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 on the final years 1841-1853

1841. This year he baptised 16 at one time. "In the evening," says Mr Thomas, "we received them into the church and I administered the Lord's Supper. Such a spirit towards one another, we have never seen before. Hallelujah." And at the close of the year he said "Bless Jehovah, my soul".

1843. This year he baptised at once 2? and at twelve other times and ended the year with praise to the Lord.

1844. At the end of this year again we find an Ebenezer.

1846. June 24th, he preached the annual sermon to the students at Bristol College. His text was 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. And as before we have "Ebenezer" at the end.

1847. April 18th, we have the beloved brother Thomas Michael being baptised. He is the son of Mr Job Michael, an important man in Abergavenny, and one of the Llanwenarth deacons. T M is now in the Pontypool College. May he be useful in Christ's kingdom. [He went on to serve in Clapton and Evesham]. In the same month Mr Thomas preached at the opening of the English Baptist place of worship in Pontypool; his text was 1 Corinthians 15:64-55. In August we find him preaching in Middleton and Oxford and ending the year with an Ebenezer stone.

1852. This year was the last complete one of Micah Thomas's long extended ministry. At the end he writes, "Praise the Lord forever".

1853. Mr Thomas's notebook ends "September 25th, Psalm 34:7" but he preached for approximately two months after that. It comes up to about 90 sermons in the last year of his life. In the summer of that year he preached twice in Swansea. August 7th, in York Place, from Romans 8:33; the 14th, in Mount Pleasant, from 1 Timothy 4:10.

Lewis says that in his life time Thomas must have preached

At home 4445 times

Away from home 1046 times

Total 5491 sermons!

And baptised about 401 disciples.

"Good servant, good and faithful".

Thomas Lewis on the preaching 1829-1838

Astwood Bank

1829. June 9th, he preached in the Ross congregation from Ezekiel 36:37.

1830. June 2nd, he preached in the Llanidloes congregation from Acts 17:30, 31. June 4th, in the New Town congregation from Isaiah 30:26. August 11th, to the Trosnant congregation, from Luke 11:9-13.

1831. May 15th, Mr Thomas baptised a very famous young woman from Geneva; her name was Louise Reybaz. She was a French governess in an upper class family near Abergavenny. This year also we find him preaching in Swansea, Coleford, Alcester and Leamington Spa.

1832. We find him preaching in Ross, Lydney, Blakeney, and Bath and at the end of the year writing "Here the work of another year ends. Ebenezer."

1833. May 29th, he preaches in the Bassaleg congregation from Luke 18:30. In July he preached in Broadmead and other places in Bristol; and at the end of the year writes "Gloria Deo, Patri, Filio et S. Spirito" ie Glory to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

1835. We find him this year again preaching in Alcester, Astwood [Bank], Birmingham and Dudley. And at the end he raises his "Ebenezer".

1838. Mr Thomas preached at home every Sabbath but one this year and at the end he writes "Glory to God in the Highest". NB Perhaps some observant reader will ask "How could Mr Thomas have preached at home so many times and in 1825 and 1837 and also preach away more than he did this year?" The answer is that preaching in the week made the difference.

Thomas Lewis on the preaching 1818-1828

1818. This year we find him preaching in different chapels in Bristol, London, Birmingham, Kidderminster, Alcester and Gloucester. June 3rd, he preached to the Brecon congregation from Romans 8:3,4. September 27th, Dr [William] Steadman [1764-1837] preached instead of him.

1819. June 16th, preached to the congregation in New Town [Mid Wales] from John 6:40. I heard Mr Thomas preach there with such power and effect that it made one old sister, of the Llangeitho stamp, jump for joy. There were several others who were ready to agree with her; but their "outer man" was less noble than hers and so they stayed rooted to the floor on that occasion. September 6th, he preached at the funeral of the excellent Mr John Harris [b 1745] from 1 Corinthians 15:7. October 6th, he preached at the opening of the Baptist building in Ross from John 4:20-24.

1820. February 23rd, he preached at the ordination of Mr W.[illiam] Rogers in Garaway [Herefordshire] (now in Dudley) from Deuteronomy 2:20. June 7th, he preached to the Merthyr congregation from 1 John 4:10. This year also we find him preaching in Nantyglo, Brecon and Pontestyll [Llanspyddid, Breconshire]. From the 12th to the 23rd of March we find him in Llanlleifiad and preaching nine times in six different meeting houses. From the 26th of the same month until the 14th of May, he was in London. He preached 25 times in 15 different chapels. The names and the times he was there are all written down in his notebook. In July, he preached in Birmingham, and other places, when returning home.

1821. April 22nd, Mr Thomas baptised James Edwards (1800-1887), who for years has been a well known minister in the town of Nottingham. May 20th, we find him preaching in Eagle Street, London., and on the 22nd he preached in a missionary meeting in Tredegar from Zechariah 14:9, 10. June 6th, he preached to a congregation in Pontnewydd, Builth, from John 6:44. July 19th, he preached at Mr Johns' ordination in Caerwent from Acts 27:18.

1822. In the month of July, he preached in the annual meeting of the Baptist Mission in London; and in different places in the capital. He also preached in Reading and Bath when returning.

1823. July 4th, he preached in the Maes Y Berllan congregation from Philippians 1:27. This year also we find him preaching in Drehir, Allt Yr Ynys and in various other places in that area.

1824. He preached in the Tredegar congregation from John 3:19. In the same month we find him preaching in Broadmead, Counterslip, and other places in Bristol. In July he preached in Bath, Exeter, Plymouth and Devonport.

1825. August 7th, Mr Thomas says he baptised one John Jones, who was 85 years old.

1828. In July and September we find him preaching in various places in Swansea and Birmingham.

Thomas Lewis on the preaching 1807-1817

John Ryland 1753-1825

(1807) ... [April 19 begins Baptist church with four others. Two baptised in river.] June 3rd, Mr Thomas preached to the congregation in Llysfaen (Lisvane);

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.

Sermon Classes

Again in the 1966 article we read

In Britain, throughout the years the main method of teaching homiletics has been the sermon class, supplemented by some lectures on rhetoric, given normally by the Principal. The purpose of the sermon class was defined by Micah Thomas of Pontypool, "To furnish an opportunity for detecting false grammar, promoting a natural and just arrangement and pointing out any erroneous construction that may be laid on divine truth". The problem at Abergavenny was a peculiar one, for few students who entered there had any knowledge of the English language for the first purpose of this academy was to teach English to Welsh preachers, so that they could serve those parts of the Principality, mainly English speaking, which were almost devoid of an evangelical ministry. The approach to homiletics however was the same as in the other colleges. At Bristol, about the same time, each student took his turn to read an essay or sermon in the lecture room, for subsequent criticism. This exercise fell to each man about four times a session. Each month the juniors prepared sermon sketches for the criticism of the tutors, and every two months the seniors prepared full sermon drafts, which received similar treatment. There have been many who have felt that such help that was given to future preachers was hopelessly inadequate, especially in view of the infrequency of a student's opportunity to preach before the class.