Pioneer

THE TASKS OF TO-DAY. (lb the Editor of the PXONEEK.) Sir,—Your leading article in the "Pioneer" of the 20th instant is a timely one. Hith- erto Labour has been content with "muddling throug-h." and the present collapse is the re- sult. Trade Unionism, like every other or- ganisation. has now to face new problems un- der changed conditions. Sentiment cuts a very sorry figure in history and will not make efficient that which is out of date. At the Tribunals it has been a pa- thetic sight to see businesses, which have been built up bv the life long efforts of the appell- ants. broken up at the decree of the Tribunal with the remark that "a larger firm can do the work." The Industrial Unonist does not rejoice in the downfall of the small Union: but he canuot advocate its preservation on senti- mental grounds. The standard of judgment is not whether it is the result "of the life work of many good men," or that it lias "swallowed up thousands of pounds of workers money," but is it efficient under the present conditions The problem of organisation will have to be faced. It is a common-place in biology that "structure is determined by funetion." i.e.. we should not make a.nd use a toothpick to dig the garden or a steam-hammer to crack a nut. To understand the function of Trade Unionism it is necessary to know the conditions of its origin; the nature and power of the forces to which the workers are opposed; the knowledge of its own strength and capabilit- it's; the policy and tactics which serve it best in the immediate struggle and in the ach- ievement of ics ultimate goal. There are many indications that Trade Union theory is under- going revision; Jack Cade's recent articles in the "Labour Leader" is an example of this re- vision. The Imperialist warlike phase of capi- talism has caught 11s napping, and the pitiful plight of the Labour leaders is only a reflex of the condition of the rank and file. The war is hastening the development of machinery; the en trance of women into industry the disappear- ance of the small producer and the growth of big production. If the workers are to retain their standard of life they will have to adopt new weapons. Time makes ancient good un- couth," and Sphinx-like problems confront us. The question of the relations between Trade Unionism, Socialism and the State also need thrashing out. We shall' find that the men who are patriots nrst and Trade Unionists and So- cialists second, do not understand the implica- tions of Trade Unionism or Socialism. Trade Unionism is a conscious or unconscious recogni- tion of the CLASS struggle, and this struggle has nothing in common with XATIOXAL strug- gles. How best can we meet the coming of State capitalism and tlite danger of Imperial- ism. A member of the left wins: of the Ger- man Social Democracv writes: The reconsti- tution of the Third Internationale will only be made possible by an absolute break with social patriotism." The task of to-day is to learn from our present failure, to recognise anew our goal and to make the sleeping giant conscious of his mission. "Let us to the task." Yours, etc., MARK STARR. ABERBARGOED'S NEW COUNCILLOR. (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) Sir,—It appears, according to the Aieruiyr Express" last week. that a special represen- tative. following upon the Bedwellty Council meeting. investigated into the general feeling in Aberbargoed with respect to the appoint- ment of Mr Evan Thomas as local Councillor to succeed Mr Sid Griffiths, who had resigned. As the report is conflicting and certain state- ments misleading, it is necessary in the inter- est of the public, that they should have the other side. Briefly, the facts are as follows: Mr Sid Griffiths, the late councillor, received an appointment as headmaster outside the locality; consequently he had to vacate his seat on the council. On the occasion of the last election, Mr Sid Griffiths and Mr Ivor Jones were the two I.L.P, candidates in the interest of Lab- our Mr S Griffiths was returned a member of the Council. Some time afterwards Mr Ivor Jones severed his connection with the I.L.P., Since the war the New Tredegar, Aberbargoed,; Pengam and Fleur de Lis Trades and Labour Council has come into existence, and the local I.L.P. has been affiliated to that body since its inception. The Secretary of the Trades and Labour Council communicated with the Enginemen's Association (of which Mr 1. Jones is a member) with a view of their becoming affiliated. "They ignored the communication therefore Mr 1. Jones was not directly con- nected with the Labour Party until a few weeks ago when he became an associate member. The Trades Council had previously sent out to the affiliated organisations for nominations for the vacancy. In response every nomination form was returned, excepting the bakers, which was withdrawn, and all were in favour of Mr Evan Thomas. A public meeting of Trades Unionists was called to finally adopt Mr Thomas. Organis- ed reaction resented the bills that were printed owing to the fact that Labour Councillors A. Thomas and I. Jones and Organiser Harris were hIlled as residing at Aberbargoed. It was the fact that the Trades Council meet at Aber- bargoed that occasioned it. The true interest of Labour are "identical from whatever sphere they come. The meeting decided by a large majority to endorse Mr Thomas' nomination as the candidate to be submitted to the Council for co-option. The opposition, still unsatisfied, called a meeting of electors of all parties; and what a meeting! It was glorious- The spirit of Labour interest was awakened It js a o-reat pity meetings tof that kind were not fullyreported. The correspondent in your contemporary says: "The public meeting at Aberbargoed came to the conclusion that Mr Ivor Jones was the man," I don't dispute that the meeting came to that understanding. I am going to analyse and give you the facts of that meeting. It is usual for the capitalistic papers to cover one of the public's eyes and tell them to look with the other. This is what happened. The meeting was rept,csenfativ,e of four shades of thought on the one side organ- ised Labour on the other, Officialdom, a. few reactionaries, some political patriots on the otfoe-r. We have nothing personal against the latter, nor do we doubt the sincerity of their views bur when those views are used Ho mis- represent true Labour interests and then made manifest in the capitalist press, we are bound to object. The chairman of the meeting, who, bv the way. was secretary of the Aberbargoed Allotment Association,-opened with a few re- marks. Then called upon Coun. W. Davies to address the meeting. In his first statement he I gave the case away. He said he did not know what he was there for, only the poli- tical truce should be observed. Coun. R. J. Jones next addressed the meeting. He read minutes of past meetings of Council, gte., and commented on the political truce. The Chair- man asked if anyone wished to speak. Imme- diately organised labour asserted itself. It was refreshing to see old Labour awake from its slumber. Never did an organised opposition get such a trouncing. Never did they deserve it more. Member after member getting up and smashing them. The past was raked up. It was a triumph for Labour. Mr Evan Thomas was nominated and seconded. A request was then made that all Trade Unionists, who were in an undeniable majority, present should re- frain from voting, thereby refusing to ack- nowledge the meeting. Immediately the boys stood up and marched out. their faces beaming. Never was victory more decisive. Now. I agree tthat the meeting nominated Mr Ivor Jones, but the majority of the meeting were outside the door enjoying the half-hearted maner in which the nomination was made. There is one thing to be said in favour of the I.L.P.: they are not lacking in spirit, courage and determi- nate. It is curious that every time an I.L.P. member is involved noble tributes are paid to their characters. It is- the I.L.P. op- inions our opponents object to they seem to say: "Give up your opinions, and we will com- pliment you with a character." It is in stand- ing by one's opinions that true character is defined; no man has a character worth while if his opinions arfc already in pawn. It is claimed that because Mr Sid Grffiths favoured the war. the person to follow should also be in favour. Nonsense It was the I.L.P. who were responsible for returning the late mem- ber. and they should lie responsible for filling the vacancy. The I.L.P. have been fair they have played the game they sent their nomina- tion t. the Trades Council, prepared to stand by it. Another statement that I read was: "It is felt that as Aber has sent some hundreds of men to the army it would be unsatisfactory to have a person who is doubtful on the war to represent them." Perhaps so. But it is sheer hypocrisy to assume that because a man is go- ing away full of war, that he is going to return home full of it. Within the past few weeks a few of those hundreds have returned home, slightly disabled, and have presented them- selves at the colliery in order to return to their former occupations. What was the result? It is alleged that they were told to present them- selves for medical examination before the com- pensation doctor, who failed to see his way clear to allow them to return to their work. Is this patriotism P Is that being done in the interest of Labour? Mr Evan Thomas has been co-opted. Aberbargoed need have no fear. Labour will be ably represented on the Bed- wellty Council without the use of crutches. Forward. Aber I.L.P. with increasing'member- ship! We will yet taste the fruits of victory — Yours, etc., I.L. PEER. I AN APPEAL TO TRADES UNIONIST I PARENTS. I (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) I Sir,—I would be obliged for a small space in your valuable paper to call the attention of Trades Unionists, who are parents, and who have daughters who are thinking of be- ing employed behind the counter in the shops, to the absolute necessity of them joining the Shop Assistants' Union. Since the war started, and owing to the large number of male assis- tants who have joined the Army large numbers of young grls have gone into the distributing trade at wages that would not keep them in shoe laces, I will give a case which a local shop .manager told me of. He advertised for an unskilled female assistant, and was pre- pared to give 10/- a week to start, but did not state so in the advertisement. He received ab- out 20 applications, 6 of which were prepared to work for nothing! Titen take the case of a young lady who was prosecuted for theft, 21 years of age, and working for no wages. I appeal to Trades Unionists to see that their daughters, if they are engaged in shops, be- come Trades Unionists, and not simply drift like ships in the night, as they are a menace to young ladies who have no parents to keep them. and who have to coinpate, with them for their living. And they will be a menace to the men who Have joined the Army and who will return to shop life once the war is over. Our Union received increased wages for memb- ers last year of nearly £ 90,000. If it was possible to get the young ladies in the Union it could easily be trebled. I look forward to Merthyr parents to do their bit to make the wages in shops worth working for.—Yours, etc, MYRDDIN DAVIES, Secretary. THE ALLIED ZOLVCREIN AND THE I WORKER. (To the Editor of the Plo-NEER.) I Dear Sir.—Kindly allow me a line ar two of your valuable paper to jot down just an ex- pression concerning the war. We in this country, at any rate to a, great extent, believe in the old saying that To every dark cloud there is a silver lining." I may say that I have looked at this war cloud which is obscuring the sun of human happiness, but nothing of to> the nature of brightness can I find. I believe I have been on the top of the cloud in my desire to cognise the good, and have so far searched in vain. Perhaps the calamities which have succeeded one another with such rapidity have deadened my sense of perception. As to the war The hJ&hue-r class and their hirelings are paying infinitely more attention to economic conditions which will necessarily arise after the war, and which will probably be an inevitable outcome of the war, then they are to the ac- tual military operations which are proceeding abroad. They tell us that we must send the last man and last shilling in order to achieve success, Whatever the last man and the last shilling idea means, I am tilt a loss to under- stand! Thev do not contemplate the last man and shi.Iliti?- very seriously, or else they would not be so busily enf' ,,aged in formulating such dahorat0 schemes for the isat;oti of in- dustrv! The fallacy of it all! On the one hand. the last man and last shilling; on the other the organisation of industry—which can- not be if the last man and shilling are done away with. The capitalist, helped by some of the "hypocrites of Labour" in this country, are do- ing all they possibly can to build up these great edifices to stop foreign capitalists from exploiting the working class 0 f this country. They intend doing it themselves far more effi- ciently than they have hitherto done. Great trusts and monopolies are to be constructed, and the working class of this country are asked to encourage'and support these great edifices. of capitalistic organisation. They are also told that such things are good, are beneficial, and advantageous. I agree such things are good, are beneficial, are advantageous-but not to the working classes of this country. They certainly are to the class under whose iron heel the workers have been so long trampled. The irony of it all! We have to aid them by our in- tellectual and physical energies to forge the weapons of our own destruction; to make man- acles of iron for our own wrists! What do trusts and monopolies and such organisations mean P They mean a greater power created for the ruling class in order to more effectively subjugate the toilers; they mean ultimately harder fights for Labour. Why should we in- terest ourselves with organisations of capitalP Let them do it themselves if they like. But we must organise Labour in order to cope with their added strength. According to speeches delivered all over the country, this movement is going on in all the Allied countries. "Pro- tection" (the keynote of the British National Workers' League) is war. This commercial war which is coming will in reality not be directed against Germany, but directed against the con- sumers of each country. They close their eyes to the advantage of international exchange. There is a purpose in their blindness. The Allies Commercial Entente is to be directed against commercialism of the Central Powers. If this war is a trade war, and out of this trade war has arisen military warfare, and out of mili- tary warfare will emanate another trade war, what a suicidal vicious circle we are per- petually engaged in! Before I closa, allow me to warn all workers against the principles and dactrines of the British National Workers' League," who. I may say, are not out to better the economic conditions of this country in any way. but, according to statements made in the press and on the platforms of this country, are out in their bitterness and hatred to smash the I.L.P.—Yours, etc., Gorseinon. W. M. E. A WORD WITH "NAVVY PAT." (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) Sir,—As a contant reader of "Navvy Pat's" valuable articles in the "Pioneer," from week to week, might I be allowed a little space to call the attention of your readers to one short paragraph in your last issue. In that article he states that a few Conscientious Objectors, "wid a swarm ov cowards, slackers, an' Weary Willies behind hoping to escape through the ac- tion of the honest objectors, are resisting the Army Service Bill." To that statement I can- not help taking a strong objection. Your correspondent merely gives expression to a pre- valent notion that the resisters of military service are nothing but a lot of cowards and shirkers. lightly diluted with a, few honest objectors. The proof for this ""assertion I have not seen, and it would be interesting to know ort what authority "Navvy Pat" repeats It;" Ig- norance and prejudice, I have no -doubt, thrives on these notions. Facts and figures, however, happen to be on the other side. Out of the multitude of our comrades who. have refused to bow down to the military gods, and who were subjected to all kinds of brutal conduct, the number of those who have yielded awing to ill- health, etc., is remarkably small. And surely we cannot regard even them all "cowards" and "shirkers"? Our young Comrades, in fight- ing for freedom of Conscience, challenge the power of the State, and are willing to pay the price. They have left the beaten track of public opinion. Liberty to-day demands her champions and martyrs, and has found them in the noble stalwarts, who suffer perseomtion for unpopular but honest convictions, rather than reconcile themselves with a blood-sodden mob. Mc-anwhilc? I wish your correspondent every success in publishing his interesting pamphlet, which lam looking forward to as a rare and refreshing fruit.—Yours fraternally, 1"O f re,,?hing fi?itit.-Yoitr?s fra?ernally, J. M WILLIAMS. I Bedlinog, May 31, 1916. M¡L¡'IAMS.

Cyfarthfa Gastla Museum, Merthyr. VALUABLE GIFT OF PICTURES FROM OLD I MERTHYR BOYS. .:Vb: Trevor S. Jones, Frondeg, Radyr, Car- diff, and Mr Reginald Jones The Laurels, Whitchurch, Cardiff, have commemorated their long association with this town by presenting to the Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery two- valuable and interesting pictures by artists of the modern English school. The picture presented by Mr Trevor S. Jones (who was High Sheriff for Glamorgan during the year 1914—13)is by Grosvenor Thomas, R.S.W., a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy and other large English and Con- tinental Galleries, and is typical of this ar- tist's impressionistic style. The painting is full of warm colouring and depicts a farmhouse with a pond in the middle distance, and in the foreground a peasant woman. The reflections in the water are admirably rendered and the picture is full of light and atmosphere. Mr Reginald Jones' gift is- by W. H. Bart- lett, R.1 also a well-known artist and the painting shows a totally different technique to the foregoing. Here the artist has aimed at simplicity and breadth of treatment. He shows a winding road, cottages and a peasant woman returning home from a day's toil in the fields; a range of purple hills forming the back- ground. The peaceful nature" of the scene is heautifully rendered. Both pictures form an important addition to the collection, and may now be seen at the Museum.

Ystradgynlais Notes. I Congrats 1 m' Comrade Leon Williams, who was exempted from military service on Conscience grounds by the Local Tribunal, and against the decision of whom the Military Representative appealed, has been informed by the Appeal Tribunal that the Military Representative failed to sub- stantiate his case, and consequently they up- hold the Local Tribunal's decision. Our Com- rade is to be congratulated on the result. & I. L.P. Tennis. The courts are now in full swing at th, LL P. grounds. Larger numbers of novices than usual are patronising us; tournaments will shortly be arranged. Evolution Course. Mr Northcote's lectures on Evolution are being fairly well attended in spite of the warm weather we are experiencing. His subject for this Saturday is "The Origin of Life." Good News. Mr J. H. Hudson, M.A, has been booked to speak for the T.L.P. on Wednesday, June 14. Let us work to give him an audience com- mensurate with his position and influence in the Socialist movement. An important meeting will be held at the Hall Ihxt Sunday night at 8,

This terrible war is killing a lot of businesses. Make it is personal resolve that the Pioneer shall net be killed.

Farewell to Rowland Jones, B.A. POPULAR DEMOCRAT PASTOR LEAVES I TROEDYRHIVV TO TAKE UP WORK IN NEWPORT. I The Merthyr Valleys have this week parted with keen regret with the Rev. W. Rowland Jones, B.A., pastor of Tabernacle. Troedyrhiw, who has accepted a "call" to the ministry of Duekpool Road English Baptist Church, New- port. All sections of the community will miss him from the Merthyr Valley, and none more, nay, none so keenly, as the forces of organised Democracy, on whose side he has been a consis- tent. brilliant, fearless and convincing fighter. Never in the whole course of his 81 years in our area—6 in Merthyr and just over two in Troedyrhiw—has he been ashamed to declare openly for the whole-hearted Socialism in which lie fervently believed. His religion has never been an abstract philosophy that adapted itself to things as they are with the too-oft heard theological sigh, "That what is is for the best." No, he is too conscientious, and too practical—despite the thick vein of Celtic po- etic emotionalism that runs through the rich rock of his character—to fool himself that his message was something that was detached from the social life of the people, The hard common sense—which has not been too characteristic of Welsh theocracy of late, but with which he has been so richly endowed, has taught him that a man whose body is exhausted in a never ending grind for bread whose future is blank beyond the fortnight's notice to which tie may be legally entitled, and whose every thought must be of self-preservation in the mad struggle for existence, cannot rise above his physical environment—that religion can have no appeal to such a mary chocked as are- the channels of the higher life by the sordid prob- lem of how to fill small mouths with bread and butter. He knows the workers' life because he has nob been too proud to acquaint himself with it, and with his appreciation of the prob- lem came its solution—the only solution that faced the facts of penury and grappled with it on a matter of fact basis—Socialism. His recog- nition of social evils, and their remedy through Socialism, the intellectual recognition, compell- ed him. with his transparent honesty and sin- cerity, to carry on the glad tidings, to be prac- tical in his religion, by teaching what he saw as the inherent justice of our scheme of things to be-the only scheme under which Christianity can be lived—and surely, it is in the living of Christianity that its value to the world must be expressed. Can it be wondered that we have loved him; even those of us who had turned away from the other worldliness of a church that refused to see the social evils, or seeing them was un- moved to active resentment. And his recogni- tion of the inter-relationship of Theism and Economics has been as good for the Church as for us. for it has retained to religion many who else would have turned empty away; and has drawn within the fold many who would still have walked in darkness. The Rev. W. Rowland Jones stands with a little band of all denominations, a small circle of clerics who are harbingers of a new Church militant—militant not as tke term is now used by Ecolesiasts, to connote an alliance with the blood-red God Mars, but a Church militant on the side of International Unity; brotherly fraternity and conscientious objection to the enslavement of the few by the many. To lose a standard bearer is always a loss, and in that light we shall miss his services amongst us; but we rejoice in the knowledge that wherever he goes-to Newport, to London, or elsewhere—there he will preach the good tidings of a world regenerate on earth will denounce that which to him appears evil, and will be a source of strength to those who fight the great fight for Liberty, Equal- ity and Fraternity: tffan which no minister could commend himself to a better task. So far as the English Baptists at Troedyrhiw are concerned they are one and all, irrespective of political creed, sorry to lose him. On Sunday when he preached his farewell serm- ons, there were crowded congregations, and especially in the evening, when the pulpit was packed with people, the anti-rooms stuffed tight, and all the gangways lined with seats— and still scorns were turned away unable to find room. (Conservative estimates put the number unable to obtain admission at 200, the outside figure we have heard is 600.) But even better than that has been the spontaneous marks of affection lavished on him in the shape of gifts from the Church as a whole, from the Sabbath School, and from private individuals in his congregation, as well as from the Merthyr Free Church Ministerial Fraternal and the Merthyr and District Baptist Union. These were handed over on Monday night at a meeting held m the chapel, after a most successful and enjoyable tea in the large hall below. b The presents were — From the Church and friends: A gold albert and silver sugar and cream jug and basin. Merthyr Baptist Ministerial Union: Books. Merthyr Free Church Ministerial Fraternal: Book. Mr and Mrs J. E. Davies Silver epergne. Mr Kelly: Walking stick. Mr and Mrs W. H. Evans (Pharmacy): Couple Silver vases. The Chairman of the "Deacons (Mr W. J. Jones) presided, and 'was visibly touched by the thought of the near-bv parting as was the Secretary, who read letters of apology -and messages of "God speed" from many of the Merthyr Free Church clergy of all denomina- tions who were unable to be present. In his address from the chair Mr Jones said: He has not been with us for a. long period of time, but during his stay amongst us he has fulfilled the office of pastor in this church faith- fully and with the highest motives to which any man could attain. He has never ceased to put before us as a church and a congregation the highest teachings of Christ. He has al- ways held the Cross of Calvary in the fore- ground, and during his stay amongst us by his living he has shown us the high ideals which lie has preached. He has helped to build the church to a higher and nobler level. His stay may have boen. very short with us—I really thought he would have stayed with us three years—but it appears that the people of Newport are very anxious to have his services." He goes from here with the very best feelings of every individual member of this church. It is one of the highest tributes that I can truthfully say that he goes from here with the love and respect of all, and their prayers and wishes are that he shall preach at Newport as faithfully and loyally as he has preached here in Tabernacle." The Rev. W. P. Stonier (Ainon, Merthyr) said the Merthyr Ministerial Union at this moment felt a great sense of its loss by the departure of their friend Rowland Jones. It ) was perhaps the greatest compliment that could be paid to a man to say that he would be missed; and he could say that the Rev. W. Rowland Jonas would certainly be missed. He would be missed by the Union he would be missed by the Church. It seemed to him that the departing pastor had succeeded splendidly in working his way into the affections of the young people qf that neighbourhood, and he had no doubt that his ministry would have a deep and lasting effect on their lives and cha- racters. He was a good man in the deepest and truest sense of the word, and it was just, this that their attention was directed to in the great men and women of the Bible-their goodness. He was, too, a strong man and strong men could ill be spared from the com- munity. He was a strong man intellectually and spiritually. Mr Rowland Jones had told him a little over two years ago, "The mystic in me is stronger than the politician," and he- had shown that this was true whilst lie had been with them but he was, too, a practical man who saw the practical side of religious- life. He was as strong on the. practical as on the emotional side of Christianity. The Rev. G. Rees (Zoar, Merthyr), in hand- ing over the present of the Merthyr Ministe- rial Union, paid an eloquent tribute and said that Mr Jones had not been content with thinking exactly in the same ruts as other people. 0 The speaker liked a man, and especi- ally a young man. who had the mind and the gift and the desire to think out problems in his own way. Mr Jones was a frank, outspo- ken, natural, untrammelled thinker, who thought for himself without any evidence of being stereotyped in any way. That was essen- tial to a successful pastorate.'Mr Jones went f to the fountain ne-ad of truth and brought his- vessel back full. of the waters to his people. And lie had his eye not only to the Truth, but also to the needs of his people. He thought the great secret of his pastorate was to be traced to the fact that. untrammelled and unhandi- capped religiously, socially and mentally Mr I J'ones had tried to get to the hearts of the people in his own way. Mr Edward Davies, making the presentation: on behalf of the Sundav School. spoke in glowing terms of the success of Mr Jones' min- istry in that department. "During his two years he has been one we could go to at all times for advice; he has been always willing to teach and to do what he could for the furth- erance of the Sabbath School. He has been a noble teacher: noble in a good many respects." He paid a great tribute to the simplicity, the easy understan^ableness and yet real depth of j the sermons and mentioned it was a great factor in Mr Jones' success with the young people. The Rev. E. R. Davies (Mount Zion, Troedy- rhiw) was losing one of his best friends—a friend whom the months had bound tighter and tigh- ter together, and he paid a fine compliment, to the human fellowship of Mr Jones as expressed in that friendship. Mr Jones went away with the best wishes of all in Mount Zion. Mr D. Burrows, with a few touching words, handed over the three books given to Mr Jones by his son (Lieutenant Burrows) and the two Misses Burrows. The lieutenant had written on the title page. of his gift, Pre- sented to the Rev. Rowland Jones, B.A., on his departure from Tiroedvrhiw bv Lieutenant D. Burrows-who is on active service—in recog- nition of the spiritual guidance and keepings, and help during his pastorate at Tabernacle Church. Trusting that the future will tie full of joy and prosperity." Little Miss Rhoda Davies, handing over the epergne on behalf of her parents, delivered tho speech of the evening, when she said: "Please, j Mr. Jones, will you accept this, as you are 31 lover of flowers P" The Rev. J. Lloyd Williams (Pastor of Park Chapel, Merthyr), who was present out of deep admiration for Mr Jones, congratulated the chapel on having been blessed by the min- istry of Mr Jones for over two years, and on having given him a stepping stone to a larger church. The Rev. J. Arthur Jones (High Street Bap- tist Chapel. Merthyr), in the course of an ad- dress illumined by humour and brightened by its humanneas, also spoke highly of the depart- ing minister, and handed him the gift of the, Merthyr Baptist Ministerial Union by which Hw expressed their "appreciation of his bro- therliness. Mr Edwardes James (President of tit, Welsh Society of Merthyr) attended jjlfioühalf of the Welsh Society and spoke of tl*e Rev. Rowland Jones' assistance in their work Mr J. E. Davies, on behalf of the Church and friends, then made the presentation of the albert and silver ware. He was only sorry that when Mr Jones received the call to New- port he did not prove a "Conscientious Ob- jector." He was p'eased to say that since Mr Jones had been with then their church had been and was now, in a flourishing condi- tion Many had been added to the member- ship of the church. His ministry with them had been very good; as was proved bv the large congregations that attend from time to time. He was pleased also that Mr Jones had made the church better known all around, and strangers from all parts had come to hear him proclaim the Gospel. He had also written much for the "Baptist Record" and other papers, which had spread the knowledge of themselves as a church, and, they hoped, would prove an advantage in that they might secure an able man to fill his place. He was leaving the church in splendid state, both spi- ritually and financially. During his ministry the building had been improved and renovated; at a cost of C340. and £ 200 of debt had been wiped off. As a church they wished their de- parting pastor all success in his new place he and his family. "If he feels any discont- ent. we will welcome him back again," (Loud applause.) Mr Rowland Jones, in his reply, said the people had been exceedingly kind to him all through. That evening-was but one of the many kindnesses showered on him throughout his ministry. Wherever he went he would give a word of praise for Tabernacle, Troedyrhiw: lie would be a most ungrateful being not to do that. He was not going to sa- anything about j the work he had done, since he had done that j at the farewell sermons on Sundav. He would, however, speak freely of the people's kindness, and leave others to speak of any success which might have wa ied. on his work. "Y ou will now accept ray most sincere thanks, and note that during alt the future which I might live you have one who will always think in great respect of you Mr B. P. Evans (Merthyr Vale) and Mr Enoch Hughes (Abercanaid) also spoke of the deep friendship that had existed between them- selves and Mr Jones.

OUR PRINTING IS GOOD. OUR TERMS ARE MODERATE, OUR STAFF IS TRADES-UNIONIST, And we give a guaranteed undertaking to DELIVER IN TIME. Printed and Published by the Labour Pioneer Press. Limited, Williams, Square. Glebeland., Street, Merthyr Tydfil, June 3, 1916.