Historical Collections Relating to Gwynedd

By Howard M. Jenkins

Second Edition

1897

Chapter 10. Details Concerning the Early Friends

The Friends' meeting was strong in numbers, from the time when all the settlers joined in it, but it was, besides, strong in the character of its membership. The attendance, frequently, of Ellis Pugh and Rowland Ellis, from Plymouth, and the ministry of those who belonged to Gwynedd particular meeting, made the gathering here one of religious life and vigor. "From the first establishment of Gwynedd meeting, " says John Comly in his "Friends' Miscellany", "we notice many Friends remarkable for great integrity and uprightness, and of deep religious experience."

At first, Robert and Cadwallader Evans were the only preachers. The former perhaps was not so strong a man, intellectually, as the latter, and from the fact that Cadwallader was the reader in the early Sabbath gatherings, we infer the superiority of his education. But both were men of weight, and both deeply respected in the community. Samuel Smith, in his "History of Pennsylvania", speaks of "Robert and Cadwallader Evans, two brothers, who stood faithful not only in word and doctrine, but their exemplary lives and conversations, and their services among their neighbors, rendered their memories precious to many, though they could neither read nor write in any but the Welsh tongue.

The sermons of both brothers were doubtless delivered in Welsh; this is indicated by Rowland Ellis's statement in Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, quoted in the preceding chapter. In the manuscript collection of memorials, made by John Smith, of Burlington, there is one of Gwynedd Monthly Meeting concerning Robert Evans. Mentioning his birth in Wales, his emigration, and settlement in Gwynedd it says: "Some time before he left his native country he forsook the national worship, and went to Friends' meetings, and soon after his arrival he entered into close fellowship and union with Friends. He was a very diligent frequenter of our meetings. **** He had a gift in the ministry which was well received, as it was chiefly remarks on his own experience in religion ****."

Robert died in the 1st month (March), 1738, and Thomas Chalkley, in his Journal, says: "I was at the burial of Robert Evan, of North Wales. He was upward of four score years of age, and one of the first settlers there; --a man who lived and died in the love of God and his neighbors, of whom I believe it might be truly said, as our Saviour said of Nathaniel, 'Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile.' He was a minister of Christ, full of divine and religious matter."

The printed volume of Memorials published in 1787 by the Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia (frequently referred to in this volume) contains twelve memorials from Gwynedd Monthly Meeting, three of them referring to Friends --Ellis Pugh, Rowland Ellis, and William Trotter -- who belonged to Plymouth particular meeting. The other nine were of Gwynedd, -- Cadwallader Evans, Evan Evans, Alice Griffith, Ann Roberts, John Evans, Jane Jones, Ellen Evans, Mary Evans, and William Foulke. In the John Smith manuscript collection there are several more memorials, -- of Robert Evans, just quoted, Owen Evans, Rowland Roberts, Margaret Jones, John Humphrey, and others.

In relation to Cadwallader Evans, the memorial in the printed volume says: "He was a diligent and seasonable attender of our religious meetings. On First-days particularly he was ready an hour before the time appointed, and then read several chapters in the Bible or some religious book; as the time approached he would frequently observe the time of day, and by means of such watchful care he was seated in meetings on of the first, and scarcely ever after the time appointed. **** He received a gift in the ministry, in the exercise whereof he was generally led to speak of his own experience in religion and the Christian warfare; and his testimony, though short, was instructive, lively, and manifestly attended with divine sweetness. Notwithstanding it was always acceptable, he was very cautious of appearing, lest any, as he often said, should be drawn from a right concern of mind, to place their dependence on words." The memorial further speaks of his usefulness "in many services of the church, especially that weighty one of visiting Friends in their families, " and says his endeavors "in that skillful and tender office of healing discord in private families were remarkably successful. In such services he spent much of the latter part of his life, riding about from one house to another; and where no cause of reprehension appeared, he interspersed his discourse on common affairs with useful hints, solid remarks, and lessons of instruction; but where admonition or comfort was necessary, the propriety of his advice, and the uprightness of his life, added weight to his labors and seldom failed of good effects. **** It was his practice, in winter evenings especially, to read the holy scriptures in his family, and was particularly careful that neither child nor servant should be from home at unseasonable hours, being highly sensible how slippery the paths of youth are, and how numerous the snares which attend them."

It is evident, however, that both Robert and Cadwallader were not frequent or extended in their communications. They were exhorters rather than preachers. The memorial in relation to Ann Roberts (wife of Rowland), says "her first coming among us [1705-10] was seasonable, for we having few ministers, the field before her was extensive, in which she labored fervently."

A little later, other ministers appeared. Prominent among these were two of the second generation --Evan Evans, son of Thomas, and John Evans, son of Cadwallader. From the memorial of the latter, from which I shall presently quote more at length, it seems he must have appeared as a minister about 1712-13, and a passage in the Journal of Jane Hoskens, who from 1712 to 1716, was a teacher in Friends' families at Plymouth, gives us the impression of a religious awakening during that period. She says: "About this time, the Lord was graciously pleased to renew his merciful invitation unto the Friends and inhabitants of North Wales and Plymouth. Many of the youth were reached. **** Several were called to the work of the ministry. **** Among the many others favored was our dear and well-beloved brother, John Evans, who was blessed with an excellent gift in the ministry. ****."

Concerning John Evans, the memorial says he was "a man of good natural understanding, and favored early in life to see the necessity of a diligent attention to the voice of Divine wisdom. In the twenty-third year of his age [he was born in 1689] he appeared in the ministry. **** He had a clear, engaging manner of delivery, was deep in heavenly mysteries, and plain in declaring them; being well acquainted with the holy scriptures, he was made skillful in opening the doctrines therein contained, and was often led to draw lively and instructive similitudes from the visible creation. He was often drawn to attend general meetings, funerals, and other public occasions, particularly the adjacent meetings after their first establishment. **** He was a zealous promoter of visiting Friends in their families. He was many times engaged therein, and his labors were awakening and useful; often employ'd in visiting the sick, the widow, and the fatherless and others in affliction; on these occasions he was seldom large in expression, but his silent sympathy and secret breathing for their relief was more consolatory than many words; a considerable part of his time was spent in assisting widows, and the guardianship of orphans, which, though laborious to him, was of much advantage to them."

John Evans died in September, 1756, his ministry having covered fifty-four years. He was undoubtedly one of the strongest and most influential characters of his time. His cousin Evan probably began to preach a little later than he, but the two for many years were closely associated. Amongst the minutes from the monthly meeting records there are indications of this, and in the memorial of Evan it is said of the two men that "their friendship was pure, fervent, and lasting as their lives, and their separation a wound to the latter [John Evans], the remembrance of which he never wholly survived. They traveled together through many of these colonies in the service of the ministry."

Some extracts from the monthly meeting records may here be presented:

  1. A certificate for Evan Evans, John Evans, Hugh Foulk, and Ellis Hugh, ministers, in order to recommend them to ye Quarterly meeting of Ministers and Elders at Philadelphia, was read and approved.
  1. Application being made on behalf of Margaret Jones for a few lines to ye Quarterly Meeting of Ministers, to signifie our unity with her ministry [a committee was appointed].
  2. Evan and John Evans laid before this Meetting a concern they had to visit some meetings in the Jerseys. They both being young and pretty much unknown they laid it to Condsideration whether it be proper to have a few lines with 'em.
  3. 1723. Our friend Ann Roberts having returned from her visit to North Carolina and Virginia produced two certificates, which was read and well received.

  4. Hugh Foulke acquainted this meeting a concern lay upon his mind to visit Frds at Long Island. [Rowland Ellis and Cadwallader Evans were appointed to draw a certificate for him].
  5. 6th mol. 31st. Sarah Davis laid before this Meeting her Concern to visit Frds in Maryland and ye adjacent parts of this Province. [This approved, and in 12th mo. Following:] Sarah Davis produced a certificate of her travels in Maryland which was read and received.

30th of ye 9th month, 1725. It is agreed yt ye Meeting of Ministers signifie on the behalf of our friends Cadwallader Evans, Row. Roberts, Andrew Dean and Mary Foulke, yt ye words dropped by them is in a general way well received.

5th mo. 26th, 1726. It is agreed here with ye concurrance of ye Women's Meeting, that Alice Griffith, Ellin David, and Ellin Evans be constituted and appointed Elders and Assistants in ye affairs of ye ministry.

At precisely what time it was that the meeting was strongest in ministers I am not able to say, but probably between 1725 and 1745. Joseph Foulke in his manuscript Journal speaks of its strength in early times and says: "I have heard my parents say that at one time fourteen approved ministers belonged to the [monthly?] meeting, and when the Yearly Meeting was held at Burlington, N.J., the late George Dillwyn remarked that in his youthful days North Wales was called 'the school for prophets'."

From the Journal of John Fothergill, of England, we get some glimpses of the Friends at Gwynedd, about this time. In 1721, accompanied by Lawrence King, he was visiting meetings in America, and we find the following passages in his Journal: "The 10th of 11th mo. [January] we had a Meeting at Buckingham, and went the 11th to North Wales, where we lodged at John Evan's, and had a good meeting that Evening with a large Number of Friends who came to see us. The 12th, being accompanied by several of those and some other Friends, we went to a new settled Place called Great Swamp, [Richland, Bucks Co.] and tho' the Snow was deep and the Frost very vere, yet thro' the Lord's Goodness we got well through, and had a good little Meeting with some Friends and other People who came in that Evening at Peter Leicester's. The 14th we were [again] at the Meeting at North Wales, which was very large, several other Professors coming in, and the Gospel was preached in its own Authority and Wisdom, and was exalted in many souls, [etc.]. We had another Meeting that Evening at the House of Hugh Foulke, which was much to our Satisfaction. The 15th we had a meeting at Plymouth **** and the 16th we were at North Wales meeting again; a large solidly edifying Meeting it was. **** We lodged that night at William Stockdale's, where we had some good service in the Love of the Truth that Evening, among a pretty many Friends."

His Journal continues (after mentioning visits to meetings in New Jersey and the neighborhood of Philadelphia): "The 17th [of 12 mo., February] we had a Meeting in the Baptist Meeting-house near Skippolk [Skippack?], at the Request of some of them, where the Lord **** gave us a comfortable Time to General Satisfaction. We parted lovingly, and came that Night to Evan Evan's at North Wales, and were the 18ty at Friends' Meeting there, which was large, and it being First-day we had another in the Evening."

In 1736, John Fothergill made another visit to this country and was again at Gwynedd. His Journal says: "The 27th [of 10th mo., December] I set out again into the Country, and had a Meeting that Day at Plymouth, and a large one the Day following at North Wales (it being their Monthly meeting for Business), wherein we were comforted together." **** [In the following year, having in the meantime visited numerous meetings throughout the country, he was at Goshen, near the end of the 8th month (October), and says: "I went from there to North Wales, and was at two meetings there, wherein Divine Goodness was manifested."]

Returning to our notice of Evan Evans, we find him mentioned by John Churchman as a "grave and solid Friend." Gwynedd Monthly Meeting's memorial speaks of him strongly. One or two passages have already been cited. It says "he was favored with an excellent gift in the ministry, which he exercised in solemn dread and reverence. **** Besides his travels through many of the colonies, he also frequently visited the several counties in this province, and more particularly many of the adjacent meetings in their infancy; wherein his unwearied labours of love tended much to their comfort, growth, and establishment in the truth. " The memorial alludes to his usefulness in the administration of the Society's discipline, and to his consistency of conduct in private life; it adds that "he was abroad in the service of truth when attacked with his last illness; and as the disorder was slow and tedious, he attended several meetings in the fore part thereof, " etc. He was about 63 years old when he died, --July 24th, 1747.

Alice Griffith, the wife of Hugh Griffith, is also amongst those who have a memorial in the 1787 Collection. It says that, "being a woman of great integrity and uprightness of heart, she became very serviceable in divers respects; zealous for maintaining good order and Christian discipline in the church. She was well qualified for that weighty service of visiting families, having at such opportunities to communicate of her own experience; **** and **** would often be drawn forth in opening divine mysteries, as if she had been in a large assembly, as many witnesses can testffy that have been sensibly reached, --yea, baptized by her religious visits." The language of the memorial does not convey the impression that she was a minister, except in the sense just presented. It speaks of her concern to stir up Friends "to a close attendance of meetings both on First and other days, as also to observe the hour appointed, being herself a good example therein, until, by old age and infirmity of body, she was disabled, which was about three years before her removal." She died April 1st 1749, but the memorial does not state her age.

William Trotter, whose memorial from Gwynedd Monthly Meeting is also in the Collection of 1787, was a minister at Plymouth. He died on the 19th of 8th month, 1750, aged about 53 years, 6 months. It may be presumed that he was occasionally at least, an attendant and minister at Gwynedd.

Ann Roberts, who died on the 9th of 4th month, 1750, was a native of Wales, and had been a minister for fifty years. (She was seventy-three at her death) She was a widow, Ann Bennett, of Abington, when she married Rowland Roberts, and removed to Gwynedd. The memorial of Gwynedd Monthly Meeting, in the 1787 Collection, says: "Her first coming to reside among us was seasonable, for we having but few ministers, the field before her was extensive, in which she labored fervently, " etc. Her usefulness in drawing out younger ministers is noted, and it is added that "she went pretty much abroad, visiting Friends in this the adjacent provinces, to wit, the Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina, accompanied to the remotest parts by her near and dear friend Susanna Morris. In her more advanced years she visited Great Britain, accompanied by our esteemed friend Mary Pennel **** After her return she met with great difficulties in respect to her outward circumstances, which she sustained with Christian fortitude. **** After this, she met with a very heavy affliction in the loss of her husband, which she likewise bore with becoming resignation, " etc. She suffered from the dropsy near the close of her life.

Other memorials are given in the Collection of 1787 concerning Jane Jones, the wife of John Jones, "carpenter", of Montgomery; Ellen Evans, the wife of John Evans, and daughter of Rowland Ellis; Mary Evan, the wife of Owen Evans; and William Foulke, the son of Thomas. John Comly remarks, in Friends' Miscellany, what is very noticeable to any careful reader of these and the other memorials referred to, that they are written with unusual merits of composition. He says that "the order, the originality, and perspicuity displayed in these documents furnish a lively evidence of the literary qualifications of Friends of Gwynedd and Plymouth," -- and the candid reader who is at all in sympathy with their subject matter, must admit that this praise is fairly bestowed.

Jane Jones, Ellen Evans, and William Foulke were valued members, as is clearly apparent from their memorials, but they were not ministers. Mary, the wife of Owen Evans, was born in Philadelphia in 1695, and married Owen in 1736. She died in 1769. Her memorial says "Her public appearances were not very frequent, but when she spoke her testimony was fervent, sound, and edifying **** She was several times drawn forth in the love of the Gospel to visit Friends in most of the provinces on this continent, also the island of Tortola, which she undertook with the unity of her friends at home, and returned with clear and satisfactory accounts of her labors amongst those whom she visited."

Of Margaret Jones, there is a brief extract from the monthly meeting memorial in the John Smith manuscripts. It says "she received a precious share of Gospel ministry **** And altho' the latter part of her life was attended with many trials and afflictions, nevertheless we believe she held her integrity to the end." Margaret was the wife of John Jones, the son of William John. She died in April, 1743, and was buried at Germantown.

It is impossible to study the records of this early period of the colony's experience without being impressed with the evident strength of character and the sincere religious nature of those who composed it. The tendencies and convictions of the people of Gwynedd, at that time, were obviously those of a simple and sincere body of Christians, closely united in feeling, and maintaining in an unusual degree the primitive values of life.

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