DAVIES, DAVID (1763 - 1816), Independent minister

Born at Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, 12 June 1763, son of an inn-keeper, and educated only at the village school (much later on in life, when he was at Swansea, he got leave of absence from his church to spend four months at Hackney Academy), married when a youth - he had six children. At about 20, he (like Christmas Evans) joined the Arminian-Arian congregation of Pen-rhiw, but soon turned to the Calvinistic Independents of Pencader. About 1784-5, he began preaching, and in 1790 was ordained assistant minister of the church at Llangeler, which was then on the point of extinction. So successful was he that a new chapel (Saron) had to be built, in 1792; he was also pastor of the churches (far distant from one another) at Neuadd-lwyd, Cardiganshire, and Gwernogle, Carmarthenshire - these he visited monthly. In 1795 he was called to succeed Lewis Rees in the pastorate of Mynydd-bach (Swansea) and its branches. Here again he was remarkably successful; in 1803 he built Ebenezer chapel in the town of Swansea, and from 1808 onwards confined himself to Ebenezer and Sketty, relinquishing the mother-church of Mynydd-bach to another minister. He died 26 December 1816.

Davies is an historical figure among Welsh Independents; some indeed would claim that he was their greatest preacher. In him, for the first time it would seem, we depart from the older Presbyterian and Independent tradition of a professionally-trained ministry; in him and his like we realize the influence of the Methodist Revival upon the Older Dissent. He was an indefatigable itinerant, and an exceptionally powerful preacher; he had a magnificent voice, and the matter of his sermons was substantial, even though (naturally) they revealed little systematic discipline in theology. He also wrote a large number of hymns. Nor was he without organizing ability: he was a planter of churches and trainer of preachers.

Author

• Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, (1881 - 1969)

Sources

• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, ii, 45-55
• Josiah Thomas Jones, Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru (Aberdâr 1867-70), i, 176-81

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732793

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/