WILLIAM, DAVID (1720 - 1794), hymn-writer

Born in the parish of Llanedi, Carmarthenshire. He is possibly the David William, 'exhorter in Llanfynydd' who became a schoolmaster, according to the report made by James Williams to the Methodist Association in 1743. He is known to have been an exhorter, but it is easy to mix him up with David Williams (1717-1792) of Llyswyrny. He lived at 'Llandeilo fach in the county of Glamorgan' when his first book was published in 1760 but, on the title-page of a book published by him in 1777 'being of the age of 56 and three Months,' he refers to himself as 'formerly of Llandeilo Tal-y-bont.' He was a peripatetic schoolmaster for some years. His wife came from Nant-y-moel farm, Llangyfelach (he had a son, Israel William, living at Llangyfelach) and, according to all accounts, was a vicious scold. It is said that it was because of her he had to leave the Methodists. He joined the Baptists and was baptized near Peterston bridge, Glamorganshire, 29 June 1777. He was one of the founders of the Croes-y-parc Baptist church, at which he used to preach. He died 1 October 1794, and was buried at Croes-y-parc.

His hymns (such as 'Yn y dyfroedd mawr a'r tonnau,' etc.) still enjoy great popularity. His first publication was Golwg y Ffyddloniaid ar Degwch a Gogoniant Jesu Crist (Carmarthen, 1760). He then published a celebrated series with the title Gorfoledd ym Mhebyll Seion (c. 1760-2, Carmarthen; 1777, Carmarthen; 1778, Brecon; and 1778, Brecon). The various parts were published in a single volume with the same title in 1782 (Brecon), and a third edition with additions in 1786 (Carmarthen). In 1779 there was an English edition of this book, Joy in the Tents of Zion (Brecon). Other booklets by him were: Diferion o Ffynnon Iechydwriaeth (Carmarthen, 1777), Hymnau Priod-ferch y Brenin Alpha (Carmarthen, undated), Gwin i'r Diffygiol (Carmarthen, undated), and Myfyrdod y Pererin (Carmarthen, undated). He also published some poems as well as a number of elegies.

Author

• Reverend Gomer Morgan Roberts, (1904 - 1993)

Sources

• Calvinistic Methodist Archives in the National Library of Wales, Trev. Group, N.L.W. 3005
• H. Bevan, Ychydig hanes neu goffadwriaeth am amryw bethau neillduol a gymmerasant le ymhlith corph y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd yn ac o'u dechreuad, sef oddiar yr amser y daeth Mr. Howel Harries i bregethu yn ei droion cyntaf i amryw barthau o Sir Forganwg a'i chyffiniau (Abertawe 1838), 24
• Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith y Cymry: o amser yr Apostolion, hyd y flwyddyn hon: yn ddwy ran (Caerfyrddin 1778) (2nd ed.), 579
• Yr Adolygydd, 1851, 334
• Y Traethodydd, 1867 (168), 1872 (293)
• Seren Gomer, 1904, 44, 209
• Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, xxii, 115, xxxiv, 47
• Y Geninen, 1911, 10

Further Reading

• Nathaniel Williams, Gorchfygedig-gan, er coffadwriaeth am Dafydd William o Lanbedr-ar-fro; Sir Forganwg, yr hwn a ymadawodd â’r byd Tachwedd 5, 1794. Yn 79 mlwydd o’i oed (Trefecca 1795)

Additional Links

• VIAF: 12184344
• Wikidata: Q18670941

Published date: 1959

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