Welsh Journals

THE HOME MISSIONARY. THE PROFITS (TF ANX-) OF THE SALE OF THIS MISCELLANY WILL BE APPROPRIATED TO THE FOND RAISED BV THE WELSH CALVINIST1C METHODISTS FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE GOSPEL IN THE MARCHES OF WALES. No. XII. MAY, 1843. Price Id. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Of the late Mrs Jones, of Talwrn Cottage, near Bangor-Is-y-Coed, Flintshire. To the Editor of "The Home Missionary."—Sir,—As the Home Missionary is devoted to the en¬ couraging the Missionary cause, and chronicling its results, principally in the Marches of Wales, I think it would be a great oversight to omit in your periodical honourable men¬ tion of the pious lady, whose name is at the head of this imperfect sketch. Having been born in the Marches of Wales—" born again" in the Marches—having chiefly lived her long life in the Marches—havin g been during that time one of, if indeed not, the very strongest and most zealous friend of the Marches—in mature old age " the old disciple in whose house we lodged" in the Marches—and at last having " died in peace" in the Marches—indeed she was ours ; her memory is ours; and therefore I will not—I need not apologize, but boldly claim a few columns in the Home Missionary for my subject; being well assured that the memoir however inade¬ quate, will be gladly hailed by all your readers. Mrs. Jones was a daughter of Mr. Richard Phillips, formerly of Ty'n Rhos, Llanfarthin, near Oswestry. She was born in the year 1765, and therefore the morning of her life was spent in a period when all but Pagan darkness overspread most of our land; when the Gospel was to most a given-up mystery—evangelical preaching scarcely known--the refor¬ mation by dissent in its infancy— Sabbath Schools and Christian So¬ cieties or Churches, &c, scarcely begun to exist. And yet in this be¬ nighted and unfavourable period, our dear and venerated departed friend and " mother in Israel" was brought to a " knowledge of the truth." In these untoward circum¬ stances she was privileged to " Re¬ member her Creator in the days of her youth." Her brother, now the Rev. E. Phillips, was then at Oxford, pre¬ paring for holy orders. During his visits at home in the college vaca¬ tions, &c, he was in the habit of holding meetings in his father's house for the purpose of reading Scriptures and prayer. These meet¬ ings were the means of inclining the mind of the subject of our sketch to attend the preaching of the Gospel. She was not " effectually called" under (for she had not the oppor¬ tunity of attending) the ministry of the eminent and talented servants of God; but it is said that a poor but pious man who laboured for her father, urged her to hear a poor, plain, country preacher preaching in a house near her home. This ser¬ mon was blessed by God to her soul, so that it was not a small matter afterwards that could prevent her going to hear the Gospel whenever it happened to be preached near her abode. Soon after this she joined a small society in the Church of