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Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

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YR EISTEDDFOD GENEDLAETHOL…

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CYFLWYNO TYSTEB I'R PARCH. W. EDWARDS, ABERDAR. Prydnawn dydd Mercher diweddaf cyfiwynwyd tysteb o J2300 153. i'r Parch William Edwards, Ebenezer, Aberdar. Yr oedd yr hysbysiad allan am dani er's misoedd. Yn gyntaf oil meddyliodd pobl ei ofal y dylasent wneuthur rhywbeth fel cyd- nabyddiaeth mewn ffordd o dysteb i'w hen weini- dog parchus oedd wedi treulio 39 o flynyddoedd i lafurio yn eu plitb, gan ymdrechu, ymdreulio i fyfyrio, a phregethu y Gair iddynt mewn amser ac allan o amser yr hwn a ddaeth atynt yn llencyn gwridgoch, heinyf, ond yn awr a'i wallt mor wyned a'r eira. Gwnaetbant bob brys i ffurfio pwyllgor, ac fe ymunodd brodyr a chyfeillion ereill o'r ardal a hwy. Penodwyd fod Mr D. Davies, J.P., Maesyffynon, i fod yn gadeirydd, a'r Major Powell, Ysw., Brecon Old Bank, i fod yn drysorydd cyffredinol; Mr J. Prosser a'r Parch D. Silyn Evans i fod yn ysgrifenyddion; a Mr John Morgan, Clive House, Aberdar, i fod yn gyd- drysorydd Wrth reswm, yr oedd pen trymaf y gwaitb, fel trysorydd ac ymdrechwr o blaid y dysteb, yn disgyn ar y gwr o'r Clive House a gweithio ffyddlon, egn'iol, gyd-dyfalbarhad fu gan y swyddogiofi. uchod. Nid wyf yn amheu na ddaw llawer o arian i fewn eto; ond penderfynwyd ar Awst laf i'w chyflwyno, yn ol yr hyd a'r lied y byddai. Dechreuwyd y cyfarfod yn Ebenezer am -6 o'r glocb, a diweddwyd am 10. Yr oedd yr amser yn pasio felbeb yn wybod i ni, gan fod llawer yn siarad, ac olew heb brinder ar olwynion y peirian- au wrth siarad. Yn absenoldeb y cadeirydd, neillduwyd y Parch J. Davies, Taihirion, i lanw y swydd, yr hyn a wnaeth yn ddeheuig, yn ol ei arfer. Cawsom anerchiad arweiniol pwrpasol iawn ganddo am ei adgofion o'r hen weinidogion, y rhai a hunasant, a'r ychydig sydd yn aros, yn mhlith y rhai y mae Mr Edwards heno. Yna galwodd ar y Parch Ddr Price i anerch y cyfarfod, fel un yn cynrychioli enwad parchus y Bedyddwyr, yr hwn a grybwyllodd yn ddifyrus am hen ffrae y "Bapto" fu rhyngddo ef a Mr Edwards flynyddoedd yn ol, ond eu bod yn awr yn gymaint ffryndiau ag erioed, a'i fod yn hyderu cael cyfarfod Mr Edwards yn y nefoedd—fed yno afon fel y grisial, ac y cae ei drochi yn hono. Ar ei ol ef daeth yn mlaen Mr Benjamin Lewis, un o dcfiaconiaid yr eglwys, yr hwn a roddodd hanes yr eglwys, y parch oedd i Mr Edwards, a chychwyniad y dysteb. Yna galwodd y cadeirydd ar y Parch E. Powell, Tredegar. Yr oedd ei frodyr yno hefyd, fel plant Ebenezer yn dyfod i dalu parch i'w tad. Gweini- dogion da yw y Powelliaid-yn glod i'r sawl a'u magodd. Yr oedd Mr Powell yn arfor meddwl am Ebenezer ei bod yn model church, a Mr Ed- wards yn un y byddai yn Tredegar yn arfer siarad am dano fel un y dylid dilyn ei ol. Ar ei ol of Mr William Davies, Taylor's Town, hen aelod a diacon, yr wyf yn meddwl yn Eben- ezer flynyddoedd yn ol. Siaradodd yn uchel am Mr Edwards, a'i fod yno yn fachgenyn ar ei ddy- fodiad yn fugail ar yr eglwys, ac wedi bod dan ei weinidogaeth fendithiol am flynyddoedd, ac nad ai ei bethau gwerthfawr yn anghof ganddo bytb er fod yr hen bwlpud mor ddwfn fel yr oeddent yn methu braidd a gweled eu gilydd, ond yr oedd yn ei glywed ac yn cofio y pethau a ddywedodd. Buan y tynodd Mr Edwards yr hen gapel i lawr, ac yr adeiladodd ei ragorach, a mynodd weled talu am dano. Y Parch W. 1. Morris, Pontypridd, a ddywedai: Yr oedd ag ofn dywedyd mai mab Ebenezer oedd, rhag i'r plant ereill i gyfodi i'w erbyn; ond yr oedd wedi bod yn aelod yno am flynyddoedd pan ond bachgenyn. Yr oedd pethau Mr Edwards a'r eglwys wedi bod yn gymhorth mawr iddo lawer gwaiLh. Mae yn dda i ddyn ieuanc gael ei hyfforddi gan ei henacb, fel yr oSeiriad ieuanc a osododd hen offeiriad yn ei le am beth amser tra fuasai ef oddicartref. Aeth yr offeiriad ieuanc i ymweled a hen wraig dlawd oedd yn glaf, a dy- wedodd nas gwyddai ef beth i'w wneuthur. "O," meddai yr hen ehwaer, Darllenwch benod o'r Beibl, ac ewch i weddi, a dodwch swllt ar y ford, a ffwrdd a cbwi at eich gwaith." Y Parch J. Morgan, Cwmbach, a ddywedodd fod yn well ganddo bechu yn erbyn Mr Edwards na'i holl frodyr anwyl trwy y cwm, am ei fod yn un parod i faddau fod yn dda ganddo ei fod yn cael tysteb odidog. Nad elusen ydyw tysteb, ond rhoddion o galon i'r hwn sydd yn haeddu gwneuthur ohonom hyn iddo. Yr oedd y brenin Ahasferus yn gweled y dylesid gwybrwyo teilyng- dod, ac fe ddisgynodd hyny i Mordecai, yr Iuddew. Gwelodd aner yn cael ei rhoddi i was fuasai wedi gwasanacthu saith mlynedd yn yr un lie, a phar o wrthbanau i forwyn fuasai wedi gwasanaethu yr un amser, yn extra i'w eyflogau- Y Parch D. Silyn Evans, un o'r ysgrifenyddion, a ddarllenodd lawer o lythyrau oddiwrth gyfeillion oedd wedi methu dyfod i gyfarfod y cyflwyniad, megys Dr Evan Jones, meddyg, Aberdar, yr hwn oedd oddicartref yr un modd Mr D. E. Williams, J.P., Hirwaun Mr T. Williams, J.P., Gwaelody- gartb, Merthyr; Dr Rees, Abertawy a'r Parch R Thomas, Glandwr, ac ereill. Darllenwr hygly w yn Gymraeg a Saesoneg yw Silyn. Yna galwodd y cadeirydd ar y Parch R. T. Howell, gweinidog y capel Seisonig yn Aberdar, i ddarllen yr Anerchiad caulynol, yr hwn y bu ef mor garedig a chyfansoddi ar gais y pwyllgor, ac yn sicr mac'n Anerchiad rhagorol-un o'r goreuon a wrandawsom erioed. Bydd yn gaffaeliad coron- og i Mr Edwards a'i blant, a phlant ei blant, o genedlaeth i genedlaeth. Na ddibriser ef byth. TO THE REV. WILLIAM EDWARDS, EBENEZER, ABERDARE. RBVEEEND AND DEAR SIR,-Reeognising the fact that you are no longer young, but are an "elder" among men, your church at Ebenezer resolved to present you with a substantial Testimoniat as a tangible proof of the high estimation in which you are held, and of their cordial appreciation of your Christian character, preaching powers, and pastoral faithfulness during the long period of ne;irly forty years. Upon hearing of the laudable intention of your church, your numerous friends and admirers in the town and neighbourhood, and throughout the country generally, became anxious to unite with them in paying you so richly deserved a tribute of honour, and thus the testi- monial became a national one. As a man, you have from youth to age been upright, truthful, sincere, genial, ard kind. As a neighbour, affable and uniformly obliging; and integrity and strict honesty have characterised all your transactions with your fellow-men. Free from parsimony and meanness, you are deserving of the greatest praise and closest imitation in industry, thrift, and economy- As a Christian, you had the inestimable blessing of being admitted into church membership at an early age, and having obtained help of God," you continue unto this day." Gifted with natural abilities above the average, you soon attracted the notice of your church and pastor, who urged you to commence preach- ing. Convinced of the importance of education and culture, you availed yourself of every means, within your reach, of acquiring knowledge while prosecuting your studies preparatory to entering Brecon College- At that institution you distinguished yourself as an able, industrious, painstaking, and successful student, so that when you accepted the "call" to Ebenezer, Aberdare, you were ripe for the full work of the Christian ministry in this important sphere. As a preacher, you ranked at once among the fore- most men of your denomination—a place which, by your studiens habits and the grace of God, you still maintain. And this year you occupy the high and im- portant position of Chairman of the Welsh Congrega- tional Union. As a pastor, we cannot speak too highly of your fidelity., and constancy in the oversight of your largo flock, or of your impartial conduct towards them- Old and young, rich and poor alikhave been the objects of your tender solicitude. Like the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls," you have neither neglected the wants, feared the faces, excused the sins, nor courted the favours of the rich, neither have you pandered to the prejudices of the poor; but you have endeavoured to discharge your duties faithfully and honestly as in the sight of God. You have comforted the bereaved in sorrow, ministered to the necessities of the sick and the poor, and you have pointed the dying to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world," who also "has abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel." You have also en- couraged and cheered, by your presence, sympathy and co operation, all the workers in your church, and especially so the Sabbath School teachers and young men about to enter the ministry. And whenever the church undertook any extra work, either in building, enlarging, or otherwise altering the chapel—while securing their unity and co-operation—you laboured more abundantly than they ail." And your labour has not been in vain in the Lord." You have also been eminently successful in the high- est sense. How successful Eternity alone will reveal! There are scarcely any left of those that knew you forty years ago; and yet there is still a large and flourishing church at Ebenezer. And to-day you are setting up an Ebenezer in the truest acceptation of the term. You have been the honoured instrument in the conversion of mcmy hundreds of souls, many of whom remain to this hour. Some have removed to other neighbourhoods, some have gore to lands far distant, s 'me are among the most faithful and successful preach- ers of the gospel at home, and others labour among the heathen abroad, and some, alas, have fallen on sleep;" bat all are witnesses to your faithfulness in the ministry of the word of life" As a minister of your denomination, in addition to your powerful preaching on public occasions, times out of number, you have proved yourself an able theologian and a ready writer. The treatises which you have pub- lished in a separate form have been extensively read and deservedly appreciated. You have written much and well, and always in a Christian spirit, to the magazines of years gone by, as well as to the periodicals that now circulate among us. Demanding the right of private judgment for yourself, you have always con- c 'ded the same to others. Endowed with groat individuality and decis o.) of character, you have invariably displayed the courage of your opinions in tenacious, but courteous, advocacy of your principles. "Not once nor twice" have you been compelled to enter the lists of public controversy in defence of doctrina I, Biblical, ecclesiastical, and political questions, in which you have always borne yourself with becoming dignity and Christian fortitude—your contention ever being "for the faith once delivered to the saints." On important occasions, you have proved yourself to be "a man that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do; and thus, you became a pioneer in opening up new fields of labour in the Aberdare valley and elsewhere for preaching the glorious gospel of the blessed God," in erecting chapels, and in forming new churches in them. And, Dear and Venerable Sir, we find that although we have nearly exhausted the space at our command in this address, yet the half has not been told, for you have been a deep sympathiser with, and an energetic helper of weak and burdened churches a hearty supporter of the Colleges and the Public Institutions of your denomination; a faithful co- worker with your brethren in every great movement; a large-hearted lover of all who love the Lord Jesns Christ in all sincerity;" a helper of every Christian denomination a true friend of Missions and of the Bible Society a zealous and consistent advocate of political reforms, the redress of grievances, and the restitution of the rights of humanity; an unflinching worker in the case of Elementary and Higher Education whilst your unflagging zeal and un- compromising efforts in the cause of temperance and sobriety have made your name a household word. In fact, being a man of strong convictions and faith, you have devoted yourself unsparingly head, heart, pen, and pocket, to the furtherance of every good work. And if we ventured to sp; ak of your home—whe.'e you have always been so nobly sustained and encouraged by those so dea.r to you-generations of studends, ministers, and friends would proclaim you to be one of the most hospitable men in "hospitable Wales." And we give God the praise that you are one of the most spotless characters that adorn the pulpits of Wales, and that by a life harmonising with your creed and profession you have won for yourself a good report of all men and of the truth itse'f." With this address, we have much pleasure in presenting you with a Cheque for such a sum of money as we trust will be as gratifying to you to receive as it has been for your friends of all denominations cheer- fully to subscribe. In conclusion, we heartily congratulate you on having been spared to labour so lonsr in the same field. To how few is this honour given And we record our thanks to Almighty God for His goodness in prolonging your useful life, and for His sustaining grace to you under the many difficulties and trials inseparably connected with your high vocation. And although knowing that we are addressing you in the autumn of your life, we pray, sir, that you may have a ripe and mellow old age. May you be long spared to prosecute your beneficent labours, and to be a faithful witness fur God. May Heaven's richest blessings rest upon you and yours from generation to generation for ever. May God deal tenderly with your gray hairs. May the shades of evening gather very gently around you as you descend the hill of life. May the accom- paniments of advancing years fall lightly upon you and when at the last you shall stand in the end looking o'er life's history," may you be able then, as now, to say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." And when all is over upon earth, may you receive the more lasting testimonial of your Divine Master's approval, and may He greet you, saying, I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith. Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." We have the honour to remain, Dear Sir, on behalf of the subscribers, Yours cordially and affectionately, Chairman—D. DAVIS, Esq., J.P., Maesyftynon. (Major T. B. POWELL, Brecon Old ) Bank, Aberdare. ireasurers< JOHN MOKGAN, Clivo House, (. Trecynon. ("Mr JOHN PKOSSEK, Cemetery- Q j road, Aberdare. secretaries< ^EY SILYN EVANS, Siloa, (. Aberdare. Mr John Thomas, diacon oedranus o r eglwys, a alwyd nesaf, yr hwn a ddaeth i fyny a'r godaid aur yn ei law, gan ddywedyd fod ercill wedi dywedyd potbau da, ond mai ganddo ef yr oedd y trysor goreu, oedd yn rhodcli bri a gwerth ar y cyfarfod, Yr oedd yn un yn rhoddi galwad i Mr Edwards, ac er ei fod of yn un poeth ei dymher, a Mr Edwards yn un pybyr a thanllyd, ond na ddarfu iddynt erioed wreichioni dim yn orbyn on gilydd; ac yna cyflwynodd y pwrs yn cynwys y £ 300 15s. i Mr Edwards yn nghanol banllefau o gymeradwyaeth a llawenydd. Ar ol toimlad briw o barcb, cyfododd Y Parch W. Edwards, gwron y cyfarfod, a chyd- nabyddodd'yu ddiolohgar y caredigrwydd a dder-