Welsh Journals

June 17, 1892. THE WELSH WEEKLY, 11 THE OUTLOOK. An imperial firman has been obtained by the Free Church of Scotland Jewish Committee for the erection of a hospital in connection with their mission here. Mr. J. B. Miller, of Glasgow, a gentleman deeply interested in Jewish work, and a member of the Com¬ mittee, being here on a visit, cut " the first sod " a few days ago. There were present also four students from Glasgow Free Church College, members of the Missionary Society, which has made a large con¬ tribution to the building fund. The General Assembly of the Northern Presbyterian Church, America, voted three to one in the case of Dr. Briggs, against the minority report of the Judicial Com¬ mittee who recommended that the appeal of the Prose¬ cuting Committee from the decision of the New York Presbytery to discontinue the ease be not entertained. Three courses are open to the Assembly now that it has decided to enter upon the case. They may either order the Presbytery to proceed with it as it was when discontinued, or they may try him by a com¬ mission," or they may try him themselves. The Methodist General Conference has closed its four weeks' meeting at Omaha, Nebraska, and adjourned till 1896. One of the Bible Society's colporteurs, located in Southern France, writes that he is impressed by the fact that, within his observation, " religious scepti¬ cism seems in progress among women, who, up to this time, retained at least a certain respect for religion." The Bev. Charles A. Berry's inquiries and observa¬ tions in the North-West Territories in Canada have not favourably impressed him with the operation of Prohibition law. Of his own knowledge Mr. Berry is able to affirm that men can gat drunk before nine in the morning, as was made evident to him by a coach driver who came near to upsetting his party into a river. OPEN COUNCIL. TREGELLES—WELSH BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY-CONGO INSTITUTE. To the Editor of the Welsh Weekly. Dear Sir,—Very briefly, for my time is short, let me touch upon three matters. 1. The Late Mr. Tregelles.—In the second edition of Herzog's " Real Encyclopedia," under the heading "Tregelles" (Samuel Prideaux), there is an interesting Account of this very praiseworthy Biblical scholar. But ^hat struck me yesterday morning, when reading the article, was the statement made by Dr. Carl Bertheau, the writer, that from 1828 to 1834 Mr. Tregelles was "employed in the iron works at Neath Abbey, in Glamor¬ ganshire (as teacher?)," and that he was compelled to do this to get a living. I wonder if any one in Wales can throw any light upon Mr. Tregelles's life at Neath. Dr. ■oertheau does not seem to know the nature of his (Tre¬ gelles's) occupation, and so he puts the words " as teacher ? " (als Lehrer ?) in brackets, with query following. Was the very plodding young man a mere iron worker, Puddler, bailer, or manual labourer of another kind? But Js there no old man who can tell us something of youDg ■tregelles during the six "years spent " in den Eisen ^erken zu Neath Abbey in Glamorganshire " ? There are stiU, I believe, "Friends" (Quakers) at Neath acquainted w*th some of the Tregelles family at Plymouth. My friend Bev. James Phillips, of Haverfordwest, nephew of the late Mr. George Phillips, told me some months back that the Tregelles family has belonged for generations to 'he Quakers. The most illustrious member, however, was the " Darbyite Brother," up to near the end, when he joined 'be Church of England, owing to some disagreement ai*iong the " brethren." 2. Welsh Baptist Missionary Society. I have been ex¬ ceedingly pleased to read whatBev. H. C. Williams, Corwen, has written regarding the proposal to form a separate Baptist Missionary Society for Wales. There is hardly a ^an in Wales whose judgment in such a matter ought to have greater weight. He, a Welshman of Welshmen, a ■Baptist of the Baptists, a man of larger experience, slow but very sure in his decisions, and one with no interests whatever to serve but those of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. From the very outset the proposal referred to has appeared to me as unwise as anything could well be. No doubt many Welsh candidates for mission work have been rejected, but an incomparably larger 'number of English ones have been refused. No doubt, too, some Welsh missionaries have been interfered with in their plans and work, bht so have English missionaries, and as the British (not the English, remember) Baptist Society supports them, it has a right to see that the work is properly done. I believe strongly that Welsh Baptists ought to be more largely represented on the [Mission Committee, but I blame Welsh Baptists themselves that it is so. Let them attend the annual meetings more regularly, and when present, and at other times, let them show[a deeper interest in the work of the society, and more of them will be elected. I consider the churches most to blame that so few of our ministers are able to be present at the May and autumnal gatherings, for the expenses to the individual and poorly-paid pastor are almost prohibitive. It is said if Welsh Baptists had a Society of their own, they would give more liberally. Sir, I hope this is untrue, for I should be sorry to believe that my fellow-countrymen withhold their gifts from the cause of Jesus Christ because they cannot use the money as they like. However, 'I think this statement is utterly untrue, fir existing Societies— colleges, etc., in Wales—can barely hold their own for want of funds. Nay, on the contrary, I hold that the formation of a separate Society would involve an immense loss of money. The Society for Great Britain and Ireland would require the same officials and the same management expenses—with hardly any difference, so that the money spent for officials in Wales would be thrown away. No doubt a very cheap Secretary might be got for Wales, but for such a post you need a man who, in other walks ofjife, could command a large salary, and such a man could not be expected to serve the Welsh Society at a starvation rate. My dear Wales has too long been willing to rest satisfied with cheap men, and I hope now she will seek efficiency, though that be not quite so cheap. Besides, where can we have such a man at any price as Mr. Baynes, a man who has refused half a dozen times his present salary in order to serve Welsh as well other British Baptists ? Is it not far better to have the judgment of the larger Society in selecting candidates, and in deciding other matters of moment ? I think no Welshman with any mettle in him would care to be selected because he was a Welshman, and I have mistaken the growing efficiency and confidence of young Wales if the Welsh student desires a Welsh Society because in an open competition he is afraid of being beaten by his English rivals. As matters stand, the British Society endeavours to select the best men, wherever they come from. Would not Welsh Baptists prefer to see the very best men chosen, even though those were English, or Scotch,or Irish? Is not the interest of Christ's kingdom uppermost among us (I beg to be allowed to say us, though I am now an English President) ? Brethren, while as a minority it is hard to keep off the suspicions and jealousies of minorities, yet let us seek first the Kingdom of God, even though our individual and natural selves be subordinated to the larger and better cause. I believe as I never before believed, nay, as I never before had reason to believe, in the future of the Welsh student, and therefore I want the whole world, so far as the British Society opens it, to be free to the Welsh Baptist student. If English missionaries are lax in theological matters, so much the more reason why the more orthodox Welshman should be sent here and there to keep matters right. The ado made about the communion is a wholly false issue. Baptist missionaries are allowed to be open or strict just as they please, and more even, that they are allowed to carry out their views. Those who summon the analogy of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Missio nary Society in favour of there being a separate Welsh Baptist Society can hardly know what they are doing, for the Welsh Methodists are a wholly Welsh denomination, and they had hardly a choice in the matter. And with all deference to my dear brethren of the " Corph," I don't think that the history of Welsh Methodist missions affords us, as com¬ pared with our own British missions, much encouragement in forming a separate society. 3. The Colwyn Bay Bay Training Institute : It cannot be questioned, that the chief supporters of the new society are also the chief supporters of the Institute for African boys at Colwyn Bay. I have the profoundest respect for Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, and among the leading officials and committeemen are manyjof my most valued friends; but [from the very start I have considered the movement a huge mistake, a waste of money, of energy, if not of life. If those boys were trained—as boys are being trained—out in Africa, the expense would be less than one- tenth of what it is in this country. Moreover, the training would be infinitely more helpful to them. In this country boys learn a good deal which in Africa they will have to unlearn—if they can. Western ways of thought and life are so different from those prevailing in Africa that the majority of the boys^trained in this country will be ruined for woi king among their own people. I have no time to enlarge as I might upon this point, but let me give an illustration. In December of 1888 I was travelling in Palestine. At Jerion, in the southern limits of Galilee, I came across a very interesting, bright boy, whom I called Willie. He had been instructed in the Christian faith by missionaries, and wished me to bring him to England. He would be obedient and would do what I liked. I was somewhat inclined to accede to Willie's wish. At Nazareth I had a long interview with the Bev. Dr. Walters, the Church of England missionary He knew Willie well and loved him; but he said that from the experience he had had he advised me to let Willie remain in his own country. If I took him away to England I should unfit him for life in Europe or in Palestine. I sympathize with the Colwyn Bay Institute in its desire to encourage African missionaries in their own country, but sooner or later it will be found a very great mistake to train these Africans anywhere else than in their own country. It has surprised me to see so many leading Welsh Baptists rallying to the support of the Institute without regarding more closely whether the principles at the bottom of it are sound and practical. But it is better to retreat now than to erect'a permanent building and to appoint commissioners to organise the work in Africa. Mr. Baynes is one of the shrewdest and most self-denying of men, and it is very significant that he and the British (not English) Missionary Society have refused from the very first to sanction the Colwyn Bay movement. I have no doubt that I shall be criticised for writing as I have, but many of my friends in Wales—professors and others—know that I have from the beginning advocated what I here advocate. I write merely because I believe what I write, and because I desire the welfare of Welsh Baptists and of the Master's Kingdom. I trust all corre¬ spondence in the Welsh Weekly, or in other papers on this matter will be duly signed. It is a disgrace to our Welsh press to see known and named individuals attacked by anonymous scribblers. Let our University colleges and the Bible put an end to all this. I ought to add that it will be impossible—or almost so—for me now to write further on the main subject matter [of this letter, though after my return to England in September I may write further. May I use your excellent paper to send my best greeting to the hundreds and thousands of friends I have in dear Cambria ? In a German party last night I sang in Welsh and English, " Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau," and never with more heartiness. Yours cordially, T. Witton Davies, Principal of Midland Baptist College, Nottingham. Wilhelm Strasse, 34, Berlin, Germany. P.S.—I should like to add that if a Welsh Baptist Missionary Society were formed, Welsh Baptists would at once be split up into two camps, for a very large number of influential churches and individuals would never join the proposed society; indeed, I have no doubt the very great majority would go on supporting the old society. And I should like to remind those who advocate the Welsh Society on grounds of strict communion, which is the main reason always put forward, that many English Baptists who support the British Society are strict too. Do Welsh Baptists wish to be separated from them too ? SPECIAL APPEAL ON BEHALF OF A YETERAN TEMPERANCE WORKER. To the Editor of the Welsh Weekly. Dear Sir,—May I ask you the favour of a short space to lay before your numerous readers the claims of a most needy case? The friends of the temperance cause in Bhyl have set on foot a movement for the presentation of a testimonial to Mr. John Proffitt, who has been a most ardent and faithful worker in connection with this caues for a period of sixty years, and has done a great deal towards the furtherance of its principles. It was he who started the Band of Hope movement in this town about 27 years ago, and ever since he has been a loyal and enthusiastic supporter of it. He took a deep interest in the training of the young, and several of his old disciples, who are now scattered throughout the country, are under a great debt of gratitude to him. Mr. Proffitt is 75 years of age. About six years ago be met with a very serious accident, and since that time his health has been in a failing condition, and his pecuniary circumstances are not such as should be desired. This case is a most deserving and urgent one, and we feel assured that this veteran's several friends will be glad cf the opportunity of helping and cheering him up in his old age. I shall be pleased (as secretary of the movement), on behalf of the Committee, to receive any donations. Thanking you, Mr. Editor, in anticipation. Yours faithfully, . B. T. Llwydwyn Jones. 8, Crescent Boad, Bhyl.