PETER, DAVID (1765 - 1837), Congregational minister and academy principal

Born 5 August 1765 at Aberystwyth. He was educated at Troed-y-rhiw and Castellhywel schools, Cardiganshire. Under the influence of Benjamin Evans, Tre-wen, he leaned towards Congregationalism. He became a member at Penrhiwgaled, was at Carmarthen Academy (at Rhyd-y-gors) in 1783, and kept school in S. Ismael's, Pembrokeshire - in 1783. He decided to join the Congregational ministry and began to preach at Penrhiwgaled. He became an assistant tutor at Swansea Academy under William Howell in 1789, received a call from Lammas Street (Carmarthen) church, 9 December 1791, and was ordained there 8 June 1792; among those who signed the call were Sarah Lewis, who afterwards became his wife, and John Ross, the well-known Carmarthen printer and publisher. He was senior tutor of the Presbyterian Academy from 1795 to 1835. His first task at Lammas Street was to institute the Congregational system there; the church soon became one of the largest Congregational churches and the chapel was enlarged twice - in 1802 and 1806. Although he did not possess the eloquence of the popular preacher he was esteemed a substantial, practical, and evangelical preacher, and he stood in the first rank of the leaders of various movements in his time. His Hanes Crefydd yng Nghymru remained for a long time the main source-book for the history of religion in Wales. He died 4 May 1837.

Author

• Reverend John Dyfnallt Owen, (1873 - 1956)

Sources

• Hanes Eglwys Heol Awst, Caerfyrddin (1926)
• W. H. Lewis, Memoirs of the Life and Labours of the Reverend David Peter forty-three years Professor of Theology and Hebrew in the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen and forty-five years minister of the church at Lammas Street (London 1846)

Further Reading

• James Davies, Galar gan, er coffa y diweddar Barch David Peter, gweinidog yr Efengyl, ac Athraw yr Athrofa yn Nghaerfyrddin, yr hwn a fu farw Mai 4ydd 1837, yn 72 oed (Caerfyrddin 1837)

Additional Links

• VIAF: 59017744
• Wikidata: Q18756644

Published date: 1959

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