Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

Notes and News. THE Welsh Church Commission has con- cluded its public sittings. It is expected that the "Report" will be issued about Christmas time. IT is expected that two, if not three, reports will be issued by the Commissioners. The chairman will probably issue one, the Anglican members another, and the Noncon- formist section a third THE four Church Bishops from Wales made interesting witnesses at the Commis- sion. The Lord Bishop of St. David's was the least satisfactory, and St. Asaph the most clever. THE annual conversazione of the Honour- able Society of Oymmrodorion will be held during the coming week, and it is expected that it will be a popular event, as usual. WAS St. Patrick a Welshman ? According to Mr. Arthur McClerigh, M.A., who has just written a History of Ireland," St. Patrick was a native of Therouanne, in France, and he disputes both his Welsh and Scotch descent. The marvel is that the author admits that he was born outside of "the owld counthry." THE list of subjects for the National Eis- teddfod, London 1909, will be issued before July 1st. This will allow ten months for competitors to work on the various subjects. It is some satisfaction to know that all the prose subjects are either practical or his- torical, and do not require a long period of study or research. Miss KATHERINE JONEs-the daughter of the Rev. T. Jones, vicar of Crickhowell— gave an interesting recital at the -zeolian Hall, New Bond Street, last Tuesday, and her fine musical voice was much applauded by the critics. ACCORDING to The Record, which describes the examination of the Bishop of St. David's before the Church Commission, "Mr. J. H. Da vies, in his cross-examination, showed great ability, and he was the only one of the four commissioners who showed that he understood the principles of statistical inquiry." A NEW Commission is promised to deal with the antiquities of Wales. Here is a good opportunity for the disappointed "historical witnesses" that were refused a hearing at the Church Commission to come and ventilate their knowledge on the past history of Wales. IT is understood that Mr. Lloyd-George has replaced footmen by maidservants in his official residence in Downing Street. As a contemporary aptly remarks: This is characteristic of the courage and indepen- dence of the new Chancellor of the Ex- chequer. In private life he never employed male servants, and apparently does not need to change domestic habits because he is now lodged at the Treasury." THE discussions at the Barry Ministers' Fraternal Association are interesting. At the last gathering the Rev. J. Dynvant Williams, pastor of Weston Hill Congrega- tional Church in the town, read a paper on Shakespeare's comedy As you like it," in its various phases. Mr. Williams pointed out that the moral of the play was the fact of God's bringing good out of evil. This was illustrated by two well-marked feuds in the play, the one in the royal circles between the usurping and the banished Duke; and the second in the courtly life between Orlando and his eldest brother. In the former he pointed out that the love of man to God was the means of bringing about the much- desired reconciliation and in the latter case, that the love of man to man, as apart from all ties of kinship, was the medium of cement- ing the broken friendship. II MR. WILLIAMS argued from this, that Shakespeare thereby showed his acquain- tance with the paramount New Testament principles; especially the two great com- mandments, Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, and thy neighbour as thyself," both of which were combined in effecting the re- storation of peace among men and giving glory to God; thus proving the argument that God could bring good out of evil, and order from chaos. It is a novelty to find a gathering of Welsh Nonconformist ministers discussing Shakespeare. Glamorganshire is ahead of the other Welsh counties, in this matter at any rate. WELSHMEN are breaking out with success in more varied directions. In past years, preaching, teaching, and the drapery busi- ness, were practically the only vocations the Cymro went in for. At the recent examina- tion in London for Inspectors of Meat and other foods, Mr. J. T. Williams and Mr. B. Baker, both Merthyr Welshmen, passed with success. They spent a portion of their practical training at the Metropolitan Cattle Market, Islington.