Born 10 September 1868 at Riwel Isaf, Pen-y-garn, Cardiganshire, son of John and Catherine Rees, who moved to London when he was an infant. He was educated at the City of London School and Aberystwyth College (where he graduated B.A. of the University of London). He later proceeded to Mansfield College, Oxford, graduating with a first class in theology. Whilst at Aberystwyth he had intended becoming a solicitor, but under the influence of Dr Henry Drummond's mission at the college he decided to enter the Christian ministry and began to preach in Jewin chapel, London. He was ordained in 1893, and became pastor of Ala Road English church, Pwllheli (1892-94); Clifton Street church, Cardiff (1894-1903), and Tabernacl, Aberystwyth (1903-22). Having been invited to superintend the Forward Movement of the Presbyterian Church of Wales in Cardiff, he worked with diligence and success in that office until 1947. In 1894 he married Apphia Mary James of Pen-y-garn; they had two sons and two daughters: Morgan Goronwy Rees, sometime Principal of University College Aberystwyth, was their second son. After retiring he lived with his children at Pwllheli, and near Oxford, and at Waltham Cross, London. He died 30 April 1963, and was buried in Cardiff.
He was one of the principal leaders of the Presbyterian Church of Wales in his time, being Moderator of the South Wales Association (1920 and 1954) and Moderator of the General Assembly (1927). He was an incomparable speaker, both in Welsh and English. He contributed occasionally to the press, but he was a gifted orator rather than a writer. He published a handbook (in English and Welsh) on 2 Samuel (1899), and a commentary on the letters of St. Paul to the Philippians and Colossians (1909).
Published date: 2001
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