anne tells Jasper Rees to make us all healthy. Begs only for deliverance, about her first experience of That angel will fly down hearing Wagner: And gently raise the heart to https://www.youtube.com/watch? Octavia Hill heaven. v=XzaHuYNUldg Selected writings

And to me too an angel descended, And now on shining wings Bear my spirit, free from all pain, O Grist, Ffisigwr mawr y Towards heaven! byd, down atat â’n doluriau i gyd; Translation © Richard Stokes nid oes na haint na chlwy’ na chur na chilia dan dy ddwylo pur.

I would like an an open-air sitting Down yn hyderus atat ti, room for the tired inhabitants of ti wyddost am ein gwendid ni; Southwark and this garden will gwellhad a geir ar glwyfau oes have walks to wind about dan law y Gŵr fu ar y groes. between small lawns and flower-

beds set with flowering trees and Another musician with Borough Anadla arnom ni o’r nef shrubs. Two plane trees are connections is the great soprano falm dy drugaredd dawel, gref; planted on the larger spaces of Dame Anne Evans, who joins us pob calon ysig, boed yn dyst gravel, which are to have circular today. Dame Anne’s mother Nellie fod hedd yn enw Iesu Grist. seats round them. A small pond Evans, was a stalwart of the London has been made in the garden, and Welsh community and brother John Aeth y trallodus ar eu hynt a jet of water forms a fountain in century. Born into a family with a moliannwn ef, Cynhaliwr cadarn it. The narrowest part of the strong commitment to alleviating yw, pond will be crossed by a little poverty, she herself grew up in y sanctaidd Iôr a’r digyfnewid bridge. straitened circumstances owing to Dduw. the financial failure of her father's What I wish to urge—and I have businesses. With no formal Mae ei wirionedd yn dreftadaeth only introduced a practical education, she worked from the age dda, example now vividly in my own of 14 for the welfare of working yn rym cynhaliol yn y trymaf pla; mind as most strongly bringing people. pan ddaw acenion ei leferydd ef home the fact—is, the immense cawn weld y ffordd yn agor tua value to the education and She was a moving force behind the thref; reformation of our poorest development of social housing and a bydd addewidion nerthol gair ein people of some space near their great conservationist whose work Duw homes, or within reasonable led to the creation of the National fel miwsig clychau’n torri ar ein distance of them. We all need Trust. Just five minutes walk from clyw: space; unless we have it we Capel Y Boro is Octavia Hill’s Red moliannwn ef, Cynhaliwr cadarn cannot reach that sense of quiet Cross Garden part of her pioneering yw, in which whispers of better social housing scheme and it y sanctaidd Iôr a’r digyfnewid things come to us gently. Our survives very much as she left it and lives in London are over- still serves as a wonderful peaceful How do we speak of his glory crowded, over-excited, over- refuge from the troubles and which gave the earth the clear light strained. This is true of all anxieties that can accompany inner of heaven? classes; we all want quiet; we all city life. The measures of men cannot say want beauty for the refreshment how much of our souls. Sometimes we think the grace and virtue and the of it as a luxury, but when God Pa fodd y traethwn ei heavenly value of privilege; made the world, He made it very ogoniant ef all fullness in himself, beautiful, and meant that we a roes i’r ddaear olau clir y nef? it is more than all the best thoughts should live amongst its beauties, Ni all mesurau dynion ddweud pa of man: and that they should speak peace faint praise him, Sustainer sound is, to us in our daily lives. yw’r gras a’r rhin a gwerth y the holy Lord and unchanging God. nefol fraint; mae pob cyflawnder ynddo ef ei Turning ourselves to the Father God hun, allows us to mae’n fwy na holl feddyliau gorau experience the peace that is deeply dyn: enjoyable; moliannwn ef, Cynhaliwr cadarn he is the strength that is greater yw, than we ask, y sanctaidd Iôr a’r digyfnewid the fair haven when he bears the Dduw. color; his great love Wrth droi ein hunain at y Duw and protection for all the family of sy’n Dad the cawn brofi’r heddwch sydd yn earth is a shadow : we praise him, ddwfn fwynhad; He is a mighty ef ydyw’r nerth sy’n fwy na’n supporter , the holy Lord and the Octavia Hill who lived from 1838 to gofyn ni, unchanging God. 1912 was an English social yr hafan deg pan fyddo arwa’r lli; reformer, whose main concern was mae cysgod inni yn ei gariad Its truth is good heritage, the welfare of the inhabitants of mawr a sustaining force in the heaviest cities, especially London, in the a diogelwch i holl deulu’r llawr: plague; second half of the nineteenth when the accents of his speech E B Byron Jones devoted a lifetime’s whom, would have received that come effort to the Borough and also Paddington Station farewell, we can see the road opening served the London Welsh Centre towards a town; and London Welsh Rugby Club. His the mighty promises of the word of period as secretary of Borough Mae ffrydiau 'ngorfoledd yn our God spanned five decade, and when he tarddu as the music of bells break upon our died in 1993, ‘Byron o’r Boro’ was o ddisglair orseddfainc y ne', hearing: we widely known for his commitments ac yno'r esgynnodd fy Iesu praise him, He is strong to Welsh culture for which he was ac yno yr eiriol efe: sustainer , the holy Lord and the awarded the OBE. In 1987 John y gwaed a fodlonodd gyfiawnder, unchanging God. Jones, who will be giving us a talk daenellwyd ar orsedd ein Duw, later, made a programme for BBC sydd yno yn beraidd yn erfyn Radio Four on E B Byron Jones i ni, y troseddwyr, gael byw. Beti Gwenfron Evans called ‘Jones the Borough.’ It from Memoirs included an account of a very Cawn esgyn o'r dyrys anialwch special London Welsh funeral i'r beraidd baradwys i fyw, tradition that went on until the ein henaid lluddedig gaiff orffwys 1960s in which part of the yn dawel ar fynwes ein Duw; ceremony was conducted at dihangfa dragwyddol geir yno Paddington Station where the coffin ar bechod, cystuddiau a phoen, was taken on its journey to Wales a gwledda i oesoedd diderfyn to the sounds of Welsh hymn ar gariad anhraethol yr Oen. singing from a packed congregation. O fryniau Caersalem ceir gweled

Byron’s daughter was Rowenna holl daith yr anialwch i gyd, Hughes, who has given many years “My most vivid memory of the pryd hyn y daw troeon yr yrfa services to the Boro, she was funeral was arriving at Paddington yn felys i lanw ein bryd; Christened and grew up here, is a station on Sunday night. I had a cawn edrych ar stormydd ac trustee and a member of Cor y white dress, black and white ofnau Boro, and also remembers vividly checked coat and black shoes. ac angau dychrynllyd a'r bedd, standing on Paddington station We came out of the car to a very a ninnau'n ddihangol o'u cyrraedd singing as the train left with the crowded platform. The crowd yn nofio mewn cariad a hedd. coffin on its final journey. Rowenna’s made way for us, but all I could uncle was the Rev D C Jones who see were black coats, and the Streams are jubilantly emanating arrived as church leader at Boro crowd closing behind us. We from the dazzling throne of heaven, from Merthyr Tydfil in 1890. During reached the carriage and opened and there my Jesus ascended his time chapel membership soared our eyes wide. Not an ordinary and there he intercedes: and there was a wide range of railway carriage but a long room the blood which satisfied justice, social and cultural activity. The with a long shiny table. There was sprinkled on our God's throne, Borough Welsh Choir won first prize were two smaller carriages we which is there dearly pleading at the National Eisteddfod and at could sit and lie in, and a place for us, the trespassers, to obtain life. competitions in London. They were for the coffin and all the beautiful, supported by Jones who believed in sweet-smelling wreaths. Young as We may ascend from the wild the power of music to transform I was, I shall never forget desert spiritual experience. He was still at Mother’s final farewell to to the sweet paradise to live, work when he died at 84 in 1936. London. As the train started the our tired souls find rest Rowennsa’s reading (above) is from whole crowd erupted into singing in quietness on our God's breast; an account by Beti Gwenfron Evans, the Welsh funeral hymn O eternal escape is found there of her mother’s funeral which fryniau Caersalem. It was very from sin, afflictions and trials, occurred within months of D C emotional. Whenever I hear the and feasting for unending ages Jones’s passing in 1936, both of hymn I’m reminded of Mam.” on the inexpressible love of the Lamb. From the hills of Jerusalem can be service on the Sunday before By the 18th century, there were seen Easter in 1735, and immediately enough cultured Welshmen in the entire journey all through the began to hold meetings in his the capital that they began to desert, home to encourage others to form Welsh clubs for socializing, this time come turns of the course convert. And it was not easy for a little drinking possibly, and, sweetly to fill our mind; him; he was not always in good naturally, some music making. It we can look at the storms and fears health and was occasionally was said that there a dozen and horrendous death and the physically attacked by some who public houses within the City grave, didn’t agree with his views. He where you could hear the strains and we have escaped from their failed to be accepted for of cerdd dant singing. The reach ordination in the Church of Gwyneddigion was founded as an swimming in love and peace. England because his views were offshoot in 1770, for those who thought to be too “Methodist”. found the Cymmrodorion rather https://www.youtube.com/watch? So he became a travelling too stuffy. Among its members, v=RLRZYdxmy9Y preacher, determined to spread Lewis Morris, one of the literary the gospel throughout Wales. In Morris brothers from Anglesey, 1752, he was inspired by the wrote a satirical “sermon” A talk by John Jones on the protestant Moravian church to mocking Howell Harris’ hymn writer Howell Harris found a religious community in endeavours. his home village, known as Teulu Trefeca or the Family of Trefeca Among others who were in with himself as the “Father”. London at this time, there was Twenty thousand people are said Blind John Parry, domestic harper to have attended his funeral to Sir Watkin Williams Wynn at there in 1773. No.20 St. James Square who was a friend of Handel’s. What is less known about Howell Harris is that he spent London was, after all, one of the many years in London where he biggest cities in the world, five made the most of his Welsh times the size of Vienna, which at connections. He had two that time was the largest city in brothers already here, after all. the Holy Roman Empire, and ten His brother Joseph had secured a times bigger than most of the post at the Royal Mint in Tower others. And the combination of Hill in 1736. A member of the the royal court, City churches,

Cymmrodorion, Joseph was a commerce and a vigorous tavern

polymath who also studied culture around the ports made it Howell Harris is generally known astronomy, navigation and a significant centre from the as the founder of the Calvinistic philosophy, living with his wife earliest times. The attraction Methodist or Presbyterian and children within the walls of must have been considerable denomination in Wales and was the Tower of London. He was given the legendary fog – which known as the Apostle of Wales married at St. Benet’s and is wasn’t actually fog at all, but who was an associate of William buried in the crypt of the church highly toxic air pollution due to Williams, Pantycelyn, Daniel at the Tower of London. He the vast population and frenetic Rowland and the Wesleys. shared lodgings with his younger industrial activity. Combine this

brother Thomas, who made a with a damp climate and leaden Born in Trefeca in Breckonshire name for himself as a tailor to diet, not to mention the in 1714, Howell Harris was the the rich and powerful who relentless din of the street son of a carpenter who had acquired enough wealth for traders, most visitors would settled there from himself to purchase the estate of have had quite a shock. Carmarthenshire. When he was Trefeca while also serving as In 1739 Howell Harris 21, he experienced a religious High Sheriff of Breckonshire. accompanied George Whitefield conversion, during a parish from Bristol to London, a it’s possible that Howell Harris, Praise God, from whom all journey that took three or four Daniel Rowland and others blessings flow; days, where he stayed for a few were drawn to the Lambeth fairs praise Him all creatures here months and was introduced to because they were guaranteed below; other Methodists and joined the big crowds with lots of potential praise Him above, ye heavenly Fetter Lane Society near Fleet converts. Harris considered host; Street. For much of the 1740s he staying in London, but there praise Father, Son, and Holy divided his time equally between were pleas from Wales, Ghost. London and Wales, acting as especially from Daniel Whitefield’s assistant. In 1740 he Rowlands, to return to Wales was helping Charles Wesley at where he was much needed. I Dad y trugareddau i gyd hischurc in City Road and was rhown foliant, holl drigolion byd; for a time a minister at George Unlike many of his llu’r nef moliennwch, bawb ar Whitefield’s Tabernacle chapel in contemporaries, he was not a gân, Moorfields, while Whitefield was prolific hymn writer, y Tad a’r Mab a’r Ysbryd Glân. in America. He was admitted as a and there is only one example in member of the Wesley society, Caneuon Ffydd. It’s actually one To the Father of all despite their differing views on verse of a translation of an mercies we give praise, all the predestination, a very real battle English hymn, Awake, my soul, by inhabitants of the world; between the Wesleyan Thomas Ken in 1692 written for the heavenly force of praise, all in Methodists and the Calvanistic the scholars of Winchester song, Methodists. At the Moravian College where the author was the Father and the Son and the protestant church in Fetter Lane, the Chaplain. There were Holy Spirit. he had his work cut out keeping originally six verses, the last of unity and the peace between which Howell Harris translated https://www.youtube.com/watch? warring evangelical factions. into Welsh. The hymn was v=XC3QuBMqcu0 described as the Protestant Te Between 1739 and 1767 Howell Deum as the last verse was Harris made over thirty visits, claimed to have projected the Matthew 10: 40-42 preaching to his fellow Welsh, doctrine of the Trinity better often for three hours at a time, in than all the theological Whoever welcomes you Lambeth where they worked in books in circulation. welcomes me, and whoever the timber yards and gardens, welcomes me welcomes the one Westminster and Deptford who sent me. Whoever where many Welsh people Awake, my soul, and with welcomes a prophet in the name worked in the shipyards and the sun of a prophet will receive a docks. He often preached several thy daily stage of duty run; prophet’s reward; and whoever times each day, attending shake off dull sloth, and early rise welcomes a righteous person in communion services at St. Paul’s to pay thy morning sacrifice. the name of a righteous person Cathedral. will receive the reward of the Lord, I my vows to Thee renew. righteous; and whoever gives His diary on 3 May 1739 notes a Disperse my sins as morning even a cup of cold water to one visit to a “farm” in Lambeth to dew; of these little ones in the name of preach to the Welsh. Swan Yard, guard my first springs of thought a disciple—truly I tell you, none near Lambeth Palace, was at one and will, of these will lose their reward. time something of a Welsh and with Thyself my spirit fill. colony, holding an annual “Taffy’s fair” on St. David’s Day in Direct, control, suggest, this day, Salm 13 Lambeth Road. The Welsh of all I design or do or say, Lambeth had a reputation for that all my powers, with all their Am faint mwy, Arglwydd? course, drunken behaviour in the might, Wyt ti'n mynd i'm diystyru i am fairs that took place there. But in Thy sole glory may unite. byth? Am faint mwy rwyt ti'n mynd i open again when the scaffoldings we see around us. droi cefn arna i? Government feels it is safe to do Travelling on a Sunday how many Am faint mwy mae'n rhaid i mi so. roads are closed and the sign boeni f'enaid, DANGER: MEN AT WORK? a dal i ddioddef fel yma bob We at Borough chapel like so dydd? many other churches have had to In building these new complexes Am faint mwy mae'r gelyn i gael y change the way we do worship that have all the right equipment llaw uchaf? and the digital service has and resources to allow the work allowed us to reach out to those to be done safely; also have Edrych arna i! who feel the need to for people in key positions and each Ateb fi, O Arglwydd?, fy Nuw! Christian fellowship. person knows what he or she Adfywia fi, knows what needs to be done. rhag i mi suddo i gwsg Borough chapel was the first They have a co-ordinated marwolaeth; Welsh Congregational chapel in approach to the work. rhag i'r gelyn ddweud, “Dw i London but it is a welcoming wedi ennill!” place for all Christians who wish Perhaps this is what is lacking in ac i'r rhai sy'n fy nghasáu ddathlu to come together to praise God. the Church's approach to mission wrth i mi syrthio. Remembering today's theme let and ministry. We hear that as us pause and think of the churches we don't have the Ond na, dw i'n trystio dy fod ti'n following truths: ‘expertise to do what needs to ffyddlon! be done.' Bydda i'n gorfoleddu am dy fod 1. In giving thanks for this chapel wedi f'achub i. let us remember THE NEED Let us remember that Christ has Bydda i'n canu mawl i ti, FOR STRONG FOUNDATIONS never given his people a task that Arglwydd?, is impossible to undertake. Yes, am achub fy ngham. When our forefathers built this the tasks may be difficult but chapel they made sure that it was never impossible. built on sound foundations and Meditation by Parch Peter did so because they believed Those churches that have started Dewi Richards and Lord’s Christ was the cornerstone and digital services have found they Prayer still is the cornerstone of had resources beyond what they everything we do. expected. New people coming forward to partake in a service It is fundamental that we root be it doing a reading or a prayer our faith in Jesus, the foundation or a meditation. The word I hear of life, and to do so we must these days as I preach to other believe that we do so with a church members. Let's do it. living a Lord. Let's get going. People who are positive and want to share the I remember reading a sermon by GOOD NEWS.' Borough chapel has a very long that well-known preacher Dr tradition and over the years has Fostick who said in his sermon I remember visiting Kathmandu been a place of worship where that it is very difficult to build in in Nepal. The church there was fellowship as God's people was Tokyo because it stands on a in the process of building a an important factor. Most of fault line in the earth's crust but worship centre. The foundations those who attended had their in New York because it stands had been laid and before the next roots in Wales and worshipping on solid rock. Jesus says not to stage more money was needed. I in Welsh was so important to build on a foundation of sand but sat on a concrete floor. The them. Many a change has on a Rock. HE IS THAT ROCK. service lasted three hours. happened since those days but the chapel building still stands 2. It is said that a sign of a 'living' When the offering plate came and its doors will hopefully be city is the number of cranes and around I saw people placing money jewellery, even pots and ei fod uwchlaw gwrthrychau'r Walk on through the wind pans. Then I saw this elderly byd: Walk on through the rain woman placing some vegetables henffych fore Though your dreams be tossed on the offering plate. She gave y caf ei weled fel y mae. and blown what she could. She had nothing Walk on, walk on else to give. That is not quite Rhosyn Saron yw ei enw, With hope in your heart true because she had given of gwyn a gwridog, teg o bryd; And you'll never walk alone herself in that giving. Today the ar ddeng mil y mae'n rhagori You'll never walk alone church still has its concrete o wrthrychau penna'r byd: Walk on, walk on foundation but built on it is a tin ffrind pechadur, With hope in your heart roof and 3000 worshippers. dyma ei beilat ar y môr. And you'll never walk alone Commitment in serving Christ. You'll never walk alone. Beth sy imi mwy a wnelwyf We are looking back today at the ag eilunod gwael y llawr? https://www.youtube.com/watch? Borough chapel; how it began, its Tystio'r wyf nad yw eu cwmni v=7SF9vp4TbVQ mission today, but with the hope i'w cystadlu â Iesu mawr: that its mission will continue in O! am aros the future with the same yn ei gariad ddyddiau f'oes. Readers: commitment that imbued those who had the vision to plant this See he stands among the myrtles Geoffrey Chaucer chapel to serve the people of the object worthy of my heart; in a version by Neville Coghill Borough. although in part, I know from The Canterbury Tales – He is above the objects of the Prologue Mark Salmon And now we say together in our world:

Heart language the Lord’s Prayer hail the morning William Shakespeare whether that be Welsh or I saw him as he is. from A Midsummer Night’s English: Dream – ‘I know a bank where Rose of Sharon is his name, the wild thyme blows;’ ‘That Ein Tad, yr hwn wyt yn y white and rosy, fair of heart; very time I saw, but thou nefoedd, than ten thousand he is better couldst not,’ Oberon (Act 2 Sc 1) sancteiddier dy enw. of objects the world prescribes: Glyn Pritchard Deled dy deyrnas. a sinner's friend, Gwneler dy ewyllys, here is his pilot on the sea. Charles Dickens from Night Walks megis yn y nef, felly ar y ddaear Joshua Games hefyd. What is there more for me to do

Dyro i ni heddiw ein bara with wretched idols of the earth? Y Gwladgarwr, 8 March 1873 beunyddiol. I testify that their company is not Report of the opening of Capel A maddau i ni ein dyledion, to compete with great Jesus: y Boro by Henry Richard MP fel y maddeuwn ninnau i'n O to stay and Samuel Morley Esq dyledwyr. in his love the days of my life! Eiri Jones Ac nac arwain ni i brofedigaeth, Octavia Hill eithr gwared ni rhag drwg. Selected writings Canys eiddot ti yw'r deyrnas, a'r Richard Rodgers Carousel – Sir Simon Hughes nerth, a'r gogoniant yn oes ‘You’ll never walk alone’ oesoedd. Beti Gwenfron Evans Amen When you walk through a storm from Memoirs Hold your head up high Rowenna Hughes And don't be afraid of the dark. Wele'n sefyll rhwng y At the end of a storm A talk by John Jones on the myrtwydd There's a golden sky hymn writer Howell Harris wrthrych teilwng o fy mryd; And the sweet silver song of a John Jones er mai o ran, yr wy'n adnabod lark. Matthew 10: 40-42 Lowri Lewis

Salm 13 Megan Evans

Meditation by Parch Peter Dewi Richards and Lord’s Prayer And Blessing Peter Dewi Richards

Producer Mike Williams

Pictures (from top):

Capel y Boro, exterior; Scene from Tabard Inn, Prologue Canterbury Tales by Chaucer (Lithograph); A poster, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; Charles Dickens; Henry Richard, ‘Peace’ a caricature for ‘Vanity Fair’ by Spy; Bryceson Treharne; Matilde Wesendonck (1850) by Karl Ferdinand Sohn, StadtMuseum Bonn; Dame Anne Evans; Red Cross Garden, Southwark; Octavia Hill by John Singer Sargent © National Portrait Gallery, London; Paddington Station; Howell Harris; Capel y Boro, Interior;