FRANCIS, BENJAMIN (1734 - 1799), hymnist, Baptist minister

Born at Pen-y-gelli near Newcastle Emlyn, was the youngest child of Enoch Francis. As his parents died when he was only six he was brought up at Swansea, and was baptized there in 1749. In 1753 he went to Bristol Baptist Academy, and at the close of 1755 was invited to assist in the ministry at Broadmead. He removed in 1756 to Chipping Sodbury, and thence in 1759 to Horsley, where he died 14 December 1799.

Though he lived for so many years in England, Benjamin Francis clung to the Welsh language. He frequently attended the Welsh Association, and preached fourteen times at its meetings. He published two collections of hymns in Welsh (1774 , 1786 ), each bearing the title Aleluia. As a hymnist, he is in general held to have been over-fond of alliteration and internal rhyme, but several of his hymns are still sung. Other Welsh verse of his is specified by Charles Ashton (406), and he also published English poems.

Author

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

Sources

• Joshua Thomas, Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith y Cymry: o amser yr Apostolion, hyd y flwyddyn hon: yn ddwy ran (Caerfyrddin 1778), 119, 383, and A History of the Baptist Association in Wales (1795)
• Evan Isaac, Prif Emynwyr Cymru (1925), 1925
• J. Thickens, Emynau a'u Hawduriaid (1945), 1945

Images

• Thomas Trotter, The Revd. Benjamin Francis, A.M Pastor of the Baptist Church at Horsley in Gloucester Shire

Works

• Benjamin Francis, Marwnad ar farwolaeth y Parchedig John Thomas, gynt o Faes-y-Dorglwyd, ond yn ddiweddar o Ben-yr-Heol, gweinidog eglwys Maes-y-Berllan, yn Sir Frecheiniog; yr hwn a hunodd ar y 5ed o Dachwedd 1786, 67 oed. Bu bymtheng mlynedd yn gyd-fugail â'r Parchedig Timothy Thomas, yn eglwys Aberduar, &c., a bu yn fugail ar eglwys Maes-y-Berllan wyth mlynedd ar hugain. Bu farw ei wraig ar ddydd ei gladdedigaeth, sef y 9ed o Dachwedd, 71 oed. Ac fe hunodd y Parchedig William Williams, ei gyd-fugail, ar y Sabbath canlynol, sef y 12ed o Dachwedd, o gylch 72 oed (Caerfyrddin 1787)
• Benjamin Francis, Can am fedydd: a achlysurwyd gan draethawd y Parchedig B. Evans, dros daenelliad babanod (Caerfyrddin 1790?)
• Mathew Williams, Benjamin Francis, De Ultimo Judicio: neu, gan am y Farn Ddiweddaf. Yn bedair rhan. Wedi ei gyfansoddi a'i gydmaru a gwaith Saesonaeg Mr. B. Francis (Caerfyrddin 1788?)
• Benjamin Francis, Enoch Francis, Daniel Francis, Cân sylweddol o waith yr enwog Mr Benjamin Francis, At ba un y chwanegwyd cân arall o waith un o'i frodyr, ynghyd â thri phennill, gan y tri brawd ar eu hymadawiad â'i gilydd ym Merthyr Tudful (Caerfyrddin 18--)

Additional Links

• VIAF: 62966596
• Wikidata: Q13125985

Published date: 1959

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