Welsh Journals

Feb. 1, 1899. BYE-GONES. 25 diste, and joined the Llanuwchllyn Church, of wh'ch Mr Owen Edwards was one of the earliest deacons. It is related that young Owen Jones could read Welsh as well as his mother when three years of age; and it is on record that four years later he gained a prize for reciting from memory Psalm cxix., and that a year pre¬ viously he gave an address, lasting fifteen minutes, on temperance. He received his early education in a school conducted by the father of the late Principal Michael Jones. He removed with his parents first to Llwyn'r Odyn, Waun y Bala, and afterwards to Frongain, in the same neighbourhood, where h's parents died. At the age of # fourteen he went with hie elder brother, who died in 1875, to Bala College; but he only remained there six months, and returned home, where he became a Sunday School teacher and leader of the Church choir. At eighteen he joined the Merionethshire Literary Society; and it was his proud boast that the ex¬ perience he then gained was the foundation of his literary career. Acting on the advice of Dr Lewis Edwards, the Rev David Rowlands, and other members of the Church at Llidiardau, he decided to study for the ministry, and with that object in view returned to Bala College, where he.underwent a thorough course of theological in¬ struction. He matriculated while there, and two years later he graduated at London University. It was during1 his residence at Bala that he became acquainted with Jane, daughter of the late Mr John Jones of Corner House, Llanfyllin—a nephew of Ann Griffiths, the hymn-writer—whom he subsequently married. He was or¬ dained a minister at the same time as the Rev J. Prichard of Birmingham in 1864. The same year he removed to Festiniog, where, for eight years, he had the pastoral charge of the Tabernacle and Bethesda Churches. In 1872 he succeeded the Rev Henry Rees in the pastorate of Chatham- street Church, Liverpool, and for twenty years he laboured successfully as head of this important Church. He proved himself to be one of the most faithful pastors of the c'ty; _ and the regret felt at his severance from it. occasioned by failing health, was manifested in the form of a presenta¬ tion, which included an address subscribed for by the deacons and members. From Liverpool he removed to Llansantffraid, where he spent much of Iv's time in literary pursuits. As a Welsh scholar he had few equals: he was not only a man of 60\md judgment and high moral character, but an eloquent preacher and an ex¬ cellent writer, as (his popular and interesting memoirs of "Robert Tomos" and "Dafydd Rolant" test:fy. In 1889 he issued a new edition of Morgan Llwyd's "Llvfr y Tri Adervn.'' with a life of the author and an interesting bibliographi¬ cal introduction. He was honoured bv his Church as few men are honoured, and he filled the chair, not only of the North Wales Quarterly Associa¬ tion, but of the General Assembly, held in London four years ago. Mr Owen Jones was seeretarv of the Loan Society of the North Wales .Association, a member of the Executive of the Bala Theo¬ logical OolWe, and a trustee of the North Wales Calvinistic Methodist Association. F° was wp- tarv of the General Assembly in 1877 and 1878. and the address which he gave from the chair when YQfc. VI, New Series {Vol, 15th from the beginning.] Moderator in 1894- will be long remembered by those who heard it. He also filled many other posts of honour. He was editor of one of the series of Welsh classics published by the Guild of Gradu¬ ates of the University of Wales. Mr Jones, it should be stated, was the possessor of one of the best libraries of Welsh books in Wales; its treasures included a copy of William Salesbury's Welsh Testament, two copies of Bishop Morgan's Welsh Bible, and other rare Welsh works. Much interest was taken in the publications he exhibited last year at the Shropshire Archaeological Society's Exhibi¬ tion of Antiquities. He was a frequent contr:bu tor to the "Traethodydd" and other magazines, and occasionally contributed to " Bye-Gones." The remains were buried in the Llanfyllin Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, amid every manifestation of respect and sympathy. FEBRUARY 1, 1899. NOTES. TONG CASTLE.-Hulbert in his Shropshire. (vol. ii., p. 174) gives this additional information to the Notes in Bye-Ookes of June 22 and July 6, quoting from Vicars :—" Captain Shaw, governor of Eccleshall Castle, having intelligence that the garrisonof Tongue Castle were abroad, fell upon them with a party of horse, slew manv of their rfficers, took prisoner the Governor of the Castle and 200 private soldiers." T.C.D. GHOSTS.—A man told me lately that he and his brother heard a gho*t walking in their bed¬ room about midnight, which, of course, is the correct hour for ghosts to be about. The brothers were convinced that the ghost would not waste his time in tramping about the bed¬ room on a cold night unless he had some object in view ; so one of them got up and lit a candle, but could find nothing. They, however, had peace for the rest of the night, the ghost evi¬ dently being satisfied with having drawn their attention to his presence. The next morning the brothers were satisfied that it was the ghost of someone who bad hidden money in the house ; and a search was therefore made in the dilapidated walls, with the result that several coins (silver and copper) were found. I have seen the coins,—the silver being almost black, and the copper being covered with verdigris. J. A. J. A RARE WREXHAM BOOK.—I have dis¬ covered in the British Museum a copy of what I have good reason to believe is an exceedingly scarce and curious book of original poems anonymously published, but obviously by Philip Yorke, of Erddig. lb consists of some 36 pp., sm. octavo ; and has a very brief title—" Crude- Ditties. Wrexham : Printed by M. and S. Marsh. 1795." The following are some of the subjects of the " Ditties ;"-— " J,?urD^.v l£0m Wrexham] to Marvport, June 1778," "To Colonel Myddleton, of Gwaynynog, L: