Life
Williams was born in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Carmarthenshire, early in 1717. His family were Nonconformist. He was educated locally and intended to become a doctor. This changed when he had a religious conversion while listening to Howell Harris, the evangelical reformer, preaching in Talgarth in 1737.
He took deacon's orders in the Church of England in 1740 and was appointed curate to Theophilus Evans (1693–1767) in the parishes of Llanwrtyd, Llanfihangel Abergwesyn and Llanddewi Abergwesyn. Because of his Methodist activities he was refused ordination as a priest in 1743 and from then on he committed himself entirely to that movement. He travelled throughout Wales preaching and establishing seiadau (singular: seiat), local fellowships of Methodist people, for the converts he won. Together with Daniel Rowland and Howell Harris, he was the leader of the Methodists in Wales in the 18th century. Especially through his hymns, he was one of the most important influences on Welsh language culture in the 19th and 20th centuries. He died in 1791 and is buried in the churchyard at Llanfair-ar-y-bryn on the outskirts of Llandovery. He is commemorated by a memorial chapel at Llandovery.
In common with many other Welsh people whose names are less than unique, he was known by a nickname or bardic name: Pantycelyn, the name of the farm in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn where he lived for most of his life.
His virtuosity as a hymnwriter also earned him another nickname: Y pêr ganiedydd (The sweet songster).
Read more about this topic: William Williams Pantycelyn
Famous quotes containing the word life:
“The city is loveliest when the sweet death racket begins. Her own life lived in defiance of nature, her electricity, her frigidaires, her soundproof walls, the glint of lacquered nails, the plumes that wave across the corrugated sky. Here in the coffin depths grow the everlasting flowers sent by telegraph.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“Shielded, what sorts of life are stirring yet:
Legs lagged like drains, slippers soft as fungus,
The gas and grate, the old cold sour grey bed.”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“The more highly public life is organized the lower does its morality sink.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)