A BRIEF ACCOUNT.

CHAP. I.

Rowlands' birth, parentage, early traits of character, ordination, conversion, and itinerant labours.

ROWLANDS was one of those extraordinary men that appear but seldom in the world: perhaps it is not too much to affirm, that since the Apostolic age, the church has not seen a more distinguished preacher. It will appear, from the following Account, that he was a most wonderful instrument in the hands of God, and that he was raised up and employed by him in accomplishing very great and important purposes. May the Lord grant assistance in the undertaking before us, which is for the glory of his holy name, and the benefit of immortal souls.

Rowlands was born in the year 1713. It is remarkable that those celebrated men, Whitfield, Romaine, Hervey, and Harris, were all born in the following year. Rowlands was born at a place called Pant-y-beudy, in the parish of Llancwnlle, near Llangeitho. His father was the incumbent both of Llangeitho and Llancwnlle. Rowlands was his second son. Very little is known of the father. The following statement is made in the Evangelical Magazine: "The character of the father, though variously represented with respect to religion, appears to have been happily decided, at least in the latter part of his life. He then saw the necessity of true piety, both for himself and

B

others. The state of his countrymen excited his compassion, and led him beyond that sphere of exertion which the rules of an establishment had prescribed. To what extent his itinerant labours were carried, or with what success, cannot now, perhaps, be ascertained; but in consequence of his endeavours to do good in this way, he is said to have suffered the loss of some preferment."

Rowlands' life, when an infant two or three years old, was very providentially preserved. A large stone fell down from the top of the chimney, directly upon the spot where he had been sitting by the fire only a few minutes before. It is believed, that if it had struck him, he would have been killed immediately. O how wonderful are the ways of divine providence! The eye of the omniscient God was doubtless fixed upon this chosen vessel. He was preserved to be a wonderful instrument in the hand of God for the accomplishment of great good in Wales.

Daniel, the subject of this memoir, and his brother John, were brought up for the ministry in the Established Church. But the father died in the year 1731, in the seventy-second year of his age, which no doubt was a hindrance to the youngest son, who was then only eighteen years old, and within two years of his ordination. But they had not afforded their father much pleasure; for though they were young men of strong and vigorous intellect, yet unfortunately they were deficient in serious piety. They must have been a great grief to their aged parent. It is surprising that good men should bring up their sons to the ministry, when they afford no evidence of piety. However God does sometimes, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, overrule those great errors for the advancement of his glory, by making the most unlikely men eminent ministers of the sanctuary; as was particularly the case with the subject of this memoir. He finished his education at the public Grammar school in Hereford. He made rapid progress in learning, especially in the study of languages; and in consequence of his great

proficiency, he was admitted as a candidate for holy orders before he had arrived at the usual age, ignorant that far greater qualifications were wanted. He was ordained in London, by dismissary letters, in the year 1733, and in the twentieth year of his age. It is said that he went on foot to the metropolis for his ordination, a proof both of his poverty and of his zeal, though blind. His brother John, after the decease of his father, had the livings of Llangeitho and Llancwnlle, and he became also the minister of Llanddewi-brefi: the two first are about two miles distant from each other, and four or five from the last.

It is supposed that Rowlands was ordained on the title of his brother's church at Llangeitho, and it appears that he occupied the pulpit of Ystradffin, Carmarthenshire, sometime after he was ordained. There he is said to have been highly esteemed by his parishioners, who numerously attended his ministry. "They admired his ability as a preacher, but were chiefly attached to him because of the brilliancy of his wit, and the sweetness of his disposition." Yet it is remarkable that he had but a very thin congregation when he preached in his brother's church. This was partly owing to the want of Evangelical sentiment in his sermons, and partly to his being in the neighbourhood of Blaenpenal, where Mr. Pugh, a faithful and laborious dissenting minister, pursued his course with much success. This led Mr. Rowlands to enquire into the character of his neighbour's ministry, that he might know what kind of preaching appeared to suit the taste of his parishioners. On finding that Mr. Pugh's ministry was calculated to alarm the careless, by pointing out the evil and danger of sin, and that he abounded in exhortations to flee from the wrath to come, Rowlands determined to preach in the same style, and try the effect of it. He therefore chose the most suitable texts he could think of, such as, "The wicked shall be turned into hell;' "These shall go away into everlasting punishment;"-"The great day of his wrath is come;"

and from these, and the like, he endeavoured to advance such truths as might stir up his hearers to work out their salvation, and redeem the time in which they were to prepare for eternity. This plan succeeded far beyond his expectations: the people soon came in crowds to hear him, and many were awakened under his ministry. It has been affirmed, that not fewer than a hundred persons were under powerful convictions, before the preacher himself had fled for refuge to the hope of the gospel.

The Rev. G. Jones of Llanddowror, founder of the Circulating schools, and the most popular preacher in the principality at that time, was often solicited by his clerical brethren to preach in their pulpits, with which he was in the habit of complying, by making a kind of tour through the neighbouring districts of South Wales, visiting his schools, and preaching in the churches as he passed by. At one time having engaged to preach at Llanddewi-brefi, near Llangeitho, Rowlands, with many of his neighbours, went to hear him. But the sermon had such an effect on his mind as greatly to discourage him, and to render him very uncomfortable in the prospect of his future ministrations. The people, in returning home, expressed their approbation of what they had heard, and some in very strong terms; when one of the company, who was riding near Rowlands, expressed himself to the following effect:

* It is stated that Rowlands was at times vain and light, and that in the commencement of his ministry he used to attend the plays in the churchyard after service, a very corrupt and common practice, instituted by Laud and his associates. How does sin blind and harden the mind! These were called the ministers of Christ! However it is not likely that Rowlands was guilty of such conduct at that time. But he was guilty then of occasional intoxication! A great event of his life was at hand, a real and total change. He stood, as it is stated, in a very bold, independent, conceited attitude before Jones in the church, who noticed him as he was preaching, and was much grieved, and was induced to lift up a prayer for his conversion. Rowlands was affected.

Say what you will of the sermon, I have reason to bless God for the little minister of Llangeitho," putting his hand at the same time on his shoulder. This in some measure encouraged him, there being reason to conclude that his labours had not been in vain. "Who knows," thought he, "but God may still make use of me, a poor sinner." He might be then twenty-two years old, and in the year 1735,

He preached after this in a more awful and convincing manner than before. He preached the law in its spirituality, and in its condemning power; and exhibited the danger of the ungodly, and the torments of hell, in such dreadful colours, and with such energy and animation, that the people trembled before him. Such divine and irresistible power accompanied his ministry, that hundreds cried out for mercy, and for a Refuge to shelter them from the wrath to come, His spirit was very much stirred up in him by seeing the awfully immoral state of the country. Great moral darkness covered almost every part of Wales, and iniquity every where prevailed. But it seems by all accounts that the districts and the parishes Rowlands served, surpassed all others in sin. The people regularly met every Sunday after the service, to fight with each other; and so savage and barbarous were they, that wounds were often inflicted on their persons, and their blood ran down to the ground, and the bellowing cattle would the next morning discover it in the field. It is supposed that this distressing view of his countrymen, in conjunction with Jones's sermon, were the happy means, under God, to lead him to think seriously of his own miserable state, and that of his hearers and neighbours. He would oftentimes continue preaching till it was night, that he might convince them of the great evil of such immoralities, and that they might have no opportunity to repeat them. Yet some of them, notwithstanding all this, were so brutish and wild, that they would drag their companions out of the church, in order to fight. But the Lord at length blessed his labours to awaken some of them respecting their awful