Summary

The lives of two of Wales’ great preachers, one of whom is one of Wales’ main hymnists.

Teachers’ Notes

Recommended Hymn / Song: The hymn O Nefol Addfwyn Oen (Please see Caneuon Ffydd Number 312)

Instructions: The pictures should be shown on PowerPoint as the story is told.  The (  ) shows when the slide should be changed.  To attract the pupils’ attention, we recommend the first slide is already on display as they enter.

 The Main Text

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Howell Harris was born on 14 February, 1714. 

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He was born in Talgarth, in what was then Breconshire.

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He had a religious conversion when he heard the Reverend Pryce Davies preaching at the local church.  Listening to the sermon, Harris was convinced that Jesus Christ had died for him on the Cross and that he was personally receiving forgiveness for his sins.  Soon after, Howell Harris began to spread this message to others.

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He became a travelling preacher, after being rejected by the Church of England because of his Methodist tendencies.  He was determined to spread the Word throughout the whole of Wales.  He had to suffer a great deal because of his preaching.

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In 1752, he founded a religious society at his home in Trefecca – it was referred to as the Trefecca Family.

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He continued to preach and when he died in 1773, twenty thousand people came to his funeral.  He was buried close to his birthplace in Talgarth.

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There is a connection between him and another prominent preacher of the era and one of Wales’ greatest hymnists, William Williams, Pantycelyn.

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‘Willams Pantycelyn’ was born in Cefn-coed, near Llandovery in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Carmarthenshire. He was educated at the Llwynllwyd Academy and he intended to become a doctor. 

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But, after he heard Howell Harris (1714-1773) preaching at Talgarth, Williams had a conversion.  He joined the Church and was ordained a deacon in 1740.  In the years that followed, he turned his attention increasingly towards the Methodist movement and soon he was one of the movement’s most prominent leaders in Wales.

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After he got married in 1748 he went to live at his mother’s old home, Pantycelyn, in his home parish.  Williams is considered to be one of Wales’ most important and popular hymnists, and he was honoured with the title Y Pêr Ganiedydd (The Sweet Singer). 

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He composed over 800 hymns and several of them are still sung today.  He was also a poet, and in addition he also published several pieces of prose.

He died in 1791 and was buried in the cemetery of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn church, Llandovery.

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These are the first words of one of his most familiar hymns:

O nefol addfwyn Oen,            O, gentle heavenly Lamb

 sy’n llawer gwell na’r byd,                       Excelling earthly things,

A lluoedd maith y nef                               Whose praise the host of heaven

 yn rhedeg arno’u bryd,                           Continually sings,

dy ddawn a’th ras a’th gariad drud         Thy grace, thy gifts, and thy dear love

sy’n llanw’r nef, yn llanw’r byd.               Fill all the earth and heaven above.