Nantlais Williams
Encyclopedia
William Nantlais Williams (December 30 1874 - June 18 1959), better known simply as Nantlais, was a Welsh
poet and a Presbyterian Christian
leader during the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival
.
, the youngest of ten children. He received his elementary education at Ysgol y Bwrdd, New Inn, but because of the death of his brother he had to leave when he was twelve to take up an apprenticeship as a weaver.
At the age of twenty he started to preach and in 1895 he went to the prestigious Grammar School in Newcastle Emlyn
. From there he went on to Trefeca
College to train as a minister, but before he finished his studies he received a call to be minister of Bethany, Ammanford in 1900 and was ordained by the denomination (Presbyterian Church of Wales
) in 1901. By 1902 he was married to Alice Maud Jones, a relative to J. T. Job, another leader of the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival. They had three children, including Rheinallt Nantlais Williams
. His first wife died in 1911 and he married his second wife, Annie Price, a teacher, in 1916. Bethany, Ammanford was to be his only post as he stayed there until his retirement in 1944. He is buried in front of Bethany, Ammanford, next to J. T. Job and Gareth Davies.
. In 1904 he was eager to be a popular poet-preacher, and at that he was already successful. He was a well sought after speaker at conferences all over Wales
and his poetry won him various prizes including the Chair of the National Eisteddfod in 1902. Despite this success and popularity he became increasingly aware that there was something missing, he came to think that there was more to Christianity
than being pompous and culturally active.
Before the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival, Nantlais himself was not a Christian. He came to faith on the weekend of 4–6 November 1904, the weekend that the Revival broke out in Ammanford. From that weekend onwards Nantlais dedicated the rest of his life’s work to Christ; practically that meant turning his back on the pompous preaching conferences and concentrating on his ministry at Bethany, Ammanford. He also put an end to his competitive work for the Eisteddfod.
writer; 13 of his hymns were included in his denomination’s Llyfyr Emynau (Common Hymn Book) in 1927, and 17 were included in Caneuon Ffydd (Faith Songs) released as recently as 2001. He was awarded for his work by the University of Wales
when he received an honorary MA in 1958.
was getting a stronger grip on the people of Wales and Nantlais’ denomination was loosening its grip on the Doctrinal Basis they had since the Welsh Methodist revival
. Nantlais ferociously opposed a report to restructure the denomination after the First World War because it included the possibility of letting go, or at least the loosening of the theology given down to them from the Methodist fathers. Nantlais published a series of articles in Goleuad (the denomination’s newsletter), later put together as a book, in which he criticized the moves of 1925 and attacked modernists within the Church that challenge the authority of scripture.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
poet and a Presbyterian Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
leader during the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival
1904-1905 Welsh Revival
The Welsh Revival was the largest Christian revival in Wales during the 20th century. While by no means the best known of revivals, it was one of the most dramatic in terms of its effect on the population, and it had repercussions that reached far beyond the Welsh border, triggering a series of...
.
Background
Williams was born in Pencader, CarmarthenshirePencader, Carmarthenshire
Pencader is a small village in the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire, and is part of the Community and Parish of Llanfihangel-ar-Arth. It is located around 5 km south-east of Llandysul and 10 km south-west of Llanybydder....
, the youngest of ten children. He received his elementary education at Ysgol y Bwrdd, New Inn, but because of the death of his brother he had to leave when he was twelve to take up an apprenticeship as a weaver.
At the age of twenty he started to preach and in 1895 he went to the prestigious Grammar School in Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn is a town straddling the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in west Wales and lying on the River Teifi.Adpar is the part of the town that lies on the Ceredigion side of the River Teifi...
. From there he went on to Trefeca
Trefeca
Trefeca was the home of 18th-century Methodist leader Howell Harris, located in Wales between Talgarth and Llangorse Lake.-Teulu Trefeca:...
College to train as a minister, but before he finished his studies he received a call to be minister of Bethany, Ammanford in 1900 and was ordained by the denomination (Presbyterian Church of Wales
Presbyterian Church of Wales
The Presbyterian Church of Wales , also known as The Calvinistic Methodist Church , is a denomination of Protestant Christianity. It was born out of the Welsh Methodist revival and the preaching of Hywel Harris Howell Harris in the 18th century and seceded from the Church of England in 1811...
) in 1901. By 1902 he was married to Alice Maud Jones, a relative to J. T. Job, another leader of the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival. They had three children, including Rheinallt Nantlais Williams
Rheinallt Nantlais Williams
Reverend Professor Rheinallt Nantlais Williams MBE, MA was a Welsh Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Principal of the Presbyterian United Theological College Aberystwyth in Wales....
. His first wife died in 1911 and he married his second wife, Annie Price, a teacher, in 1916. Bethany, Ammanford was to be his only post as he stayed there until his retirement in 1944. He is buried in front of Bethany, Ammanford, next to J. T. Job and Gareth Davies.
Nantlais and the 1904-1905 Revival
Nantlais came heavily under the influence of the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival1904-1905 Welsh Revival
The Welsh Revival was the largest Christian revival in Wales during the 20th century. While by no means the best known of revivals, it was one of the most dramatic in terms of its effect on the population, and it had repercussions that reached far beyond the Welsh border, triggering a series of...
. In 1904 he was eager to be a popular poet-preacher, and at that he was already successful. He was a well sought after speaker at conferences all over Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and his poetry won him various prizes including the Chair of the National Eisteddfod in 1902. Despite this success and popularity he became increasingly aware that there was something missing, he came to think that there was more to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
than being pompous and culturally active.
Before the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival, Nantlais himself was not a Christian. He came to faith on the weekend of 4–6 November 1904, the weekend that the Revival broke out in Ammanford. From that weekend onwards Nantlais dedicated the rest of his life’s work to Christ; practically that meant turning his back on the pompous preaching conferences and concentrating on his ministry at Bethany, Ammanford. He also put an end to his competitive work for the Eisteddfod.
Nantlais the Writer
Although he had given up the Eisteddfod by the end of 1904 he did not stop writing altogether. From 1904 onwards he largely concentrated on producing Christian literature. He was co-editor of Yr Efengylydd (The Evangelist) between 1916–1933 and Y Lladmerydd (The Interpreter) between 1922-1926. He was editor of Trysorfa’r Plant (Children’s Treasury) between 1934-1947. He was an important hymnHymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
writer; 13 of his hymns were included in his denomination’s Llyfyr Emynau (Common Hymn Book) in 1927, and 17 were included in Caneuon Ffydd (Faith Songs) released as recently as 2001. He was awarded for his work by the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
when he received an honorary MA in 1958.
Standing against liberal theology
Nantlais was living in an age that saw Wales, as a whole, turn against its traditional Calvinistic theology. SecularismSecularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
was getting a stronger grip on the people of Wales and Nantlais’ denomination was loosening its grip on the Doctrinal Basis they had since the Welsh Methodist revival
Welsh Methodist revival
The Welsh Methodist revival was an evangelical revival that revitalised Christianity in Wales during the 18th century. Methodist preachers such as Griffith Jones, William Williams and Howell Harris were such powerful speakers that they converted thousands of people back to the church...
. Nantlais ferociously opposed a report to restructure the denomination after the First World War because it included the possibility of letting go, or at least the loosening of the theology given down to them from the Methodist fathers. Nantlais published a series of articles in Goleuad (the denomination’s newsletter), later put together as a book, in which he criticized the moves of 1925 and attacked modernists within the Church that challenge the authority of scripture.
Conclusion
1904 was a turning point for Nantlais; he came to assurance of salvation in Christ. From there onwards his life changed and certainly his ministry changed. If there would be one criticism of him it would be his leniency towards the teaching of the Pietistic movement but the Welsh Methodist tradition held him from going to the extremes of some associated with the Keswick movement. He was an important hymn writer and will be seen in the line of descent of the Protestant Calvinistic Welsh tradition.Sources
- Gibbard, Noel: Nefol Dân – Agweddau ar ddiwygiad 1904-1905 : 2004