The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-29
The Welsh IRON Makers OF Portland.

| To the Editor Of the Press:
Most of the inhabitants of Portland know
that there are Iron Rolling Mills in Cape Eliza
beth. There is no doubt but that the trades
men of Portland are benefited by the fact, in
asmuch as that industrious and well paid COM
munity hand over to them handsome sums of
money in exchange for food, clothing, furni-
| ture, Sc How many of your readers may have
even thought to inquire at all about the morals
and religion of these people is a question which
| must remain unanswered
The great majority of them are Welsh, though
| with very few exceptions able to understand
and speak the English language. Still the best
| educated Welshmen would rather hear the Cos
| pei preached in his own tongue, if possible; and
nowhere will a few Welsh families together re-
main content without providing for themselves
place of worship and the means of grace This
is true of the Welsh in America throughout the
length and breadth of the union. They will not
make their home in any place until they have
their Westinghouse and minister
Some three years ago the Welsh of the Roll
ing Mills sent for the Rev. Rhysfruesyn Jones.
OF Utica, New York, to come and organize a
Congregational church among them, in which
Christians of all denominations are welcomed to
a home
This Christmas Mr.. Jones, like Paul, found
IL convenient to come and visit the church
again after an absence of nearly three years,
and they determined to get as much instruc-
9loh, pleasure and happiness they could in
MS company; consequently Mr. Jones, who is
known as an interchangeable worker and eloquent
speaker, both in Welsh and English preached
twice ON Sunday, Dec 18th, and once in the
week following. Saturday evening, Dec. 23d,
he delivered a lecture in English ON ''The world
before Adam" which was listened to by large
and attentive audience. Dec 24th, Mr. Jones
again preached in Welsh in the morning and
English in the evening, when one member was
restored to the church, "A added by letter and
two by the right hand of llowship One adult
and a great number of infants have also been
baptized by him. The church numbers about
seventy and the Sunday school averages about
!20 Christmas day was given entirely to the
interest OF the Sunday school. Mr.. Jones was
elected chairman, and during the afternoon and
evening we had original addresses, readings
and Rotations, great deal of poetry, original
compositions by those present, also prize COM
petions i'll reading, recitng and lecturing. The
chOirs, of which there Were two one of adults
and one of children, sang many pieces in an
artistic manner such as would have done credit
to those who make much larger pretensons.-
Everything showed considerable talent and
great deal of diligence on the part of the child
rem and their teachers. To finish off, an i'm
vided to young and old at the end of the meet
ing which had lasted more than three hours
and half, though none seemed tired. A cas-
ual observer could not help noticing that the |
great majority of families are young and some |
of them must have been blessed with numerous
progeny as was very evident by the great num-
Der of well-dressed and well-behaved children |
and beautiful babies present. About every third |
mother had her infant in arms; some of them |
helped now and then to eniven the meeting.
but generally as good young ones they remained |
silent spectators of the literary efforts of their
older brothers and sisters.
Though bringing babies and little children to |
place of worship is contrary to Yankee no. |
tions yet it accounts in great measure for the |
religious tendency of the Welsh nation. The |
Roman Catholics have also found out the Sc |
crat 1t the children are won the men and |
women are safe. 1t would be well for Amer- |
can Protestants to try and make their children |
early In love with the place where their parents |
so deyoutly worship God and find so much COM
tort to their souls. If the children are not |
brought to the means of grace how can the pa
rents hope to say at last, "Here am l and the |
children which Thou hast given me- Is not |
the present infidelity and careessness of our |
youth about the Sabbath and the places of wor-
ship to be attributed to the parents neglect of |
bringing their young children to the means of
grace. Ministers and churches owe great deal |
more to the children than IS given them in the |
present day. hope the Welsh will follow on |
with their good practices, and that their child /
rem will follow after them 1t would be well |
also Tor their neighbors to learn a lesson from
them how to interest their children in religious
things A PASTOR