Welsh Journals

The BUTHIN Illustrated Magazine & M0HTHLY To Inform. To Instruct. To Amuse. No. 2. Vol. 1. MARCH, 1879. TWO PENCE. SAINT DAVID. To-day, Saturday, being the anniversary of St. David's nativity, it may not be uninteresting to many of our readers to give some short account of his lifs. St. David, the patriot saint of Wales, ■was born at the place since called after his name, and was baptized at Port Clais, in that neigh¬ bourhood, by Albeus, bishop of Munster. He is said to have received his education in the school of Iltutus ; and afterwards in that of Paulinus, at Tygwyn ar Dav, where he spent ten years in the study of the Scriptures. He afterwards founded a monastery, in the valley of Rosina or Ehos, which was subsequently called Menevia. In this retirement he lived with his disciples, practising those religious austerities which were sanctioned by the superstitions of the age. St. David was first aroused from his seclusion to attend the synod of Brevi in Cardigan, where he spoke with such grace and eloquence that he • silenced the supporters of the Pelagian heresy, and utterly vanquished them. In A.D. 519 he was elected primate of the Welsh Church, Dubricius having resigned in his favour, and shortly after his elevation he obtained the permission of Arthur to remove the see from Caerlleon to Menevia, in consequence, it is supposed, of his father-in-law having giving all his lands in Pembrokeshire to the church, and the former place being too much exposed to the incursions of the Saxons. Menevia hence came to be called Ty Ddewi, the name it still bears in Welsh, the house of David, or St David's. The churches and chapels founded by St. David number fifty three in South Wales alone, besides others in England. He died ac¬ cording to some dates in 544, aged 82, in the monastery which he founded at Menevia, and where he was honourably buried by order of Maelgwn Gwynedd. It has been observed by Dr. Pughe, that the reputation which he has acquired of being the patron saint of Wales, is of modern introduction. But this should not be said with a view to disparage his memory. He baa long maintained the highest station among the saints of his country ; and whether the number of "churches attributed to him, or his exertions in the overthrow of Pelagianism be considered he possesses the fairest claim to such a distinction. RUTHIN AND CERRIG-Y-DRUIDION RAILWAY. The shareholders of the above Company met at the Castle Hotel, on Tuesday, the 25th of last mouth, for the purpose of electing Directors in the place of those who retired, and for the trans¬ action of general business. Mr. C. S. Mainwaring presided, and there was a good attendance. Mr. Adams said that the first duty of the meeting was to elect three directors, and after some unim¬ portant conversation the following gentlemen were elected :—Mr. C. S. Mainwaring, Mr. Ex. Tar nor, and Mr. John Simon. Mr. Ex. Turnor then rose to propose the appointment of Mr. Adams as the Company's Secretary at a salary of £250 per annum, and the motion having been carried, Mr. Adams thanked the shareholders for the confidence they had reposed in him, and he gave them his word that he would do all in his power to further the interests of the line. After Mr. W. Edwards had been elected auditor, Mr. Ex. Turnor brought forward the question of public rejoicings to celebrate the turning of the first sod. He thought it would be a better plan to postpone them for a little, as the weather was so cold, and most of the influential gentlemen of the neighbourhood were from home. Mr. Mainwaring proposed that the line should be proceeded with forthwith, and that they should have the rejoicings later on. Many of the shareholders were in favour of celebrating the event by a public dinner, but after a long discussion it was unanimously agreed to start the line forthwith, but to defer any demonstration until the first of May. The pro¬ ceedings then terminated.