CHAP. III.

Jones itinerating-his coadjutors-the Irish church-Jones's letters.

WE shall now notice another remarkable circumstance in Jones's life. He was accustomed to itinerate through Wales as a missionary, and to "go about," like his blessed Master, "doing good." In this respect he resembled the celebrated Berridge and Venn, and other good men of that period, with whom he might have been acquainted before he returned to Wales: and this is very probable, as he was eminently noticed by Lady Huntingdon. It was an irregularity, it is true, in the established church: but the times were very different then from what they are now. Ignorance and wickedness had overspread the country, especially Wales. Jones had peculiar and most suitable talents, under God's blessing, for the opposing and demolishing the kingdom of darkness, and promoting and establishing the kingdom of Christ: and he had a most tender and feeling heart to devote himself to the work. Indeed he was most useful in stemming the torrent of vice and immorality in the principality. Revels, feasts, cock-fighting, drunkenness, with all their concomitant evils, were very prevalent in Glamorganshire at that time.-There was a notable revel or feast of the most diabolical description held in Jones's neighbourhood. Awful to think, it was held on the sabbath, and consequently it became more corrupt. Indeed nothing could be more vile and demoralizing. Multitudes of the old as well as the young resorted thither to desecrate the holy day! It was a common thing to see crowds returning thence more like beasts than rational creatures. It was not enough for one man to fight single-handed with

another, but families were engaged against families, and parish against parish. Nothing could give a more correct idea of a pagan country than those corrupt and bloody scenes. Satan had the public service of that neighbourhood on the Lord's day. He is not more worshipped at the hellish festival of Juggarnaut by the Hindoos! The Welch people sacrificed to the demon on the altars of strife, uncleanness, and brutality.

Thanks be to God for the great change wrought there, as well as in many other parts of Wales. The kingdom of Satan was subdued there by the energetic and indefatigable labours of Jones, under the divine blessing. The place, instead of being a plague to the country, became the happy spot where grace was communicated to many. The satanic feast was converted into a yearly evangelical jubilee. Hither the people flocked to hear the word of God, and to magnify his holy name. The revel was completely put down, and the name of the Lord was magnified.

Jones's nephew, an evangelical clergyman, the late incumbent of Mynydd-ysth-lwyn, Monmouthshire, wrote as follows of his uncle's great usefulness at another place nearly of the same description as the above." There was," said he, 66 an annual revel held on a Sunday at Peterstone, in the parish of Coychurch, at which some implements of husbandry were sold, as at a fair. Mr. Jones undertook to preach there on the day of the revel, or Mab-saint; and his text, as I am informed, was this, 'For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?' Great numbers were converted under this sermon, some of whom were alive within the last year. He preached annually at the same place on the anniversary Sunday for thirty years with success. I read the prayers the last Sunday he came there, and he preached afterwards on the churchyard wall, the congregation being much too large to be contained in the church. He said then that would be the last time he should preach there, as the end for which he came had been

attained, that is, the putting down of the revel, and advaneing in some considerable measure the kingdom of Christ.”

Another remarkable instance of divine power attending his ministry, on a similar occasion, shall be mentioned. On his return home from preaching at some church, he met with a large crowd of people preparing for a cock-fight. He addressed them in his usual pleasant manner, which immediately won them into his favour. He told them that he had some particular delightful message to communicate to them, that he should consequently be very glad to be allowed to speak to them for a few minutes, and that they might go on then if they liked. These kind expressions had the desired effect. They replied, "The gentleman shall do as he wishes." He began to speak, and the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, supplying him with wisdom and matter to address the vast and rude concourse of people immediately. His heart being full of compassion for perishing souls, he instantly directed their attention, with great sweetness and unction, in his usual manner, to Calvary, to behold the Lamb of God bleeding for sinners. The effect was most astonishing; the conviction of sin, and the manifestation of the love of God, were most surprising; the people were overwhelmed. The scene was completely changed. They did actually cast away the works of darkness, and dropped the instruments of unrighteousness; there was no idea of cock-fighting; all people went home as persons that had been to some place of worship. David played the harp of the gospel so well, that even the men of pleasure and young people did not think of the Welch harp. Satan was completely foiled there that day, and his kingdom sustained a heavy blow. Here it was evident that "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." 2 Cor. x. 4. Had some spectator witnessed the different aspects of the scene there that day, he would have been astonished above measure;-beholding the lions turned into lambs, wolves

into sheep, and vipers into doves! Thus the gospel was preached to all creatures with effect, and many of them were made new creatures. Such a sight would not have been believed unless it had been observed. These however were but a few of the many wonderful instances of usefulness that occurred under Jones's ministry, by the blessing of God.

There were a few clergymen and lay-preachers in Wales of the same character as Jones, with whom he was happy to co-operate, such as the celebrated Rowlands, the two Williamses, the two Davieses, Charles of Bala, and H. Harris and other lay-preachers. As their labours were so much blessed, and so many converted under their ministry, they endeavoured to train up the converts in the knowledge and nurture of the Lord; and for this end they formed themselves into a religious body.-This event took place at a peculiar crisis, when most of the eminent ministers of the nonconformists had been called home to their eternal rest. Many of their followers had become dead and formal in their profession, and some of them had fallen into dangerous errors. The nonconformists had never been very flourishing in the principality. They had no bond of union, and consequently had not acted together. It was reserved for Jones and his friends to accomplish this desirable object. That remarkable means in which those eminent men were united is called the association, of which a particular account is given in Rowlands' records.

Though Jones and his friends had built chapels for the use of their numerous congregations, yet they considered themselves still members of the Established church. The ordinances were administered by the clergy only, who were in connexion with them. Most of the members communicated in the churches of those evangelical clergymen, though they had to travel far, some as much as twenty miles; yea, hundreds of them, who went to Llangeitho, had four times that distance to go, if not more. And to

this day this connexion, though now become very large, is kindly disposed towards the establishment. Indeed, had the rulers of the church been kind to this body, instead of persecuting it, there is reason to suppose that it would have remained in union with the establishment to this day. However as things are, the members do not avow themselves as having departed from the church. It is true they have set apart some ministers for the administration of the sacraments, as the connexion had increased to such an extent. This is the only material addition made to their plan since the days of Rowlands.

The state of things in Wales then was similar to that in Ireland now. However the serious clergy are more numerous in the latter than they were in the former. As far as we understand, there were only about ten such ministers in the principality at the commencement of Methodism there. Whereas there are hundreds of gospel preachers in the Irish church. It is stated in the Ecclesiastical Gazettee, that three hundred of them proposed some time ago to do what Jones and his friends had been doing in Wales, that is, to preach the gospel wherever it is needed. This account is very interesting, and bears upon the point in question. It is in substance as follows:

"During the recent meeting of the Irish archbishops and bishops in Dublin, (Nov. 28, 1838,) a very important document was laid before them, signed by upwards of three hundred clergymen, suggesting the utility of some regulations which would enable the clergy to preach and otherwise to exercise their ministry beyond the sphere of their own parishes, and in districts where spiritual instruction might be more required." The underneath is a part of the address.*

We, the undersigned clergy of your Lordships' different dioceses, feel perfectly convinced that the exercise of our individual ministrations in our respective parishes-cannot meet the whole exigencies of the country.-We are ready and willing-in