,transcribed from the #ahcb ,t4         
,griffith edition by ,david ,price1     
email  ccx#jgdpglaf4org                 
,picture3 ,pamphlet cover               
,a ,,letter                             
,,addressed ,,to                        
,,the ,,right ,,honourable              
,,lord ,,robert ,,grosvenor1 ,m4,p4     
,,explanatory ,,of ,,the                
,,object ,,and ,,design                 
,,of ,,the                              
,,chester ,,cambrian ,,society4         
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,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,evan ,,evans1       
,,chaplain ,,to ,,the ,,society4        
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,chester3                  ,,printed   
,,by ,t4 ,,griffith1                    
,,grosvenor-,,street2        ,,and      
,,sold ,,by ,h4 ,,hughes1 ,,st4         
,,martin',s ,,le ,,grand1 ,,london2     
,,and ,,the                             
,,booksellers ,,in ,,chester4           
99 99 99 99 99                          
#ahcb4                                  

99 99 99 99 99          ,,to ,,the      
,,right ,,hon4 ,,lord ,r4 ,,grosvenor1  
,m4,p4      ,,my ,,lord1    ,,the       
relation in which your ,lordship stands 
to the ,city of ,chester1 as one  of its
 ,representatives1 and the lively       
interest you always evince in  every    
thing connected with its welfare1 induce
 me to address your  ,lordship on behalf
 of the ,,cambrian ,,society1           
established in this ,city1  about six   
years ago1 for the purpose of providing 
the ,welsh residents  with the means of 
religious instruction in their native   
language2 and  that in connexion with   
the ,established ,church4  ,though the  
success with  which this ,institution   
has been attended1 has far exceeded the 
most  sanguine expectations of its      
friends2 and though the important       
benefits  resulting from it1 have been  
fully appreciated by those1 for whom    
they  were originally intended2 yet1 my 
,lord1 some are still to be found1 who  
entertain conscientious scruples        

respecting the propriety of supporting  
this ,society--who are yet to be        
convinced of the expediency of providing
  the natives of ,wales1 who come to    
settle in the principal towns of        
,england1 with the means of vernacular  
religious instruction2--who are of      
opinion that the ,welsh1 thus situated1 
ought to learn the language of  their   
neighbours1 by which means they would   
have access to all their  privileges3   
this1 they contend1 would supersede the 
necessity of all such  institutions as  
are founded on the principle of the     
,chester ,cambrian  ,society4    ,it is 
with a view of examining the            
practicability of this suggestion1  that
 ,i beg to submit the following pages   
for your ,lordship's perusal4  ,but1    
before ,i enter upon the subject1 ,i    
trust it will not be considered  an     
improper digression1 to furnish your    
,lordship with a brief sketch of  the   
circumstances which led to the formation
 of this ,society4    ,a few years ago1 

a number of the natives of the          
,principality1 resident in  ,chester1   
associated1 and formed themselves into a
 body1 under the  denomination of the   
8,cymmrodorion ,society40  ,their       
original object did  not extend beyond  
the common purposes of meeting together 
for social  intercourse1 and            
communicating with each other1 in their 
native language1  on subjects connected 
with the literature of the land of their
 fathers4  ,but1 after a lapse of time1 
and frequent interchanges of kindred    
sentiments1 their attention was forcibly
 directed to the moral condition  of the
 lower classes of their                 
fellow-countrymen1 residing in          
,chester4--,they found1 upon inquiry1   
that a considerable number of these1    
were so imperfectly acquainted with the 
,english language1 as to exclude  the   
possibility of rendering it1 to them1 a 
proper medium of religious  instruction4
  ,nay1 that not a small portion of     
them1 especially of those  who had      

lately emigrated from their native      
hills1 were often1 from their  imperfect
 knowledge of it1 deprived of           
advantageous situations1 which1 in      
every other respect1 they were highly   
competent to fill4  ,this naturally  led
 to the conclusion1 that if their       
ignorance of that language was such1  as
 to incapacitate them for discharging   
the duties of their secular             
employments1 how utterly incapable must 
it render them of performing the        
infinitely more important duties of     
religion8--,thus was the ,society       
forcibly impressed with the conviction  
of their destitute condition4    ,such1 
especially1 was the situation of those1 
who had been accustomed1  from their    
infancy1 to worship ,,god according to  
the rites of the  ,established ,church4 
,the ,dissenters were more favourably   
circumstanced2  for two ,denominations1 
the ,calvinistic and ,wesleyan          
,methodists1 had  provided places of    
worship for the accommodation of their  

respective  adherents3 but1 for the poor
 members of the ,church of ,england1 no 
provision was made4  ,to them1 the      
revolving week brought along with it a  
silent ,sabbath3 the sound of the       
8,church-going bell0 served only to     
remind them of the blessings they had   
left behind2 and in vain did our        
venerable temples throw open their      
widely extended portals to receive      
them4  ,under these circumstances1 the  
members of the ,society had only one  of
 three methods to adopt--to allow their 
countrymen to languish under the        
privations which they were suffering--to
 forego their attachment to the         
national ,church--or1 to supply their   
wants1 by affording them vernacular     
instruction1 in connexion with the      
,establishment4  ,the first1 their      
patriotism--the second1 their           
devotedness to the ,church--would not   
allow  them to entertain3 they were     
therefore determined to attempt the     
last4  ,this1 very naturally1 led to the

 consideration of the means best        
calculated for accomplishing their      
object3 and after repeated meetings on  
the subject1 at which various plans were
 suggested1 the following  resolutions  
were unanimously adopted3--             
,i4--,that this ,society will direct its
 particular attention to the moral      
and religious interests of the ,welsh   
inhabitants of this ,city4              
,,ii4--,that this meeting think it would
 be productive of great benefit1 if    a
 ,church could be opened in ,chester1 on
 ,sunday evenings1 for ,divine          
,service in ,welsh1 for their countrymen
 in this ,city2 many of whom are        
acquainted with no other language2 at   
least1 not in a degree adequate    to   
the purpose of religious edification4   
,,iii4--,that application be made to the
 ,lord ,bishop of the ,diocese1         
requesting his ,lordship's advice and   
assistance1 towards the attainment    of
 this object4      ,,iv4--,that the     
,,right ,,honourable ,,earl ,,grosvenor 

be requested to accept the    office of 
,patron4    ,in consequence of the      
foregoing resolutions1 applications were
 made to  your ,lordship's distinguished
 father1 the ,,marquis ,,of             
,,westminster1 and to  ,,dr4            
,,blomfield--who was at that time       
,bishop of this ,diocese--both of whom1 
with a promptness and cordiality1 which 
the ,committee of the ,cambrian         
,society are anxious to mark with       
expressions of the warmest gratitude1   
accepted the invitation1 and cheerfully 
enrolled their names as annual          
subscribers4  ,at the same time1        
,,bishop ,,blomfield so far exerted     
himself1  as to procure the use of ,st4 
,martin's ,church1 for the performance  
of  ,welsh service on ,sunday evenings2 
and the individual1 who now addresses   
your ,lordship1 was appointed1 by the   
same ,right ,reverend ,prelate1 to the  
important situation of ,chaplain to the 
,cambrian ,society4    ,since the       
establishment of the ,welsh ,lectures1  

the ,committee have great  pleasure to  
record1 in the list of ,patrons and     
,subscribers1 the names of  several     
,noblemen and ,gentlemen1 who have      
rendered essential service to  the      
cause1 by their kind co-operation and   
liberal support4  ,amongst whom  they   
have the honour to mention1 the ,,lord  
,,mostyn1 the ,,bishops ,,of ,,chester1 
,,bangor1 and ,,st4 ,,asaph1 ,,sir ,w4  
,w4 ,,wynn1 ,,bart4 ,m4,p4  ,,sir ,s4   
,r4 ,,glynne1  ,,bart4 ,m4,p4 the ,,hon4
 ,e4 ,m4 ,,lloyd ,,mostyn1 ,m4,p4  ,,sir
 ,,edward ,,mostyn1 ,,bart4  ,,owen     
,,williams1 ,,esq4 ,m4,p4  ,f4 ,r4      
,,price1 ,,esq4 c4 c4  ,in ,chester     
also1 the  undertaking was hailed with  
peculiar interest2 and a number of the  
most  respectable of its inhabitants    
have1 from the commencement1 displayed  
unabated zeal in forwarding the objects 
of the ,society4    ,i cannot conclude  
this part of my subject1 without        
observing1 that our  present worthy     
,diocesan1 has more than once1 expressed

 his conviction of  the usefulness of   
the ,cambrian ,institution1 and his     
readiness1 on all  occasions1 to promote
 its welfare4    ,having thus given your
 ,lordship a brief sketch of the        
circumstances which  led to the         
establishment of the ,sunday ,evening   
,welsh ,lectures1 at ,st4  ,martin's    
,church1 ,i shall now proceed to the    
discussion of the expediency  of the    
measure2 in answer to those who contend1
 that the acquirement of  ,english1 by  
the ,welsh people who come to reside in 
the principal towns of  ,england1 would 
supersede the necessity of providing    
them with the means  of religious       
instruction in their native language4   
,but1 before ,i enter  upon the subject1
 ,i beg to observe1 that though ,i may  
be1 in some  respects1 better qualified 
than others1 to prove the great         
usefulness of  such an ,institution2    
yet1 my ,lord1 ,i labour under some     
disadvantages4--,being so closely       
connected with the ,lectures1 it would  

be  unsuitable for me to enter into     
detail4  ,i shall1 therefore1 endeavour 
to  forget myself1 and discuss the      
subject on principle4  ,i am only the   
instrument1 my ,lord--a separable       
accident attached to the                
,institution--and  my connexion with it 
partakes of that uncertainty1 which     
characterizes  all human engagements4   
,but1 the ,institution itself1 is of a  
permanent  nature2 and as long as the   
,institution shall continue1 its        
capacity for  doing good will remain2   
and the same results will be secured4   
,now1 my ,lord1 let us proceed to the   
examination of the method               
proposed--8,let the ,welsh learn        
,english1 c40  ,viewing this            
abstractedly1  candour compels me to    
admit1 that it is an object highly      
desirable to be  accomplished4  ,however
 fondly attached ,i may feel to my      
native language1  and however ,i may    
admire it2 still1 my ,lord1 impressed   
with the  conviction that every language

 ought to be valued in proportion to the
  degree of knowledge1 of which it is   
the medium2 and deeply sensible of  the 
almost infinite superiority of the      
,english1 in this respect1 ,i am far    
from wishing to exclude my countrymen   
from the enjoyment of all its           
advantages4  ,the liberal hand of       
patriotism1 having unrolled before my   
eyes the ample page of ,english         
literature1 ,i should consider myself   
unworthy of the privilege1 were ,i not  
to feel desirous1 that every  ,welshman 
should enjoy the same4  ,i am fully     
aware of the immense benefit  which an  
acquaintance with ,english would confer 
upon the inhabitants of  ,wales2 and    
whenever it can be proved1 that the     
purposes for which the  ,cambrian       
,society was established1 may be as     
effectually accomplished  through that  
medium1 ,i hope ,i shall be found to    
possess sufficient  candour to admit1   
that its continuance is no longer an    
object to be  desired4  ,but an         

experience of six years1 in the         
discharge of the  important duties      
connected with my present situation1 has
 fully enabled  me to state1 that that  
period has not yet arrived4--,however   
pleasing it  may be1 my ,lord1 to       
expatiate on this subject in the regions
 of theory1  and to indulge in a        
prospective view of it1 yet1 when we    
come to reduce  it to practice1 we are  
presented with innumerable difficulties4
    ,the ,principality of ,wales1 at    
this moment1 contains seven hundred     
thousand inhabitants2 to the majority of
 whom the ,welsh language is the  only  
adequate medium of communication4  ,this
 statement may appear  exaggerated to   
those1 who have derived their knowledge 
of the country1  only from occasional   
excursions to the most frequented parts 
of it2 and  who seldom deviate from the 
route usually pursued by tourists4      
,here1 it  is true1 the ,english        
traveller meets with but little         
inconvenience2 his  intercourse being   

chiefly confined to those1 who have     
found it their  interest to acquire the 
means of accommodating him4  ,but1 were 
the  traveller to infer from this1 that 
,english is the language of the ,welsh  
peasantry1 he would be as much mistaken1
 as in concluding it to be that  of the 
,french1 because he meets with no       
inconvenience in his route from  ,calais
 to ,paris4  ,my ,lord1 ,i am no        
stranger to my native country4--,the    
greater part of my life was spent       
amongst its hills2 studying its         
literature1 and mingling familiarly with
 its inhabitants2 and1 ,i am  persuaded1
 your ,lordship will agree with me in   
thinking1 that ,i am better  qualified  
to form a correct opinion of the present
 state of the  ,principality1 than those
 who acquire their knowledge1 only from 
a late  and partial residence in it2 and
 who1 from their ignorance of the       
language of the people1 are but ill     
calculated to understand their  national
 prejudices1 and their distinguishing   

characteristics4  ,i feel  confident1 my
 ,lord1 that all who gain their         
knowledge of ,wales from the  same      
source as myself1 will be led to the    
same conclusion1 viz4 that to           
nine-tenths of its peasantry1 the       
,english language is1 comparatively1    
unknown4  ,though a conviction of the   
great advantages to be derived1 from  an
 acquaintance with it1 has created among
 the natives1 a strong desire  to       
acquire it1 still1 my ,lord1 the means  
adopted for that purpose are so         
limited1 as to remove the prospect of   
its accomplishment1 to the distance  of 
ages4  ,judging of the future1 from the 
past1 we have reason to  apprehend1 that
 for generations yet to come1 the       
ancient ,british language  will be1     
throughout the ,principality1 the       
language of the domestic  circle1 of the
 public mart1 of the ,sunday school1 and
 of the solemn  ,assembly4    ,here1 ,i 
might take the opportunity of pressing  
upon those1 who would  confine their    

exertions for the benefit of ,wales1    
solely to the  cultivation of the       
,english language there1 the question1  
,what is to  become of the intermediate 
generations8--,whilst the ,english      
,schoolmaster  is making his important  
tour through the land1 how are the      
affairs of the  country to be conducted8
  ,is all intercourse to be suspended1  
every  communication to cease--are all  
the avenues of knowledge1 through the   
medium of the vernacular tongue1 to be  
locked up--the doors of their           
,sanctuaries to be secured--the pages of
 their ,bibles sealed--and the lips  of 
their ,ministers closed8  ,is the       
morning incense no more to ascend from  
the domestic altar of the rustic        
cottage8  ,is the unanimous sound of    
praise to be hushed in their            
,temples8--,but1 my ,lord1 it is not    
necessary ,i  should pursue the inquiry4
  ,i am satisfied1 that1 however        
desirable these  gentlemen may consider 
the end1 they are far from thinking it  

so  desirable1 as to justify such means 
of attaining it4  ,there is1  therefore1
 my ,lord1 only one conclusion at which 
we can possibly arrive1  viz4 that for  
ages yet to come1 the ,welsh will be the
 predominant  language of the           
,principality4  ,hence1 it is evident1  
that throughout this  period1 it must   
be1 also1 the language of such of its   
inhabitants1 as may  be induced to leave
 the country1 to settle in any other    
place2 and it is  equally evident1 that 
the contiguity of ,chester to the       
,principality1 and  the constant        
intercourse between them1 will not fail 
to draw1 towards  that ,city1 a         
considerable proportion of those        
destined for our ,english  towns4       
,now1 my ,lord1 the question very       
naturally presents itself--,what is to  
become of such persons1 with respect to 
religious instruction8  ,by what  means 
is their spiritual welfare to be        
promoted8  ,as subjects capable of      
moral cultivation1 how are they to be   

treated8  ,as beings1 who are  qualified
 to enjoy the benefits of social        
worship1 how are they to  receive them8 
,and when we consider the great         
difference between their  present and   
their former situation1 their case      
assumes a more than  ordinary interest4 
,most of those1 for whom the ,welsh     
,lectures were  especially intended1    
were brought up in a state of great     
seclusion2 the  inhabitants of a humble 
cottage1 or a retired hamlet3 without   
any further  means of knowing the world 
and mankind1 than what could be obtained
  within the limited circle of their    
rustic associates4  ,the lessons they   
learnt were few and simple2 and their   
views and habits corresponded with  the 
rural simplicity of the scene around    
them4--,these peaceful retreats  they   
have now left behind1 and are come to   
try their fortunes in a new  and        
different sphere4    ,in a country like 
,wales1 so formed by nature1 that each  
dell may be  considered as constituting 

a sort of separate community1 the       
departure of  a single individual1 is a 
subject of general concern2 and the     
result of  his enterprize is watched    
with a degree of interest1 proportionate
 to the  novelty of the occurrence4  ,in
 the domestic circle1 the sensation     
excited  is intense2 and the event forms
 an important epoch in the family       
history4--,if the adventurer is a member
 of a religious family1 the anxiety  is 
infinitely increased2 as there1 a       
concern will be felt1 not only for  his 
temporal1 but for his eternal welfare4  
,to his devout parents1  nothing forms a
 source of such apprehension1 as that   
the plant1 which  they have reared with 
so much solicitude1 and cultivated with 
such tender  care1 should fade and      
wither1 upon its being transplanted to a
 different  clime4  ,they have neither  
riches nor honours to bestow upon their 
child2  but they furnish him with what  
they consider the best treasure--a      
,bible--they invoke a blessing upon his 

head--they resign him to the care of    
that ,being who is the same every       
where--and will it be no relief to them1
  at such a trying season1 to be able to
 add--,though you are going among       
strangers1 whose language is unknown to 
you1 yet1 you will have the  ,gospel    
preached to you in your mother-tongue2  
and you will there find a  ,pastor from 
your own land1 who1 with the sympathy of
 a countryman1 will  be ready to assist 
you in all your difficulties1 and to    
direct you in the  right way8    ,we1 my
 ,lord1 who are aware of the perils     
which await the stranger on his  arrival
 at the place of his destination1 cannot
 but feel particularly  anxious for his 
safety4  ,in the full fervour of youth1 
with ardent hopes  and warm affections1 
and with all the credulity incident to  
inexperienced  years1 he comes to mingle
 in the bustling throng of a populous   
,city4  ,into what a ,panorama of       
bewildering novelties is the            
unsuspecting  adventurer now introduced6

  ,how varied--how multiplied his       
temptations6  ,his situation will appear
 still more dangerous1 if we consider   
that he is  no longer under the         
restraints of his former acquaintance2  
that he has  lost the protection of a   
kind father1 the watchful eye of a      
tender  mother1 and the timely advice of
 a faithful friend4  ,and1 if he is to  
be  left without the guidance of an     
efficient ,pastor1 can we be surprised1 
if  the first intelligence received of  
him1 by the anxious inquirers of his    
native valley1 should be1 8,he has      
forsaken the guide of his youth1 and    
forgotten the covenant of his           
,god40--8,he has left the paths of      
uprightness1 to walk in the ways of     
darkness40    ,i think1 my ,lord1 that  
it affords a subject of fair inquiry1   
whether  those persons1 who oppose the  
benevolent designs of the ,cambrian     
,society1  do not1 at the same time1    
oppose their own interest8  ,knowing how
 to  appreciate honesty and integrity1  

they will be always glad to engage in   
their service1 those whose general      
character is distinguished by these     
pre-eminent virtues4  ,but1 by denying  
them the privileges which it is the     
object of this ,society to secure for   
them1 are they not withholding those    
very means which are best suited for    
enabling them to continue in the  path  
of virtue1 and for discharging the      
various duties of their  respective     
avocations1 with devotedness and        
fidelity8  ,what is so likely  to guard 
them against those evils1 to which      
persons in their situation  are so      
peculiarly exposed1 as to have the pure 
doctrines of ,christianity  enforced in 
8their own tongue wherein they were     
born80  ,what is so  calculated to add  
strength and stability to the good      
impressions made on  their minds1 whilst
 among their native mountains1 as the   
ministry of the  ,gospel in that        
language1 through the instrumentality of
 which those  impressions were          

originally produced8  ,will these       
individuals receive  them into their    
houses1 engage them in their service1   
and supply all  their bodily wants1 and1
 yet1 leave their nobler part in a state
 of utter  destitution8  ,my ,lord1 it  
is impossible that ,i can be divested of
 all  apprehension1 for the safety of   
this class of my countrymen1 in this    
,city1 when ,i know that they are in the
 vicinity of a fearful ,maelstrom1      
along the surface of which is seen the  
floating wreck of many a noble  vessel1 
that left its native shores under the   
most favourable auspices1  buoyant with 
hope1 and radiant with expectation2 but 
which1 for want of a  skilful pilot1    
coming within the reach of its          
attractive influence1 was  hurried along
 its impetuous stream1 and engulphed in 
its whirling vortex4    ,the number of  
,welsh1 resident in ,chester1 has been  
differently stated1  and1 ,i have no    
doubt1 my ,lord1 greatly                
exaggerated4--,it is not within my      

province to inquire what may be the     
exact amount of the whole ,welsh        
population3 ,i wish to confine myself to
 that portion of it1 which comes  within
 the object of the ,society1 viz4 those 
who prefer the ,welsh  language1 and    
consider it the only adequate medium of 
spiritual  instruction4--,without making
 any definite statement1 ,i feel        
confident1  that in rating these under a
 thousand1 ,i should form but a low     
estimate  of their number4  ,from my own
 observation1 my ,lord1 ,i am prepared  
to  state1 that to several hundreds1 at 
least1 the ,welsh language is the only  
avenue of religious communication4      
,since accommodation has been provided  
for the performance of ,welsh service1  
facts have proved1 that without a       
,welsh ,church and ,pastor1 a very      
considerable number would have been left
  as sheep gone astray1 without a fold1 
and without a shepherd4  ,and if1 to    
the ,divine ,shepherd1 the restoration  
of a single wanderer1 appeared an       

object of such vast importance1 what    
shall we say1 my ,lord1 of the          
importance attached to the restoration  
of hundreds8  ,when there is so  much   
zeal exhibited in promoting the cause of
 ,missions1 and in sending  the ,gospel 
to heathen and foreign lands--when so   
much interest is  displayed in providing
 ,bibles and ,missionaries for distant  
nations1 with  whom we are in no other  
way connected1 than as members of the   
great  family of mankind1 shall we not  
discover equal zeal for 8our brethren1  
our kinsmen1 according to the flesh80   
,last year1 very praiseworthy exertions 
were made towards supplying our  fellow 
subjects1 who have emigrated to the     
different ,british ,colonies1  with the 
means of salvation in their native      
language1 in conformity with  the rites 
of our ,established ,church4  ,but ,i   
submit1 my ,lord1 whether the  ,welsh1  
who emigrate to the principal towns of  
,england1 are not placed in  such a     
situation1 as to render their claims    

upon our benevolence a matter  of       
primary importance8  ,perhaps ,i may be 
told1 that the case of the  emigrants to
 our foreign ,settlements is very       
different--the means of  religion1 with 
which they are provided1 are in the     
language of the  ,countries1 to which   
they have removed--to make the cases    
parallel1 the  services of religion     
ought to be established there in the    
,erse and ,gaelic  languages4  ,now1 my 
,lord1 if it could be proved that these 
languages form  the only adequate medium
 of religious instruction1 to as large a
  proportion of the emigrants1 as the   
,welsh language does to the natives of  
,wales1 ,i contend that the same        
necessity would exist for furnishing    
them  with the means of instruction in  
those languages4--,again1 it may be     
objected1 that the ,welsh would so soon 
acquire the language of their           
neighbours--among whom they live--as to 
render any instruction in their  native 
tongue superfluous4  ,but1 my ,lord1 in 

a case of such vast  importance1        
involving the eternal interests of so   
many immortal beings1  can the          
anticipation of a future benefit1       
however great1 justify the  sacrificing 
of so much present good8  ,especially1  
when the attainment of  the one1 is not 
incompatible with the enjoyment of the  
other8  ,when a  patient is suffering   
under an alarming disease1 is it safe1  
during the  first stages of the         
disorder1 to abandon the only means     
calculated to  check its progress1      
because1 that at some future period1 a  
change of  system may be advantageously 
adopted8  ,are we sure that life will be
  preserved1 until the sufferer reach   
that eventful period8  ,and1 even1      
should he live to try the effect of this
 new system1 would not the  abandonment 
of the old one1 at the commencement of  
the disorder1 prove  highly prejudicial 
to the success of the new8    ,but      
suppose1 my ,lord1 that1 for the sake of
 argument1 ,i concede this  point to the

 objectors2 and let us even imagine the 
interval to be short1  during which the 
,welshman is excluded from the benefit  
of religious  ordinances2 it is an      
interval which--in whatever light ,i    
view it--,i cannot  contemplate without 
trembling4  ,it is like holding out a   
flag of truce to  a cruel and relentless
 foe1 in order to give him more time to 
re-organise  his treacherous plans1 and 
gain fresh strength to execute them4    
,and can  we be surprised1 if at the    
next assault of the enemy1 we find the  
,christian combatant ingloriously       
defeated1 hurled back upon the world1   
with the loss of fame1 and a blasted    
reputation8    ,but the assumption1 that
 the ,welsh1 resident in ,english towns1
 will soon  acquire a sufficient        
knowledge of the ,english language1 to  
render it a  proper vehicle of religious
 truth1 is not founded in fact4  ,it is 
contradicted by daily experience4  ,we  
know1 my ,lord1 that it is not an  easy 
task for adults to learn a new language4

  ,it is true1 7as stated in  the       
,report71 8,that by the constant        
intercourse with society1 to which      
their varied avocations would           
necessarily lead them1 such a smattering
 of  the tongue would be gradually      
acquired1 as might enable them to fulfil
  their civil engagements1 without      
material inconvenience2 at the same time
  that it would be difficult1 or rather 
impossible1 for them to understand      
discourses from the pulpit1 on moral and
 religious subjects1 when  delivered in 
,english2 or to join in the services of 
,divine worship in  that language40     
,as a further proof of the truth of this
 observation1 it may be stated1  that   
some of the members of the ,sunday      
evening congregation1 at ,st4  ,martin's
 ,church1 who have resided in ,england  
for several years1 affirm1  that at this
 day1 they cannot enter into the spirit 
of ,divine worship1  when performed in  
,english--they declare that they have   
not yet been able  to think in it2 and  

in order fully to comprehend the meaning
 of a text or  a sentence1 it must      
undergo the process of a mental         
translation into  their own language1   
and be viewed through that medium4      
,this will appear  less surprising1 when
 we consider that it is the language in 
which they  received their ,christian   
education--that all the good impressions
 made  upon their minds1 were produced  
through its instrumentality--that it is 
the channel through which were conveyed 
the moral precepts of their early       
instructors1 and the advice of parents1 
relatives1 and friends4  ,in it  are    
treasured up all the texts of scripture1
 with which their memories  are amply   
supplied4  ,this language is associated 
with their most  interesting            
recollections--with their sorrows1 and  
with their joys2 they  think in it1 they
 pray in it1 they read their ,bibles in 
it1 they praise  their ,maker in it2 and
 is it not desirable1 my ,lord1 that    
they should  hear the ,gospel preached  

in it8    ,there is another             
consideration calculated to justify the 
principle of the  ,cambrian ,society1   
viz4 the paramount--the                 
infinite--importance of that  knowledge1
 the attainment of which is the grand   
end of all religious  means4  ,i am not 
now speaking of theoretical knowledge1  
but of that1  which1 in the language of 
our ,liturgy1 is said to be necessary   
for the  soul's health2 and ,i am sure  
it will be readily admitted1 that all   
other  knowledge1 when compared with    
this1 sinks into utter insignificance3  
the  means1 therefore1 of acquiring it1 
ought to be plain1 easy1 and            
intelligible1 in proportion to its      
importance4  ,we are told that all      
scripture is given by inspiration of    
,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1   
for reproof1 for correction1 for        
instruction in righteousness4--,but to  
the  ,welshman1 an ,english ,bible is as
 much a sealed book1 as if it had still 
remained in the original language4  ,we 

know that life and immortality are      
brought to light by the ,gospel2 but1   
how can that light shine upon the       
,welshman1 through the impenetrably dark
 medium of an unknown tongue8  ,the     
,christian ,minister1 it is true1       
delivers his important message with all 
plainness of speech1 but how can the    
,welshman understand him1 or profit  by 
him1 if he is a barbarian to him8       
,besides1 my ,lord1 there are several   
individuals attending our ,lectures1 who
 are not able to read the ,bible1  even 
in their own tongue2 and if they are    
deprived of the ministry of the  ,gospel
 in that language1 ,i cannot picture to 
myself any thing more  deplorable than  
would be their condition4  ,how would   
our sympathy be  called forth towards a 
criminal at the bar of justice--he is   
tried for his  life1 and all the        
proceedings against him are conducted in
 a language of  which he understands not
 a word--how distressing is his         
situation6  ,but1  what is it compared  

with that to which many of the poor     
,welsh in this  ,city would be reduced1 
if they were deprived of the privileges 
afforded  them by the ,cambrian         
,society8  ,in the case of the criminal1
 his ignorance  forms no part of his    
accusation2 it has no bearing upon the  
proceedings  of the ,court2 it          
influences neither the verdict of the   
,jury1 nor the  sentence of the ,judge3 
nor would his knowledge have reversed   
his  fate4--,but here1 my ,lord1        
ignorance and knowledge are antecedents 
to  consequents that are diametrically  
opposite--they connect their subjects   
with very different predicates2 for in  
the word of wisdom we are told1  that   
the one shall perish1 and the other be  
saved4  ,the results of  ignorance and  
knowledge1 in regard to every other     
subject1 revolve within  the contracted 
sphere of mortality--they descend with  
the clayey tenement  to the grave1 and  
are confined within the narrow limits of
 the tomb4  ,but  in this matter1 they  

involve consequences1 the scene of which
 is laid in  eternity1 and the          
development of which will occupy its    
everlasting  ages4--,they attach        
themselves to the immortal spirit1 and  
will accompany  him in his adventurous  
flight across the boundary of time1 and 
serve  either to raise him to the       
regions of bliss ineffable1 or to sink  
him  down to the gulph of interminable  
woe4  ,can we contemplate the           
possibility of the latter alternative1  
without using every means in our  power 
to prevent it8    ,and1 my ,lord1 ,i    
must be allowed to remind the friends of
 the ,established  ,church1 that they   
are more backward in attending to the   
wants of their  countrymen1 in this     
respect1 than any other denomination of 
,christians4  ,let them look to the     
metropolis2 there they will find several
 places of  ,divine worship for the     
accommodation of the natives of ,wales1 
without any  belonging to the           
,establishment4  ,the case is the same  

with respect to  ,birmingham1           
,shrewsbury1 and ,manchester2 and at    
,liverpool there are many  ,chapels     
belonging to different denominations of 
,dissenters1 with only one  ,church1 and
 that of a very recent date4--,in       
,chester1 my ,lord1 we found the  ground
 pre-occupied4--,two ,societies had most
 laudably raised their  respective      
standards1 around which was collected a 
considerable number of  devotional      
worshippers2 and the manner in which    
many of them have since  joined our     
standard1 proves1 that they flocked     
around the others1 not  because they    
displayed the colours of their favourite
 party1 but because  they had the word  
8,,cymraeg0 inscribed on their banners4 
,the last consideration which ,i shall  
submit to your ,lordship1 in order to   
shew the great usefulness of the        
,cambrian ,society1 is1 that by securing
  the residence of a ,welsh ,clergyman1 
it provides the means of religious      
consolation for the poor ,welsh at the  

,chester ,infirmary4  ,it is            
universally acknowledged that one-third 
of the patients received at this        
,institution1 are natives of the        
,principality4  ,but ,i need not enlarge
 on  this point1 as your ,lordship's    
noble brother1 ,,earl ,,grosvenor1 from 
the  kind and active part which he has  
taken in the proceedings of this        
excellent charity1 is fully enabled to  
judge how far the visits of a  ,welsh   
,pastor are necessary to the welfare of 
the ,institution4    ,in regard to the  
success which has attended our ,society1
 ,i beg to refer  to the 8,report40  ,i 
shall only observe1 with relation to my 
,ministerial  charge in this ,city1 that
 ,i consider the aged as forming a very 
important  and interesting part4  ,those
 who are in the habit of attending the  
,lectures1 could inform your ,lordship  
with what delight this portion of my    
congregation listen to the preaching of 
the ,gospel in their own tongue4        
,though years have rolled away since    

they left their native hills1 their     
decided partiality to the language      
remains undiminished4--,from these1 my  
,lord1 the bed of sickness1 and a dying 
hour1 cannot be very far distant2  and  
this is a time which will require all   
the consolation that language  can      
convey1 administered in the most plain  
and simple manner which words  can      
express4  ,but what a gloomy prospect1  
my ,lord1 must such a season  present to
 a poor ,welshman1 without the          
privileges which this ,society  provides
 for him4--,i need not repeat that the  
number is not small1 in  ,chester1 who  
will not be capable of receiving        
consolation in this trying  hour1 in any
 language but the ,welsh4  ,and here ,i 
may mention a  distressing circumstance1
 which occurred very soon after my      
appointment  to my present situation1   
and before that appointment was         
generally  known4--,i was requested by  
an ,english ,clergyman to visit a poor  
man1 whom  he represented as being      

dangerously ill1 and totally            
unacquainted with  the ,english         
language4  ,i lost no time in attending 
to the application2  but when ,i arrived
 at the house1 ,i found1 in answer to my
 inquiries1 that  he was no more4  ,the 
nurse who attended him1 told me he      
talked a great  deal1 but she could not 
understand him1 as she knew nothing of  
,welsh1 and  he could not speak a word  
of ,english4--,here1 ,i was led to      
indulge in a  train of unavailing       
conjectures1 as to the subject of the   
poor man's  conversation1 the state of  
his feelings--the objects of his        
wishes--but--my  ,lord--he was          
dead6--,now1 ,i would ask those persons 
who scruple to  co-operate in the       
benevolent designs of our ,society1 if  
they are parents1  how would they feel  
upon being told of their children--if   
they are capable  of friendship1 how    
would they like to hear of their        
friends--dying under  such              
circumstances8  ,may the time never     

again arrive1 when the poor ,welsh      
residents in ,chester shall be reduced  
to such an extremity4  ,whilst they     
live1 may they have the ,gospel preached
 to them2 and when they come to  die1   
may they never want the attendance of a 
,pastor1 who will be able to  administer
 consolation to them in their native    
tongue6                             ,i  
have the honour to be1                  
,my ,lord1                   ,your      
,lordship's obedient humble ,servant1   
,,evan ,,evans4    ,chester1 ,april     
#bhth1 #ahcb4