Pontyberem (1797)



‘In 1795, on the 18th day of December, that dear brother Mr Griffith Morgans, of Glynhir, died at the age of 71. This was a very great loss in our view at Gopa Fach and neighbourhood, because great were his gifts and usefulness in the cause of religion and the Gospel. We had much succour of the light of the Lord’s countenance attending the work and cause in Gopa Fach in the following years, particularly in the private Society. After two years, at the end of 1797, a very strong and powerful revival began at Gopa Fach, and Loughor, and neighbouring regions. It had begun previously in some places in Carmarthenshire, about Llanddarog, and Pontyberem, and spread about Llandyfaelog, Kidwelly, and Llansaint, and many other places. With that tide my poor vessel went over the bar, as if to sea, speaking publicly, and starting to travel near and far with that fire. I remember being at the first Association at Bridgend, on the 8th and 9th of November in 1797, giving a Publication to that brother Thomas Dafydd of Llangrallo, of my coming to this region on the Sabbath of the 17th of December following, to be in Ewenny Saturday night, Salem for 9 on the Sabbath morning, at Oldcastle, Bridgend, for 2, and at Pyle in the night. When the time came, brother Gryffydd Gryffydd of Tynywaun, the Carmarthenshire side, a very faithful member of the Society at Gopa Fach, came with me that occasion. As we went I promised to speak at Neath Abbey on Monday at one o’clock as we returned home, and by the time we came home on Monday, a day of prayer and fasting had been appointed by the King and Government for the next day, and a meeting had been announced for 11 in the morning at Gopa Fach. On that day a revival started to break out in Gopa and the region. We were in the Chapel until late in the evening. We held a Society, and the people would not disperse and go home; several came to the Society that evening. The text I spoke from was Psalm 75:8: ‘For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same,’ &c. This revival through the neighbouring regions, and continued powerfully for two years, and in that revival over a hundred new members were added to the Society at Gopa Fach. Some of them have continued faithful, though many have backslidden, yet some of them have been restored, and are likely to continue faithful for the rest of their days.’ [Hopkin Bevan, Ychydig oHanes pp.9-10]

This information was kindly provided by Geraint Jones

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