Welsh Journals

3WHEJ WQW EQPPIP * No. 102. Vol. IX. JUNE, 1901. Price One Penny RURI-DECANAL CHAPTER. The Ruri-Decanal Chapter was held at Carno on Friday, May 17th. Prayers having been said by the Rural Dean, letters of apology for absence read. Several subjects were dealt with, amongst them being a letter from the Yicar of Llannor, urging the claims of the Bangor Diocesan Augmentation and Sustentation Funds. It had previously been decided to support the Funds. The Rev. W. David Roberts, Rector of Llanddyf'nan, sent in his resignation of the different offices he held in the Deanery. The Vicar cf Carno was appointed Chapter Clerk, and Mr. John Davies, L. & P. Bank, Llanidloes, was elected to the position of Secretary of the Diocesan Board of Education ; Mr. Davies to act for the Deanery. It was decided to hold the R. D. Choral Festival in the month of September next. T. EVAN JONES, Chapter Clerk. LLANIDLOES. Two great Church Festivals have again pass»d by and been kept very much as usual—the one almost by neglect and the other with fair regard to its import¬ ance. It is strange how little regard is paid to Ascension Day by Church people, though it is one of th« greatest feasts of the year ; its importance marked by our church with proper preface and psalms and lessons. Will the day ever dawn when our people keep our festivals as Nonconformists keep theirs, by closing their shops and offices, and flocking to their places of worship, regardless of a day's gain lost ? At least, the time has not yet arrived—for our dozen [communicants, the tiny congregation of three (!!) at eleven, and some thirty or forty at evening service, purely do not really represent the forces of the Church of England at Llanidloes ? Whit-Sunday on the other hand was on the whole ji*ell kept with a large number of communicants, and jarge and apparently devout congregations, through¬ put the day. It is true that the Communicants were not so numerous as they were last year, but that was an exceptional case, the Easter Communion having been small, whereas this year we had au unusually large number at Easter, and to have 133 on Whit- Sunday—a larger number than any year in the past ten—except 1900—was on the whole quite satis¬ factory. The Church Choral Society gave their annual con¬ cert on Wednesday, May 8th, the work selected this year being Smieton's cantata " King Arthur," and they were assisted by Miss May John (soprano), Mr. Tom Thomas (tenor) who had once before some seven or eight years ago made an early appearance on the concert-room stage for our Society, and Mr. Emlyn Davies (bass) who does not seem to weary of Llanid¬ loes any more than Llanidloes does of him. With such artistes it is unnecessary to say much about the second or miscellaneous part of the programme, and indeed one need not say much either of the Choral Society's share, as full reports appearc'd in the local papers. Suffice it tham to record the fact that the Choral singing was at least as good, if not better (we think it was better) than on any previous occasion. Tin conductor Mr R. M. Davies, the accompanist Miss Marshall, and the secretary Mr. M. H. Owen, are heartily to be congratulated on the success which crowned their energetic work during the winter months. Financially we might have done better, but at least we just managed to clear expenses- The pressure on our space this month is so great that we are obliged to omit many items—notably, the account of the first cricket match between the town team and church choir to which alone a column might well be devoted, if only worthily to celebrate the mar¬ vellous catch by which Mr. John Davies, Harvey House, disposed of ' E. D ' on the boundary. We hope also to bring our list of Churchwardens up to date—and so piafce ready for bringing the Vicar's on the scene. We had hoped also to print this month a list of the subscriptions so far promised in response to the Vicar's