Welsh Journals

posed by Mr. Jones and his supporters.1 The quarrel about the Cyfansoddiad (Constitution) affected the whole de- nomination, causing unpleasantness and high feelings in many churches. A full and clear account of this has yet to be written. In 1861 Mr. John Peters (loan Pedr) was appointed classical tutor, a remarkable man whose thirst for knowledge was insatiable, and who had taught himself classics and modern languages with the aid of Cassell's Popular Educator. He was a marvellous linguist, possess- ing some knowledge of Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, as well as English and Welsh.2 He was a sympathetic teacher, always willing to help his students, but he insisted on the work being done thoroughly perhaps he expected too much work and was lacking in method.' He would have been more popular had he given more place to humour. He died just before the climax of the New Constitution storm in 1877, at the early age of 43. The result of the dispute, which dragged on for years, was that a split took place in 1879, and there were two institutions at Bala, one under the Rev. Thomas Lewis (who was made theological tutor in 1874) at Plasyndre, and the other under M. D. Jones at his residence, Bodi- wan.1 In 1886 the institution under Mr. Lewis removed to Bangor to be near the University College, and Mr. Samuel Morley gave a donation of £ 1,500 to give it a start in its new home. In 1889 Mr. John Rylands, Manchester, left £ 5,000 to Bala College and both colleges claimed it, but fortunately an understanding was arrived at, and in 1890 the two were united, taking the name Bala- Bangor, but the students were to spend part of their time 1 Oes a Gtcaith M. D. Jones, Chap. 5. 2 Enwogion y Ffydd, iv, p. 489. 3 Y Geninen, 1889. Cymru, vol. iv. 4 Cymru, ii, p. 170.