NEWS 2006Whitsun29th May 2006
Firmly based in the passages considered, Dr Beeke explored all the Biblical data on the various subjects, bringing it to bear on the minds, hearts and wills of his hearers. We are grateful to Dr Beeke for this excellent series of expositions, and to our great God and Saviour for His sovereign grace towards us. (1 Tabernacle, Porth 2 Hebron 3 Mt Pleasant, Maesycwmmer)
Easter
Dr Davis’ highly regarded and popular Old Testament commentaries led us to expect a series of exhilarating sermons on Old Testament texts, and we were not disappointed, though the overall title, The God of Hope, was taken from Ro 15.13, and the opening sermon was on Rev 1.4,5 (‘Greetings from the Trinity’).
The series proper consisted in ‘God so loved the world that He called Abraham’ (Genesis 12:1-9), ‘The God of the bush’ (Exodus 3:1-15), ‘God keeps bringing His Kingdom’ (1 Samuel 16:1-3), ‘International grace’ (2 Kings 5), ‘Insomnia and salvation’ (Esther 5:9 - 6:14), and ‘The church of the future’ (Zephaniah 3:9-20). The material preached under these intriguing titles encapsulated the rich wonders of God’s saving grace. It was a joy and blessing to hear these passages of Scripture vividly brought to life and powerfully applied to our minds and hearts. May God be pleased to work them out richly in our living.
The series passed all too quickly, so that we were left looking forward eagerly to any future return visit of Dr Davis, as well as to the appearance of further commentaries from his pen.
Welsh Evening
There had been some speculation as to its meaning, but everyone was surprised to discover that ‘Dodge City’ was the small market town of Llandovery. The link with America’s Wild West was, of course, cattle, for Llandovery was a great gathering point for the drovers taking their herds to market in London and elsewhere. The ‘candle in the dark’ was a reference to Rhys Prichard (c1579-1644), famous throughout Wales for centuries as ‘Vicar Prichard’, or simply ‘The Vicar’. Born in Llandovery, he left for Jesus College, Oxford at the age of 18. He returned to Wales still unconverted, even after becoming vicar of Llandovery a few years later. His behaviour was worse than most of his parishioners; but after his conversion he devoted his life to teaching God’s Word in the town. His widespread and long-lasting influence through the whole of Wales was principally due to his great skill in versifying the teaching of the Bible. These verses, were later published as Canwyll y Cymry (‘The Welshman’s Candle’), hence Dr Davies’ title. In his inimitable style Dr Davies outlined the Vicar’s life and ministry, giving numerous apt selections of his verses (translated into English). These verses enabled the truths of the Bible to become fixed in the minds, hearts and lives of vast numbers of people. In days before the well-known revivals of the 18th Century, with Catholicism still deep-rooted and morality at a low-ebb, Rhys Prichard was himself a true candle in the dark, doing God’s work in difficult times. Dr Davies closed by urging each of us to be ‘like a little candle, burning in the night’, each in his or her ‘small corner’, shining for God in our own difficult days. For further information, see, for example 'The Vicar' |
