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IPONTARDAWE ALLTWEH GLEANINGS.

Death jof Rev. Thomas Levi.

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Death jof Rev. Thomas Levi. OLD YSTRADU) iNLAIS NATIVE. I His Local Associations. Welshmen in Jl circles, and particu- larly those closely associated with re- igious movements, will learn with regret of the death at Aberystwyth of the Rev. Thomas Levi, the patriarchal Welsh Calvinistic Methodist minister. lie died on Friday at his residence in St. David's road, at the age of 91 years For over half a century he was one of the religious leaders. in the Principality. H ■ was born at Penrhos, in the parish of Ystradgynlais, and it is generally known that his father was a Hebrew, who married a Welsh maiden, so that Semitic and the Celtic blood com- mingling in Thomas Levi made vivid his imagination. He received no early edu- cation, as his father was in very poor circumstances, and worked as a miner. Thomas Levi started. working at all early age at the Yniscedwyn Steel Works, but when work became slack, he left the locality and obtained employment at the Tredegar Wcrks, and it is stated that his mother used to take him food and clothes periodically, making the journey to Tre- degar and back in one day, a distance of about fifty miles. Thomas Levi was the -first preacher from Cwmgiedd, and preached his first sermon there. Later on he took over the ministry of the church at Ynis. At this time he showed a keen interest in poli- tics, and was a fervid Liberal. He also made a name for himself as a writer, poet, and hymn writer, and he con- tributed articles of local interest to the ''Traethodydd" and other publications. About this time he erected the. house in Pelican-street, Ystradgvnlais, now in the occupation of Mr. Howell Edwards but as he could not study in the house on account of the noise from the Pelican lock being too great, he built a study for himself in the garden, and adjoining the house. During this period the Lector of Ystradgynlais, Dr. Walters, proposed levying a rate on the ratepayers for the purpose of building the present church. Thomas Levi, however, took up the mat- ter and opposed the suggestion most ener- getically. He was supported by Mr. Marryot, owner of the Ynisoedwyn Steel Works at the time, who was a brother to Capt. Marryot, the well-known novel. ist. Keen interest was taken in the case throughout the Principality, and Thomas Levi won the day. He was now becom- ing very popular, an d was gaining a reputation as a temperance lecturer, and there was scaroelv a platform through- I out Wales on which he did not appear. He received a call to the pastorate of Philadelphia, Morriston, whence after a few years he left for Swansea.. From the latter place he went to Aberystwyth in i January, 1876, and was the successful pastor of Tabernacle for nearly 30 years. Thomas Levi retained an affectionate regard for the home of his youth, and he was very fond of relating stories of his old associations, and of the time when salmon could be caught in the Tawe. He retired from active ministerial work b4out eleven years ago. Throughout his life he was a studmt, and, for over iorty years he edited with striking success the denomilJational publication, l'Trysorfa r Plant," which has a large circulation f throughout Wales. Before that he had i edited another demaniina/tional publica- tion. "Yr Oenig." His literary produc- tions were numerous, and he had for years, acted a? Welsh translator for the Keliginus Tract Society, in which post be translated some difficult books. Several hymns composed by him appear in Welsh hymn-books, while he had also written a history of England and WaJe?. He visit- j ed Amerioa on three occa?Mna, aj?d many H remember his interesting lectures on i L presaions of that country. Mr. John Levi, his elder brother, had emigrated to Arrwrioa thirty-five years before he himself was, by the invitation of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Churches in the United States, t6 pay them a visit. During those long years the brothers had not seen each other. but corresponded regularly in the language of their native land. The Rev. Thomas Levi wrote telling John the name of the steamer he would come by and the date of its leaving Liverpool. Before arriving in New York fever broke out on board the steamier, and four days' quarantine wias ordered, which meant four days be- fore the steamer would be permitted to approach the landing-stage and discharge its passengers. Mr. Levi had been pub- lished to preach at a WTelsh chapel in New York on Sunday, and it was now Saturday evening. He went to the cap- tain and mentioned this. The captain | nailed the doctor of the phi p, and after an examination as to Mr. Levi's health it was decided to make an exception in his favour and send him by a boat to the landiing-stage. It was night when the boat reached its destination, and on stepping ashore at the foot of the stairs of Castle Garden a white-headed gentle- man accosted the stranger and asked him "Is that steamer coming in to-night?" The answer was "No. There's fever on board Are you expecting anyone on her ?" "Yes., someone from Liverpool." "What's his name!" <:Thomias Levi-he is my brother "Taw! A'i John wyt ti ?" "Goodness me! You are not Thomas, of Ystradgynlais And the brothers em- braced. Time had changed the appearance of fcoth, especially of John, whosp hair and beared were black as the wing of the raven when he had left "Yr Hen Wlad." Recalling the meeting in the course of n, lecture which touched mt?y a Welsh- man, the Rev. Thomas Levi was acus- tomed to say". in subdued tones "When I arrive on the other shore of that other world I hrrnblv trust that the Everlast. tnfT Elder Brother will --t me. there." In his lecture he ""1/1i1") accustomed I to <v-»-erjV'rd>-r- 1 ng his first v.t to Palestine, "When T 'Jl[1od.' hp £ .-v • "n thp f" 1,'rpr i: I (1 f 1., P: r 1 n; I struck my feet deeply into its holy ioil, and to myself I exclaimed in a mo- ment ef rapture, 'Oli 14aad of My Fathers His den-on-riiiation had conferred upon Hiomas Levi every honour it possessed, including the Moderatorship of the General Assembly. He was twice married and leaves a widow, one son, Professor Thomas Levi, ef the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. and one daugh- ter. The fwieral took place on Wednes- day at Aberystwyth.

ABERCRAVE- I