"TILE WELSH CHURCH BILL. A CALVINISTIC METHODIST AGAINST IT.
[To the Editor of the Free Press.]
Sir,—I wish to ask your permission for me to write these few words in your paper.
I am a Calvinistic Methodist, but I strongly object to this cool and cruel Bill now being discussed in Parliament in trying to deprive tho Church of what it has been accustomed to for centuries.
I admire the pluck of the Rev. Teowyn Evans and his fellow minister in standing against the resolution for Disestablishing the Welsh (Wales) Church, for Wales is dear to all its countrymen, and its Church both to Church and Chapel people, for it has been the means of keeping the true religion of God through the dark ages. Whore would we be to-day for the teaching of Christ only for the dear Old Church?
Tho Wesleyan Synod was stunned when the Rev. Tecwyn Evans stood against the resolution, but ho is only one out of many ; only he had the braveness to *stand firm while other ministers of our denominations were afraid lest they should trespass and vex their leaders ; but now the barrier has boon broken others will stand firm against Disestablishment of the Church in Wales.
I am one out of hundreds, if not thousands, of Nonconformists who think that the Liberal Government is doing the most traitorous thing. We now, as an enlightened nation, are to blame to lot our Government stoop down to such an injustice, created ail through jealousy by a few of our Nonconformist chief leaders because of some grudge; what they know not themselves. 1 ens disgusted with them.
I should think the Churchpeople would sure to bo benefited if they had a door-to-door petition to have the names of all 1010 stand against Disestablishment, for many would only be too glad to have the pleasure of trying to keep tho Old Church as in the past, for have we not all got some loved onus lying in God's acre peacefully waiting there till the resurrection, who would turn in their graves if they know what the Church of God was going to suffer P Wo Chapel people, I am sorry to say, have got to a very serious pitch of jealousy against the Church, especially the ministers. and they have that control over the working class that they are afraid of standing out.
It is a very sad thing to say half of the ministers and deacons want turning out of their positions in the Chapels, or else the mombors should stand firm against going to Chapel, for Christ has told us to be members of the same body, not fighting against one another.
I should very much liko to hoar what my fellow Methodist members or the other three connexions have to say on the matter, for what benefit will Disestablishment be to us Noncon- formists P If wo had the share of the tithes it would be a different matter, for that would he a groat help for our smaller Chapels to keep their pastors instead, as it is now, a groat many are struggling hard to try and. find them stipends. I can't help but see that it is all a matter of jealousy, for have not the Chapel and Church worked together in many things during the last century, and to think that it has oomo that they will now bo against each other with a groat enmity is a groat shame.
If only our own pastors went about visiting their members as ofton as the clergy go round visiting every one it would be different. I speak now, as a matter of fact, our pastors before saying anything against the clergy should begin to do their own duty first. Whatever they have to say they cannot turn their congregations, who have any wisdom at all, against the Mother
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