The Burning Coals of the Broom Bush

Fer López, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In Psalm 120:3, 4 we read of the burning coals of the broom bush ("coals of juniper" in older versions). 

What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
with burning coals of the broom bush.

These are the hot, long-lasting embers and charcoal produced by the roots and wood of the broom shrub (Retama raetam), a hardy desert plant native to the Middle East and North Africa.

The thing about these coals is the intense heat they produce. The wood, stems and thick roots of the broom contain natural resins and oils that allow it to burn extremely hot - reaching temperatures over 750 ° - and produce a very fierce fire. Also, there are long-lasting embers. When covered with ash or made into charcoal, the wood smoulders slowly and retains its internal heat for many hours, even days. Bedouin tribes and desert travellers historically gathered broom wood and roots to forge metal items like arrowheads, to cook food or to keep warm during cold desert nights.

Symbolically, these broom-coals represent judgment and purification. The intense heat of the coals signifies the consuming nature of divine judgment, which purifies and refines. (The broom tree's ability to grow in desolate areas also perhaps symbolises resilience and survival amidst adversity, reflecting the spiritual journey of believers who endure trials and emerge purified.)

Theologically, the broom-coals underscore the dual nature of God's word and judgment. Just as broom-coals can provide warmth and sustenance, they can also consume and purify. This duality reflects the nature of God's interaction with humanity - offering both comfort and correction. The believer is called to recognise the purifying power of God's word, which, like broom-coals, can refine and transform the heart.

For believers today, the broom-coal imagery serves as a reminder of the power of words and the importance of truthfulness. Just as deceitful words can cause destruction akin to the burning of broom-coals, so too words of truth and love can bring warmth and healing. Christians are encouraged to speak with integrity and allow the refining fire of God's word to purify their hearts and minds.

Lawr Y Bae

We were down at the Bay last Wednesday - six grandchildren, two sons and a daughter-in-law. We had a little wander and went into the Norwegian church where Roald Dahl was christiened as a baby and the Senedd, which I'd been in before but not into the chamber. Impressive building.

Ashley0690, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

10 Reasons why I'm glad to be back in Wales

1. People are friendly
2. The water is softer (less shower gel, better tea or coffee taste, no limescale)
3. The views out are often good (the hills)
4. I can see more of the sky
5. When it rains, it often really rains
6. A little quieter
7. The singing in church is better
8. The Welsh language is everywhere, giving a different perspective
9. My family are nearer
10. These are my roots

Death of Barbara Homrighausen

It was a shock this week to learn of the death of my father-in-law's second wife, Barbara (Baerbel) Homrighausen. She had not been ill very long at all. We were thankful to God that my wife and her sisters were able to see her the day before her death. She is with the Lord, which is far better. More here on my wife's Facebook page.

Enfys Arall

 

Down at the castle this week God blessed us with another rainbow.

It was a double one actually.

Caerffili Area History 5 (Christmas Evans)

By William Roos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Built 1866

Also by Jaggery, CC BY-SA 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

I thought I might be complete for now on Caerffili and its church history but I forgot that for two years (1826-1828) the renowned one eyed Welsh Baptist preacher Christmas Evans (1766–1838), often called the "Bunyan of Wales" due to his vivid, dramatic storytelling, spent a brief but powerful period of his ministry here.

In August 1826, after serving for over three decades as the "bishop of Anglesey" in North Wales, he accepted an invitation to become the pastor of the small, struggling Tonyfelin Chapel in Caerffili.

When Evans arrived, the Tonyfelin church had only about 65 members. However, his unique, highly imaginative preaching style quickly ignited a massive spiritual awakening in the area.

In his letters from Caerphilly, Evans famously wrote about the local awakening, stating, "the breeze is blowing". (See here).

Large crowds of people travelled across the surrounding hills from all directions on Sundays just to hear him speak and his two-year ministry transformed the small congregation, resulting in a wave of new conversions and outdoor baptisms throughout Caerffili and neighbouring Bedwas.

Despite his massive local success, Evans chose to leave in 1828. He had spent decades managing multiple churches at once and found it difficult to adapt to looking after just one local congregation. Additionally, structural tensions arose because the church deacons were accustomed to running internal affairs independently, clashing with Evans's leadership style.

Seeking a fresh start, he accepted an invitation to move eight miles down the road to the Tabernacle church in Cardiff.

Caerffili Area History 4 (Bowls Inn)

 

© Copyright http://Alan Hughes and licensed
for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Peter Wasp / Bowls Inn, Penyrheol, Caerphilly.

At the end of our new street, conveniently, is a Tesco Exoress. The Bowls Inn once stood there and only closed as a pub in 2013. Before that it had been a pub going back at least until 1825 and undoubtedly before that. The present structure only goe back to the 1980s.

Midweek Meeting October 28 2026

We were at the whle church prayer meeting again yesterday. Perhaps under thrty were there and Gareth again led, reminding us that Christ is building his church. A good time of prayer followed.

Caerffili Area History 3 (Watford)

National Library of Wales, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 1912

No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On another trip we went to nearby Watford (not the famous one near London). First we found the Congregational Church, interesting enough (Grade II) but then Plas Watford (also Grade II) still lived in. A very kind lady and her husband asked us in to the parlour, wher we are aware the first meeting of the Calvinistic Methodists in Wales took place. She told us that Hwitefield alos had his wedding reception there after marrying Welsh widow, Elizabeth James, in 1741. This clip from YouTube is interesting.

Caerffili Area History 2 (Groeswen Chapel)

Pics https://www.visitcaerphilly.com/en/listings/groeswen-chapel/

Our second trip was to do with more recent history. Groeswen Calvinistic Methodist Chapel (later Congregationalist) was built in 1742 (Grade II listed). |It was the first purpose built Metofist place of worship in Wales. Its graveyard has been described as a Welsh Westminster Abbey as many Welsh poets are buried there. A bit lost on me to be honest. Their first long serving minister was WIlliam Edwards, also a builder, whio built the disticnctive bridgge in nearby Pontypridd.

Among those buried there

• Ieuan Gwynedd (Evan Jones, 1820–1852) fiercely patriotic journalist, independent minister and poet celebrated in Wales for his passionate defence of Welsh women and national character following the derogatory British government report known as the "Treason of the Blue Books" in 1847.
• Caledfryn (William Williams, 1801–1869) one of the nineteenth century’s most formidable Welsh-language poets, literary critics and Eisteddfod adjudicators. Served as a minister at Groeswen later in his life.
• The Coslett Dynasty. Highly influential family of local bards and scholars, including Gwilym Tawe (William Coslett) whose ornate family headstones form a significant piece of the graveyard's historic character.
• John Thomas "Llanwrtyd" (1839–1921) well-known Welsh composer and teacher who took his bardic name from his hometown.
• D C 'Christmas' Williams (1871–1926) prominent early 20th-century Welsh composer and conductor whose music was widely celebrated in chapel culture across South Wales.
• Griffith Hughes (1797–1839) charismatic minister who led the Groeswen flock during a time of immense growth and regional religious revivals.
• Tawelfryn (Charles Thomas, 1880–1927) beloved long-serving minister, local historian and writer, instrumental in documenting the chapel's rich history.

Also, some victims of the Senghenydd Colliery disasters. Beyond the famous cultural figures, the graveyard serves as an important site of industrial heritage, holding the remains of several local coal miners who tragically lost their lives in the massive Senghenydd colliery explosions of 1901 and 1913 - the latter being the worst mining disaster in British history when over 400 died, including, it turns out, one David Lewis Morgan, who lived here where I sit in our new home in Penyrheol, Caerffili. He was 35 when he died and left a wife and three children. See here.

Caerffili Area History 1 (Gelligaer)

My oldest son and his family have been with us for a few days (Also my sister, whi is now nearby again, and my niece and her children and another son and his kids who live nearby too). Anyway, Rhodri likes to check out a bit of history (as do I) and so we have been trying to do that this week. First, we went to Gelligaer. As the name suggests there wa sa fort there at one time (a Roman one on the opening centuries of the last Millennium). Not much to see but interesting to know. This leaflet now printed online gives interesting info.

EL Lecture on Myles Coverdale

Over twenty joined us on Zoom for a very interesting lecture last Monday, organised by the Evangelical Library.  Jonathan Wilson of Ripon gave us an excellent illustrated introduction to Myles or Miles Coverdale. Relying on the new biography by G F Main (see here), he was able to guide us very clearly and helpfully through the background and the main features of the life of the often exiled Coverdale and still leave time for questions. Another lecture November 23. Details from the Library.

Lord's Day October 25 2026

It was my privilege once again to sit under the sound of the word at Emmanuel Baptist, Cardiff. Andrew Love from Tabor, Llantrisant, was the visiting preacher. The church was packed.

10 Differences Between Elijah and Elisha

(Bible Illustration by Sweet Media)

1. Background: Elijah came from a poor family in Gilead. Elisha came from a wealthy farming family that owned twelve teams of oxen in Abel-meholah.
2. Appearance: Elijah was hairy and wore rough camel-hair clothes. Elisha was bald.
3. Role/Status: Elijah started as a lone prophet who appeared abruptly. Elisha started as Elijah's servant and assistant before succeeding him.
4. Primary Focus: Elijah emphasised strict law, public confrontation of sin and divine judgment. Elisha emphasised grace, mercy and personal restoration.
5. Number of Miracles: Elijah performed about 7-9 recorded miracles. Elisha performed roughly 14 or more recorded miracles (double Elijah's count).
6. Nature of Miracles: Elijah’s miracles were grand and judgmental, like stopping the rain or calling fire from heaven. Elisha’s miracles were often quiet and compassionate, like healing Naaman, purifying toxic water or floating an axe head.
7. Living Environment: Elijah lived as a wanderer in the wilderness, caves and mountains. Elisha lived among ordinary people in towns and cities.
8. Length of Ministry: Elijah’s active ministry was relatively short. Elisha served as a prophet for roughly 50 years.
9. Personality: Elijah experienced deep mood swings, isolation and severe burnout. Elisha was generally steady, calm and approachable.
10. End of Life: Elijah did not die a natural death; he was taken up to heaven alive in a whirlwind. Elisha died of an illness in his old age and was buried in a tomb from where his body was used to raise someone from the dead.

10 Insults aimed at other composers by Tchaikovsky

Public Domain, via Wikimedia commons

Tchaikovsky could apparently be quite acerbic aboout other composers. Here are a set of 10 from him.

1. “I like playing Bach because it is entertaining to play a good fugue, but I do not acknowledge in him (as others do) a great genius.”  – Tchaikovsky about Bach
2. “Handel is only fourth rate. He is not even interesting.” – Tchaikovsky about Handel
3. “And so what is Beethoven to me? I bow before the greatness of some of his works - but I do not love Beethoven.”  – Tchaikovsky about Beethoven.
4. “He can’t compose a single note without someone’s help.” – Tchaikovsky about Borodin
5. “Mussorgsky’s idiom is narrow, his artistic instinct is entirely absent ... He likes what is coarse, unpolished, and ugly.” – Tchaikovsky about Mussorgsky
6. “Rimsky-Korsakov is a very great talent ... [But] he was a member of that circle which believed itself to be destined to create a new Russian music ... They all fell into despair and took up a different path. Rimsky-Korsakov is the only one among them who realised that their path was a dead end ... He suddenly threw himself into the study of classical counterpoint and strict fugue. ... He has written dozens of fugues and counterpoints, and now his music is completely weighed down by this academic baggage. ....”
7. “I have played over the music of that scoundrel Brahms. What a giftless bastard! ... What would I say to [Brahms]? … I would have to tell him this: ‘Herr Brahms! I consider you to be a very untalented person, full of pretensions but utterly devoid of creative inspiration. I rate you very poorly and indeed I simply look down upon you.’” – Tchaikovsky about Brahms
8. “The Fourth Symphony is the last of the series, and at the same time the least in value. It has not that overwhelming power, that searching pathos, which strikes us in the first two symphonies. The sum-total of its beauties cannot unfortunately redeem that great fault which prevails in all works of Schumann, considered especially as a symphonic writer. This fault would be called by painters a lack of colour; it is a pallor, a dryness — I may almost say harshness — of orchestration. Without entering into technical details, I may explain to my readers that the art of instrumentation (i.e. the distribution of a work among the various instruments) consists in understanding how to employ alternately the individual groups of instruments; how to blend them appropriately; how to economise strong effects, and also in the intelligent use of colouring - that is to say, the application of timbre to musical ideas. This knowledge Schumann has not acquired. His orchestra works continuously; all the instruments take part in the exposition and development of his ideas. They are not used in detachments; there is no contrast between them (and contrasting effects are inexhaustible in orchestration); most of the time they mingle in a continuous roar, often spoiling the best parts of the work. As regards instrumentation, Schumann not only stands on a lower level than such masters as Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Meyerbeer, and Wagner, but he cannot even be compared with many second-rate composers who have borrowed his best inspirations.” – Tchaikovsky about Schumann
9. “Such an astounding lack of talent has never before been united to such pretentiousness.” – Tchaikovsky about Richard Strauss
10. “I’ve been to the theatre a few times and heard Wagner’s Walküre, from which I carried away memories of two or three glorious minutes and a whole ocean of boredom and utter emptiness. ... After the last notes of Götterdämmerung, I felt as though I had been let out of prison.” – Tchaikovsky about Wagner

(Also "As for Liszt, he is an old hypocrite who lavishes the most exaggerated praises on any piece of music submitted to his august judgment. He is naturally kind. He is one of the rare famous artists who has never been envious or tempted to hinder [others]...")