Welsh Journals

Arwpstli Deanerp magazine. Vol. VI. (New Series). JANUARY, 1910. No. 205. GENERAL. We wish all our readers a Very Happy New Year. A very critical year it will certainly be for all and probably before our next issue appears sufficient elections will have taken place to let us know for certain whether the Church in Wales will be disestablished and disendowed within a couple of years or less. There are a large number of Liberal Church¬ men who although opposed to Disestablish¬ ment, etc., have either thought this question not likely to be brought forward or have trusted to the House of Lords to throw it out once. Now Disestablishment is the second item on the Liberal programme, and if the present Government is returned to power, the financial ruin of the Church in Wales will be a matter of the next few months. LLANIDLOES. Xmas in spite of depressing weather passed over very successfully from a Church point of view, the services being well attended, the singing of the very best, and the communi¬ cants reaching a figure never before attained except in.the abnormal year of the mission and the year following—156. The highest number recorded in Canon Williams' time was 139, and in 1891, the present Vicar's first Xmas the figure was 71. So " we thank God and take courage." Almost still more encouraging were the congregations the day following—excellent both morning and evening. Wc confess to having had dismal visions of small attendances and half-hearted singing, Sunday following the very next day after Christmas. The anthem on Christmas morning—which was repeated on Sunday evening—was a very tuneful setting of " W7hile shepherds watched their flocks by night " by Norman Churchill, and in the evening the choir attacked Handel's grand chorus iC And the Glory of the Lord," and did really splendidly, though of course we missed Mr. Chas. Owen—may he soon be back in his accustomed place. The col¬ lections were for the Newtown infirmary which will benefit to the amount of £3 10s. Mr. Tom Phillips took the solo in the morn¬ ing anthem in his usual finished style and his work with the boys is already having its effect. Miss Lena Davies accompanied beautifully throughout. The Church looked well in its Christmas dress of red and green. Mrs. Vaughan Owen as usual decorated the font : Miss Jones (Close) the north windows ; Mrs. Roberts, Miss Phillips and IVliss Parker, the south windows ; Miss Davies, Lhvyn, the lectern; Mr. Llew. Webb, the pulpit; Mrs, R. O. Jones and Mrs. Alderson, the stalls ; and Mrs. Hollings and Mrs. E. O. Jones, the east end. The Rummage Sale on #Dec. 20th was also eminently successful, there being a good supply of garments and a rush of buyers. The tea tables were adorned for the first time with the new " Parish Church " crockery which was much admired. Mr. C. Evans, Miss Lily Roberts and Mr. Albert Roberts sang, and the last named took part in an amusing sketch by a local author, sup¬ ported by Messrs. Arthur and Llewellyn Webb and Stowell Marpoie, the ghost being of a most blood-curdling nature. Miss Sallie Owen recited. WTe have to thank Mrs. D. A Lewis and the Misses Griffiths for collecting, Mr. J. A. Jones for keeping the door, the above-mentioned entertainers, and a number of helpers and givers too numerous for separate mention though our pen positively itches to single out some more especially generous givers and energetic assistants. The nett proceeds amounted to £15. Proceeding backwards we come to a check in our career of success, the attend¬ ance of men at a meeting convened to hear the Rev. D. Ellis Jones, Vicar of Abercynon, on the C.E.M.S. being, in spite of a special appeal from the Vicar the previous Sunday, of the most meagre description. Mr. Jones however made the best of a bad job and spoke eloquently and persuasively on a sub¬ ject evidently very near his heart.