The Work in Wales

Wed. 17 Aug 1774. At eleven I preached in the town hall at Cowbridge, the neatest place of the kind I have ever seen. Not only the floor, the walls, the ceiling, are kept exactly clean, but every pane of glass in the windows.

Hence I hasted on to Swansea and at seven preached in the castle to a large congregation. The next morning, I went on to Llanelli. But what a change was there! Sir Thomas Stepney, the father of the poor, was dead! Cut down in the strength of his years! So the family was broke up, and Wilfred Colley, his butler, the father of the society, obliged to remove. Soon after, John Deer, who was next in usefulness to him, was taken into Abraham’s bosom. But just then Col. St. Leger, in the neighbourhood, sent to Galway for Lieutenant Cook to come and put his house into repair and manage his estate. So another is brought, just in time, to supply the place of Wilfred Colley! I preached at five near Sister Deer’s door to a good company of plain, country people and then rode over to the old ruinous house, which Mr. Cook is making all haste to repair. It is not unlike old Mr. Gwynne’s house at Garth, having a few large handsome rooms. It is also situated much like that, only not quite so low. For it has the command of a well-cultivated vale and of the fruitful side of the opposite mountain.