Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 2b

Previously to his settlement at Ryeford in 1802 Mr Thomas had been preaching for about five years. During that time he kept no minute count of his sermons nor of the places in which he preached but from the third of October 1802 to the end of his life he kept a correct record of the places, times and texts from which he discoursed. His preparation for the pulpit was always exact, elaborate and fastidious perhaps to a fault. He wrote sermons with the greatest possible care and that generally at full length and finished them as neatly and correctly as if all learned eyes in creation were to examine them. Several of his manuscripts have been given to friends who wished to possess them as mementos of one they sincerely loved when emigrating to America, Australia or India. A vast number nevertheless is still left behind and the writer counted about 1580 sermons exclusive of 14 copies full of addresses, lectures and sermons for special occasions !!

In the following table which I compiled from Mr Thomas's manuscripts it is shown how many times he preached at and from home every year, how many he baptised during his life and there will be appended a few notes that may prove useful and interesting to many

The order is Year, Home, Away from home, Baptisms

1802 14 16 -

1803 54 60 -

1804 42 67

1805 46 66

1806 44 48 -

1807 95 20 5

1808 66 28 16

1809 68 25 9

1810 75 34 5

1811 47 34 1

1812 59 31 5

1813 54 38 4

1814 54 34 16

1815 58 29 13

1816 69 25 24

1817 77 25 8

1818 87 55 1

1819 105 43 18

1820 78 77 -

1821 91 28 6

1822 85 25 4

1823 82 18 3

1824 99 32 6

1825 111 16 7

1826 98 17 7

1827 104 13 13

1828 96 13 5

1829 85 6 5

1830 85 14 3

1831 88 6 3

1832 93 10 1

1833 82 8 10

1834 91 10 2

1835 80 17 -

1836 95 6 7

1837 108 7 -

1838 101 8 3

1839 114 6 10

1840 91 5 -

1841 82 3 30

1842 106 5 22

1843 120 4 32

1844 119 2 7

1845 91 - 4

1846 110 4 2

1847 110 4 11

1848 110 5 3

1849 103 2 12

1850 86 2 8

1851 109 1 3

1852 111 2 2

1853 88 2 10

Notes to the preceding table

1803 During the years Mr Thomas was at Ryeford he frequently preached at the following places – Hoarwithy, Gorsley, Coleford, Ross, Ruardean and Mitcheldean. In the same years also he preached at Leominster, Bridgenorth, Llanwenarth, Usk, Caerleon, Abergavenny, Blaenavon, Penygarn, Trosnant, Bristol and Hereford

1804 This year the Baptist Chapel at Ryeford, was repaired. It was re-opened Oct 17 when Mr Bowland of Pershore and Mr Symmons of Wootton under Edge preached. The former from Isaiah 4:5 and the latter from Isaiah 66:14.

1805 This year we find Mr Thomas preaching at Bradford, Bath, Broseley, Shrewsbury, Cosley, Pershore and Evesham.

1806 This year he preached at Caerphilly, Peterstone, Cardiff, Cadoxton and Worcester. In this year we meet with the first account of his being baptising. He baptised 27 persons at Ryeford so it is stated in the letter to Mrs Mack.

1807 January the fourth was the last day of preaching for Mr Thomas at Ryeford. The next day he left for Abergavenny and Mr Jonathan Davies from Llanthony brought over his furniture. This Jonathan Davies was a member at Llanwenarth and a very respectable man. Truly pious. his children are now ministers at Llanthony and they are now sons and deacons there. The said JD and Mr John Williams of Tresaison were the originators of the Baptist interest at Llanthony about 60 years ago. Their descendants are still there and have been much blessed.

June 3rd Mr Thomas preached at Llysfaen from Acts 19:2.

June 21 Mr Miles Edwards, Pontypool, baptised for Mr Thomas. His text in the morning was Revelation 18:18, that in the evening John 10:20.

July 12 Mr John Harris was baptised at Abergavenny by Rev James Lewis when Mr Thomas preached at the water from Matthew 3:15. This Mr Harris was one of if not the most respectable man in the country and he was greatly respected. He was the father of Mrs Edmunds of Caerphilly and the father of Mr Thomas's second wife. Mr Thomas married Miss Rachel Harris, July 2nd, 1830.

Later notes are found in summary form elsewhere on this blog

Thomas Lewis Memoir Part 2a

His minsterial labours

The ministers of the gospel will be accepted of God, if faithful, whatever may be the result of their labours; whether seen in the salvation, or the augmented condemnation of those who hear them. They are a sweet savour to God. Their acceptance with him depends not on the measure of their success; but on their fidelity.

Abergavenny is the most beautifully situated town in the whole county of Monmouth. It is surrounded by hills and mountains in which are united the witnesses of wildness and fertility. Between these also are spread out in all the varied beauty and luxuriance of a paradise, extensive and undulated plains richly productive of whatever is necessary both for the support of man and that of those creatures which the “Lord of all” has sent to minister to his comforts. For several ages past had this old town being blessed not only with the smiles of providence but also with the ministry of the gospel of Christ but unhappily not without bitter controversies.

It appears that there were many Baptists in and about the town of Abergavenny prior to the year 1652; but it was then they were formed into a church and the Lord blessed them with many converts for about 60 were added to their number in a little more than one year. In 1653 the Baptist Association was held there and the assembly at the time was truly respected. This with other things chafed some of those who were for infant sprinkling and the result was that a public discussion was held in Saint Marys in the town between John Tombes BD Baptist, Henry Vaughn MA and John Cragig MA paedobaptists. This dispute, though in itself not to be desired, turned out to advantage as the people began to read and think for themselves which they seldom did before and the end was that upwards of 40 were baptised and added to the church that year but the present Welsh Baptist Chapel situated in Tudor Street wass erected in 1769 (vid Hanes y Bedyddwyr Joshua Thomas p 170 also his History of the Association p 10 Mr White's Guide p 31).

Beside the Baptists there was also a very respectable Independent church in the town and it continues to the present day. Whitefield and Wesley also visited the town upon their errands of mercy and were the means of doing good to those who were ready to perish. In the Journal of Wesley the three visits to this place are recorded. In Volume 1, page 222 the first is thus mentioned

“Monday Sept 15, 1739 I came to Abergavenny. I felt in myself a strong aversion to preaching here. However, I went to Mr N (the person in whose ground Mr Whitfield preached) to desire the use of it. He said “with all his heart if the minister was not willing to let me have the church” after whose refusal (for I wrote a line to him immediately) he invited me to his house. About a thousand people stood patiently though the frost was sharp, it being after sunset) while from Acts 28:22 I simply described the plain old religion of the Church of England which is now almost everywhere spoken against under the name of Methodism. An hour after I explained it a little more fully in a neighbouring house, showing how God had exalted Jesus to be a Prince and Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins. His second visit was in 1741, his third in 1746 and his fourth, but then he made no stay, was in 1748. A regularly constituted society of Wesleyans, however, was not formed until the year 1804.

Such is a bird's eye view of the religious state of Abergavenny when Mr Thomas settled in 1807 and there the all-wise God had appointed that he should live and work and die.

Under April 19, 1807, we have the following record in Mr Thomas's book “This day five of us formed into a church when two were baptised (by Micah Thomas) viz Lewis Moses and Hannah Price. The names of the five were Mrs Thomas, Mr and Mrs Wyke, Mrs Harris, Govilon, and Mrs Garrett a very pious old lady living in the town. (Hanes Y Bedyddwr by David Jones p 759). The success that began to follow Mr Thomas's labours made some who held different views of baptism rather uneasy if not somewhat alarmed. The pastor of The Independent church, Mr Harrison, writes Mr Micah Thomas, in a good and humorous strain, “as soon as the water began to be moved was much stirred and buckled on the armour and gave public notice that on a given day and hour he would preach a sermon on what he called infant baptism but what we, thinking that every practice should be described by language true and appropriate, style infant sprinkling or pouring. As the good man had it seems wittingly for our common benefit fixed a time for his demonstration that did not clash with that of our public worship many of us went to hear the discourse. Probably some of us worthy co-adjutors imagined that the achievement would be so overwhelming in argument and scripture truth that the little Baptist interest then struggling with birth would be forever submerged but strange as it may appear, it experienced no damage whatever. Nay, but the contrary happened to be the result. For the consequence was that the before unthinking were led to reflect, the dim-sighted to clearly see and the wavering to decide. It seldom, if ever, fails to serve the cause of truth - the cause of immersion administered to believers - when our good Brethren begin to preach up infant sprinkling. It was wisely said on the subject by the late excellent Mr Lowell of Bristol “Silence is our fort”. Such policy might have been serviceable to the same cause here 37 years ago. (This is written in the Memoir of Reverend John Jones of Blakeney, 1844). But our friends thought differently and the effect was that several of the brethren became determined to be buried with Christ in baptism. Amongst them was the subject of this obituary in company with three score of his previously infant offspring sprinkling associates was on the 12th day of June 1808 immersed by the writer and the same day received into the communion of the church. But not before, it should be observed, being offered to be baptised and continue their fellowship with the Independent church. This event was the commencement of a sentimental revolution here in the antecedently tranquil empire of infant sprinkling. Even Mrs Jones herself, Mr Jones' mother, her elder daughter and her maid servant, her whole household with the exception of a younger daughter about 12 years of age or more, at length became deeply united, with this one exception, not illusioned by inadequate age the writer had the pleasure of baptising Lydia, for that was Mrs Jones' name and her household. Here then it is in evidence that a Lydia and her household maybe baptised and yet no unconscious infant being in the family. And who dares affirm that the Thyatirian Lydia and her household were otherwise circumstanced.” (Baptist Magazine 1844 p 394).

Plaque to Micah Thomas's Memory

TO THE MEMORY OF THE REVd MICAH THOMAS

THE FIRST MINISTER OF THE CHURCH AND CONGREGATION ASSEMBLING IN THIS

PLACE OF WORSHIP

THIS TABLET ERECTED BY HIS AFFECTIONATE PEOPLE AND A FEW OTHER FRIENDS

SERVES AS BUT A FAINT EXPRESSION OF THE HIGH AND LASTING ESTEEM WHICH

THEY CHERISH TOWARDS HIM FOR HIS MORAL EXCELLENCE HIS MENTAL

ENDOWMENTS AND HIS DEVOTEDNESS OF HEART AND LIFE TO HIS MASTERS WORK

HE WAS A SKILFUL AND FAITHFUL INSTRUCTOR

A WIDE AND JUDICIOUS COUNSELLOR

AND A TRUE AND SYMPATHIZING FRIEND

FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AND TO FOUR SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS HE

PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD AND FOR THIRTY YEARS

HE WAS THE SOLE TUTOR OF THE ENGLISH AND WELSH ACADEMY WHICH

THROUGH HIS EXERTIONS WAS ORIGINATED IN THIS TOWN

ON THE 28th OF NOVEMBER 1853 AND IN THE 76th YEAR OF HIS AGE

THIS SUCCESSFUL MINISTER QUITTED

THE FIELD OF LABOUR AND ENTERED INTO HIS ETERNAL REST.

WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT THOU HAST BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS

I WILL MAKE THEE RULER OVER MANY THINGS ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD

"THEY THAT BE WISE SHALL SHINE AS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FIRMAMENT AND THEY

THAT TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS S THE STARS FOR EVER AND EVER"
This plaque is found in the basement of the present Frogmore Street church

Abergavenny Baptist

This is Abergavenny Baptist Church, Frogmore Street as it presently stands

Aenon House

Aenon House Plaque

The preaching notebook

The Gwent Archive in Ebbw Vale holds what is listed as a diary of Micah Thomas. It is in fact a notebook chiefly containing the record of his preaching (date, text, time, venue) from 1805-1853. A small calf skin (?) covered notebook, it contains c 93 pages, 27 of which are completely blank and 65 have writing on. To summarise, we have

1. Side with 2 notes [1]

2. Diary entries regarding students at the Academy Jan 14 1807-Sep 26 1835 [20 pages]

3. Blank pages [7]

4. 4 sides on the plague 1665 [2]

5. Blank pages [4]

6. Blank side backed with some sort of note [1] then a page ripped out

9. Sermon record 1801-1853 with notes on baptisms & new members [40 pages]. Two pages cut after 17.

10. Blank pages [13]

11. Miserable attempt on one side at a chart of Bible books covered [1]

12. Blank pages [3]

13. Brief quotation from Edwards' Miscellanies [1]

The diary reveals that in the Ryeford period (1801-1806) he preached regularly at Ryeford and Ross but also at Bury Hill, Coleford, Gosley, Hoarwithy, Mitcheldean, Ruardean, Staveley, Tetbury and Tainton, as well as Bridgnorth, Broad Oak, Broseley, Coseley, Evesham, Leominster, Shrewsbury, Worcester; Bath, Bradford and Bristol and in Wales, Abergavenny, Cadoxton, Caerleon, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Dyffryn, Llangibby, Penygarn, Peterstone, Pontypool, Trosnant and Usk.

When at Abergavenny (1807-1853) he preached at various places in England and Wales, including on tour to  places such as London and the Midlands.

He was ill at least one Sunday in Ryeford but at Abergavenny there were three big periods of lay off from preaching due to illness - six weeks in 1812, five weeks in 1828 (having a knee operation in London) and 15 weeks in 1845.

He did not preach every Sunday he could but there must be a record of something like 2,500 texts preached on.

We will try and say something about texts another time. He certainly repeated sermons in different places.

Andrew Fuller in Wales 1812

In June 1812 Micah Thomas's hero Andrew Fuller 1754-1815 made a tour of South Wales. T M Bassett suggests it was at Thomas's suggestion. In a piece of bad timing Thomas records that “For six weeks after the 10^th of May I did not preach at all being much indisposed in my body." It was "During this period the excellt. Mr. Fuller paid us a visit. He preached in our place May 31^st at 11 o'clock, forenoon. His text was Ps. Lxxxvi.17. Shew me a token for good."

He goes on to list the other dates on the tour

June 1. He preached at Trosnant at 2.30 pm from Acts xii.24.

June 3. He preached at the Association at Hengoed from Isaiah ix.7 the last clause.

June 4. He preached at Zion Chapel Merthyr at 6 o'clock in the evening from John III.35.

June 7. He preached in the Back-lane meeting house at Swansea at 3 o'clock from John XVII.22.27.

June 8. He preached at Carmarthen in the Tabernacle at 7 o'clock from Phil. III.8.

June 10. He preached at the Association at Cwm Felin Monach (ie Cwmfelin Mynach) in Carmarthenshire from John XVII.21: the same text as he preached from at Swansea. Afterwards he returned to Bristol.

In a letter from Abergavenny to Sutcliff, Fuller wrote of his own bad health

"It was not because I forgot your kind request, that I did not write before; but, from being so unwell, that writing has been a burden. I have had much fever, and five or six sleepless nights; no sleep however, in several instances, till three or four in the morning. I have preached only three sermons, since I left home. One at Birmingham, one at Worcester, and one here. I do not find any ill effect from these, as I speak low, and only stand about half an hour. ... Our wisdom is to be still and quiet, and to mind our own business. For my own part, my afflictions say to me, Study to show thyself approved unto God. What empty things are the applauses of creatures, and how idle the pursuit of them! I seem near the end of my course, ... etc.

In 1852 Fuller's son wrote of the tour to Wales that it "is remembered with feelings of deep interest by the venerable minister whose hospitality he was then partaking, and who was principal of the academy since removed to Pontypool, and by such as still survive to speak of it." He goes on "Early in June, Mr. Fuller preached to a large out-door assembly, at the Welsh association, in Glamorganshire. A considerable portion of the ministry, jealous of the reputed inroads made by him on the purity of Calvinistic doctrine, retired to the chapel during his discourse, fine reports, however, of such as remained on the ground to hear of the great things performed by "the zeal of the Lord of hosts," modified the prejudices of many, and contributed, with his subsequent ministrations, and the perusal of his writings, to effect a great change in the views and ministrations of his brethren in that district; and it may be affirmed with truth, that in no part of the United Kingdom are his works more thoroughly estimated, or have contributed more largely to an enlightened and efficient ministry of the word of God."

Map

Aenon House

Aenon House where the Abergavenny Academy was is now a B&B

This plaque is found on the wall of Aenon House