GRIFFITH, GRIFFITH WYNNE (1883 - 1967), minister (Presb.) and author

Born 4 February 1883 in Brynteci, Llandyfrydog, Anglesey, son of John and Judith Griffith. He worked on his father's farm until he was 18 years old when he went to the school kept by Cynffig Davies in Menai Bridge, to prepare himself for the ministry. He was accepted as a candidate for the ministry by the Anglesey Presbytery in 1903. He was educated in the University College Bangor (where he graduated in philosophy), and in the Theological College at Bala (where he graduated in theology). He also went for a period (1909) to Jesus College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1911, and ministered in Bryn-du, Anglesey (1910-13), Douglas Road, Liverpool (1913-23), Tabernacl, Porthmadog (1923-29), and Tabernacl, Bangor (1929-46). He married, 1914, Grace Roberts, of Dwyran, Anglesey; they had three sons and a daughter. After retiring he lived in Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll. He died 2 February 1967 in his son's home, Huw Wynne Griffith , a minister (Presb.) in Aberystwyth, and was buried in Dwyran chapel graveyard, Anglesey.

He was an elegant and powerful preacher in his day, and became one of the leaders of his denomination. He was Moderator of the Association in the North (1952), and of the General Assembly (1959). He delivered the Davies Lecture in 1942, which was published in 1946 under the title Datblygiad a Datguddiad. He was chief editor of Y Cyfarwyddwr (1929-30), and an assistant editor of the same journal 1931-44. He was also editor of Y Goleuad (1949-57). He was secretary of the committee which prepared the Welsh ' short confession of faith ', and the book of services, Llyfr gwasanaeth (1958). He was a member of the committee for the new Welsh translation of the Bible, and of the Council and Court of governors of the University College, Bangor. He contributed articles to Y Geiriadur Beiblaidd (1926), and to The Dictionary of Welsh Biography. He published two novels, Helynt Coed y Gell (1928) and Helynt Ynys Gain (1939), and a number of other books: Paul y cenhadwr (1925), Rhai o gymeriadau'r Hen Destament (1927), Y Groes (1943), The Wonderful Life (1941), Ffynnon Bethlehem (1948), and a biography of Helen Rowlands 1961. During his last years he composed and translated many hymns, and published a collection of them, Odlau'r Efengyl, in 1959. Chapters of his autobiography appeared in Y Goleuad, and during the year of his death they were published under the title Cofio'r blynyddoedd. Despite all this activity his compositions as a preacher and author were always polished.

Author

• Reverend Gomer Morgan Roberts, (1904 - 1993)

Sources

• Cofio'r blynyddoedd (1967), passim
• Blwyddiadur y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, 1968, 280-1
• information from his son, the late Huw Wynne Griffith, Aberystwyth

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Griffith Griffith

Additional Links

• VIAF: 29301546
• Wikidata: Q5608886

Published date: 2001

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