LEWIS, MORGAN JOHN (c. 1711 - 1771), or JONES, MORGAN, Methodist exhorter and hymn-writer

Born c. 1711, a native of Cwm Ebwy-fawr, Aberystruth, Monmouthshire. He was converted under the ministry of Howel Harris, c. 1738, and is said to have seceded from the communion of the Church of England when Daniel Rowland was forbidden to preach in Aberystruth church. He began to write hymns, and comes to our notice as one of the early hymn-writers of the Methodist revival. A hymn written by 'Morgan Jones o Flauneu gwent' will be found in Llwybur Hyffordd ir Cymru (Shrewsbury, 1740). He and Edmund Williams, of Cwm Tyleri, were the joint publishers of Hymnau Duwiol o Gasgliad Gwyr Eglwysig M.J. ac E.W. (Pontypool, 1741). Another hymn written by him will be found in Sail, Dibenion, a Rheolau'r Societies (Bristol), a booklet published by the Methodist Association in 1742. He began to preach to the Methodists and was appointed a public exhorter at the Watford Association, 1743; later, he was appointed supervisor of a number of societies. He was a lively and popular preacher who exercised considerable influence over his brethren, and he was one of the leaders of the party which advocated secession from the Church of England. He favoured Howel Harris in the dispute between him and Daniel Rowland but, after the Llanidloes session of 1751, he joined Rowland 's party. He was ordained pastor, after the manner of the Independents, of the society assembling at New Inn, in the parish of Pant-teg, Monmouthshire, on the advice, it is said, of Rowland. The ordination took place on Whit Monday, 1756, and caused a sensation at the time. He died tragically at the beginning of 1771.

Author

• Reverend Gomer Morgan Roberts, (1904 - 1993)

Sources

• Edmund Jones, A geographical, historical and religious account of the parish of Aberystruth in the county of Monmouth to which are added memoirs of several persons of note who lived in the said parish (Trefeca 1779), 105-6
• diary of William Thomas (Cardiff Manuscript 4877)
• Cynnwysiad Byr o Feddyliau'r Eglwys yn New Inn, Swydd Fynwy, yr hon a ymgorffolodd wrth y drefn hon yn Neuadd Pant-teg yn y flwyddyn 1751, yn gyffelyb i'r modd eu professwyd ar ddydd urddiad ei gweinidog cyntaf, Llun y Sulgwyn 1756 at yr hyn y rhagddodwyd hanes yr eglwys yn y lle (Brynmawr 1851), 1851, 3-6 (pamphlet was first printed by John Rowland at Bala)
• Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru, i, 76-7, 81-2
• Methodistiaeth Cymru (1851–6), i, 448, iii, 372-6
• J. Morgan Jones and W. Morgan, Y Tadau Methodistaidd (1895-1897), i, 230-2
• Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, xxxv, 38-9

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20738135

Published date: 1959

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