Thn Elrhteanth Contury Walsh AwnIcaninR With Its Relationships To Tho Contemporary English EynnirelicalI Revtval by flichard William Evans A Thesis submitted to the ]Faculty of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh In partial fulfilment of the roquirements for tho Doctor of Philosophy degree. t41v 19.96 HELEN FY, Annwyl BrIod, Am ol aerch all chofronaoth "The linos are fallen unto me In pleasant places; yen# I have-a goodly heritage. " Psalm M6 "One of the most discreditable and discourteous things in life is contompt for that which we once loved. " Adam C. Welch. CONTENTS Chapter Pace Prefaco Introduction A Sketchi Religion In Wales Before The Methodist Awakening 24 .......... Beginnings Of An Epoch 42' Part 1 ..... Part 2 54 ..... o.,. o ... III. Early Relationships ................ 72 IV. Orpanising Against Porils. 102 e. oo.... ......... o V., Lower-Lovel Relationships.. 130 o. oo ........ ooo*o V1. The Separation 170 ......... ..... VII. The 197 APPRIMICES A Deciding Upqn A Name 22.5 ................. ******* The Groat B Association ...................... 226 John Jones 227 C .................................. D An Indirect Influence 20,28 ...................... E Trovecka Family Side-Lights 230 P Harris's Varied Interests 233 Contemporary Opinions 235 0 H The Two Trevacka Colleges 236 ............ Bibliography 23a ....... MAP Places Connected With the 18th Century Awakening Prontlapiece in Wales II. (Tho brokon lino indicates my route through the country of the revivalists) LIST OF ILLUSTRATICTIS Following page A Papo from tho Diary of Howell Harris 13 Tho Wolsh Revivalists 53 lowornois" 61 "Pantycelyn" 64 The Trovacka'Buildings (1042) 199 The map and illustrations have been made available through the courtosy of the National Library of Wales. PRRPACR It may have boon protontious on my part to undortake this atudy. As a grandson of Welsh 1=1grants to Americat I began it with no more to command mo than an enthusiasm for "the land of my fathers. '# I hnve loarned not to despise enthusiasm# and In tho following pages my aim has been to wed It to all that In reliable In objective Inquiry. As I lay down my pan, I am aware of the many disadvantages which confront the non-Wolsh born student or thin period. The most notable Is a lack of fooling for the subject, a fooling wh1ch In ali probobility Is an natural to the. nativo Welshman an the air he broathas. It follows, therefore, that this thesis has many woaknesves which a longer period within Walost and more particularly within the life strewo of the Walsh Calvinistic Mothodist Church, might have removod. What I conridently bollove to that my original enthusiasm hag been expanded. I reallse full well that the more I think I know about Welsh Methodism the lose I really know. it Is precisely at this point that my enthusiasm has been quickenedo and I look forward eagerly to futuro Inquiry Into this important and fascinating portod of history, I desire hero to record my grateful arproolation to those who have gonerously assisted me in the preparation of this thesis. 49 I hoavlly Indebted to Rev. Oomer H. Roberts, H. A. a-4 the 0 of Pontrhydyfons Olamorgan. Hr Roberts, who Is editor of the Calvinlatte Methodist 1119torical Journal, has shared with me his authorltative knowledge of Wolsh Hathodism. Through companionship with him, I was able to penetrate behind the veil of facts and capture something of the vitality of the movement. Hr Roberts placed at my disposal more than five hundred or his typewritten transcriptions of unpublished Trevecka Lettors. This enablod no to accomplish for more In the four months I spent In Aberystwyth than would otherwise have been possible* In. addition, I am indebted to Mr and Hra Roberts for their gracious hospitality while a guest In their home. I also wish to thank Hiss K. Monica Davies, H. A., F. L. A., and Hr Alun Wyri Owen, B. A. ', 13.D.,, for facilitating my research at the National Library of 'dales at Aberystwyth. I approolato the prompt and courteous isorvices which I received from the staffs of the National Library of Scotland and the National Library of Wales. The services of the External Loan Departmqnt of the National Library of Wales ware particularly helpful. To three professors at Now. Colloges University of Edinburgh# I owe my thankfulness. With Principal Watt I first consulted about the subject of this thesis; Professor Burlelg6 and PrIncipal, Duthie have been my supervisors. To these three gentlemen I tender rsy gratitude for having afforded me their 10 ý - time, counsel and advice. I also desire to thank Mr P. 0. Hondry, M. A., and Mr George Smith, M. A., for their advice and criticism of my flnuý draft. To my parents, from whom I have rocelvod a "poodly hori- tage"s as well as material old during this period of research, goes my fond gratitudo. I am eapecially indebted to my dear wife, Helen. Her willing sacrifices and loving encourapomentt thouphout this period of study$ which was marred by 111-hoalth and misfortune In our fimily, were sources of Incaloulable, strenpth. R. W. E. Edinburgh,, Scotlond. 1 March, 1956. (awyl Dowi) - 11 - LNITHODUCTION "I am In great hasto,, but I would not slip this opportunity of sending this few lines to confirm my loye to ni How you and 7ourx,. * typical this was of Howell Ilarrial, lay prouchor and Volsh reformer! lie was always In groat haste* HIS aolf-ImpoBed Itineraries were not intended to spare him from physical exhaustlon. Harris's Itinerary Between 1735-1773 Illustraton tMa: "I opon He He Jonos's Itinerary of Howell Harris,, almost at random, " Dr R, T, Jenkins wrote, "and I find that betwean October 10,1740 and March 31,1741, Barris slept only throo ninhts at home.. "g letters, too, reveal his stagaering paae, In Hovombor,, 1742, he roturnad to Wales after sponding four months In charge of the Tabornnale In London, while George Whitefield was In Scotland. A winter's rest might have boon justified. Instead we road, In a letter to "A Minister In Scotland" (probably the Rov. W. McCulloch of Cambuslang): "I generally ride every Day frem 0 to 15 Welsh miles & discourse 2.30 4. and 5 timaro else I could not see them all in many Months, there being 8 or 9 Counties which I believed I an call'd to visit. " 3 By 1747 Harris was going round the scattered Whitefloldifin Soelatlen In Englandv an voll au hin original fielde of labour 1. Trovacka Letter 298, printed In Trevocka PISS. Supplament,, 110 1, cooond series. 2. Bn; hnfnrn. Vol. II, p, 40. 3. Trovocka IISS., Letter 736,9 unpublished, - 12 - In Wales. Of the period between 22 January and 23 February, 1747,, ho wrotot "I travaild. abt. 600 miles and havo vicited part of 5 Counties In Wales tc have boon throl gornwalla west of England throl Bristol Bath Rýx6tor Plymouth Dock Ft & came ljoyr. e att 2 In ye morng last Sunday aftr travailg last Vook abt 250 Miles. "l Though always in great haste, ho found time to keep a Diary and write thousands of letters. His stamina was astounding. Had he learned the virtue of brevit-y hIs accomplishments would not be quite so stai-tling, but nelthnr his Marion nor his lottnrs are marked for their conciseness* To travel such distances, In arduous conditions, and to write at such lengths noont that he had to latoall tIme, In fact, he denied his body Its natural roquirc-aant of rest and sleep. It is little wonder that, sovon yoar3 after beginning his ministry, ho wroto, "I f'0'51 1 0,a decaying in rty Body. "2 Ho could have spared himself much physical distrosm by concentrating on his travels and preaching and by lotting his Diarios and Corrospondence go to tho four winde. But thing fortunatoly for the lator student, was not his nature. HO was racord-conceinuo. The rucords which ho loft bohind Includo almost 300 1. Trevacka Latter 1617, unpubliched. 2. Ibid,, Lotter 561, unpublishad. - 13 aw Diaries and almost 38COO Letters, together with miscellaneous papers# collectively known as "The Travacka Manuscripts". (Trevocka, a village In Broconahiro, was the home of Howell flarriew) A moderate estlaýnte places the number of words In these Hanuscripts at16vOOO*OOO! Todays they form the nucleus of the Calvinistic Hathodist Connexional Archives, and are deposited In the National Library of Wales, at, Aberystwyth. The Diaries cover the years 1735-1773. They contain page after page of meditatIong prayer, and introspection, as well as pertinent historical fact. They are written In a smalle faint handwriting, and "bear the mark of greatest haste and 2 disjointed thinking" formed by "stitching , They were togetherg under a brown paper cover, some 30 or more shoots folded In 3 halves, which measure either 6" x 7" or 4" x ? "0" Harris's handwriting, marked by excessive abbreviations and ocntraotions, In exceedingly difficult to decipher. On one occaslon John Wesley wrote to h1mv "When you write, have Patience. For some ti-nes you write so hastily that I can't read It. "4. Thia partly explains why the Mertes have never been fully transcribed. Extracts from them have been printed In the Historical Journal of the Calvinistic Hethodist (Prosby- torian) Church of Wales, and In several books, notably 1. Travacka MSS. Supplement, No. 1. second series# p. 409 2. Jones- M lie# The Travocka Lattars, p, 6, 3. Ibid.: Pr 30 4. P-rognot jiley Historical qnojg±Z, Vol. XXV119 p. 178. 14 WOOL AW% 14 A4, aw - 14 to 0 Calvinistic Mothodist Holy Orders by D. E. Jenkins,, and Ilowel Harris vn Munclain by'John Thickens. Apart from the firat twent7-one Diary notebooks, which were written in Lating and which have boon tmnscribed and translated'.