Thomas Charles' Conversion (1773)
This is a very beautiful Chapel. It must have hardly changed since it was built, even the candle holders remain.
For information on Thomas Charles’ early life we have to rely on his journal and letters. His journal is prefixed by the motto, ‘All things work together for good.’ He was born October 14th 1755 at Longmoor farm in the parish of Llanfihangel Abercywyn, but his father took over the tenancy of Pant Dwfn (The Deep Dingle) farm and the family moved there a few weeks following his birth. When he was ten or twelve his parents decided that he should go into the ministry. They sent him to school at Llanddowror, two miles from his home, for three or four years,. While there he enjoyed listening to preachers and also reading the Bible and other good books. Initially, he had nobody to speak to about religious matters, but he then met a godly man, Rees Hugh. Charles began to visit Hugh who lived a couple of miles away, once or twice a week. He considered Hugh, a disciple of Griffith Jones (see this website), to be his father in Christ. At fourteen he went to the Academy at Carmarthen, where he immediately joined a Methodist society (see Revivals – Wales on this website for background on the growth of Methodism). During his time there he read a number of evangelical books. On January 20th 1773 he went to hear Daniel Rowland (see this website) at New Chapel and on that day he was ‘born again.’ The effect of Rowland’s upon Charles was a heavenly state of mind which lasted in Charles for about six months during which time he was in a heavenly state of mind.