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]...")

10 Things about Caerffili

Cadw, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1. It is famous for its cheese
2. It has the biggest castle in Wales (second biggest in the UK)
3. It boasts a statue of comedian Tommy Cooper who was born here
4. Footballers Aaron Ramsey and Robert Earnshaw are also from Caerffili
5. Rugby player Steve Fenwick went to school in Caerffili
6. Amy Dowden of Strictly Come Dancing is from Caerffili
7. It has a wildlife park
8. It has two art galleries
9. It is where the girl evangelist Margaret Bevan who moved to America grew up
10. It features heavily in a collection of short stories by Thomas Morris We don't know what we're doing. The book was a major literary success, winning the 2016 Wales Book of the Year and a Somerset Maugham Prize. Morris was later named one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists.

(Also Evan James who wrote the national anthem with his son grew up here)

10 Guernsey Parishes

TUBS, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons

The parishes of Guernsey are the 10 civil parishes of the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. They are based on ancient ecclesiastical parishes, each with its own parish church from which they get their names. They are the main administrative divisions of Guernsey, and are each governed by an elected council known as a Douzaine.

1. (Sainte Marie de) Castel
2. (Sainte Marguerite de) Forest
3. St Andrew
4. St Martin
5. St Peter Port
6. St Pierre du Bois
7. St Sampson
8. St Saviour
9. Torteval
10. Vale

The occupation museum

Heather Cowper, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons

We spent a pleasant morning today in Guernsey's German Occupation Museum. The result of one man's vision it is a remarkable large and well presented record of the five years occupation that Guernsey underwent 1940-1945. See website.

Lord's Day October 18 2026

Jonadab, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons

I was preaching here in Guernsey yesterday in the morning and evening. I preached on two more of the seven churches of Asia, having looked at Laodicea on the Friday. We looked at Smyrna in the morning and Pregamum in the evening. The congregation is small and the older side but eager to hear the Word. There was one visitor in the morning but she will be leaving the island soon. It is hard when it is so rare for newcomers to be there. We had a lovely time in the afternoon at the home of a couple in the church. The three srmons can be found on the church website in audio form at the moment (click here).

Why no Daniel in Daniel 3?

Unknown artist 3rd century A.D., Rome, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons

One of the features of Daniel 3 is that it is the only chapter where the lead character Daniel is not mentioned. It's like a solo album where on one track the lead artist doesn't play.

But why is Daniel not mentioned? No doubt the writer is keen to show us that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were men of faith in their own right not just pale imitations of Daniel. However, there must be a reason why Daniel is not mentioned.

It cannot be that Daniel compromised his faith at this point and bowed down to the statue. Perhaps he was on an official royal assignment elsewhere in the kingdom. He had been promoted by King Nebuchadnezzar to rule over the entire province of Babylon and serve as chief administrator over the wisemen. He may have been away from the Plain of Dura on a diplomatic mission or royal duty elsewhere. It is alos possible that because Nebuchadnezzar held Daniel in such high regard after Daniel interpreted his dream  that he simply overlooked Daniel's failure to attend the ceremony.

The other fruiful line of thought is that the who accused and reported the three Hebrew friends targeted them because they had administrative roles in the province. Daniel was not targeted either out of fear of his high rank and favour with the king or because he was not present in the group that they reported.

In the end we do not know for certain but sometimes these questions are still worth thinking about even though we cannot come to a very firm conclusion.

10 Fun Ways to remember the names of Daniel's friends

Kjetil Ree, Michael Barera and Tim Evanson, CC BY-SA 3.0, 2.0 and 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, 4.0 and 2.0>,
all via Wikimedia Commons

1. Coat-Rack, Crab-Shack and To-Bed-I-Go (The classic everyday object rhyme)
2. Your shack, my shack and a bungalow (The ultimate property-themed favourite)
3. Your shack, my shack and a condo (The modernised real estate upgrade)
4. Shed rack, man shack and lumbago (The bad back version) 
5. A shack, a track and a bungalow (The railroad variation)
6. Shake a shack, mess a shack and away we go (The chaotic home renovation or burger chain variant)
7. Rack, Shack and Benny (The famous VeggieTales chocolate factory nicknames)
8. Make the bed, shake the bed and into bed we go (The perfect bedtime-routine cadence)
9. Shake-a-snack, munch-a-snack and a bagel-to-go (The fast-food snack routine)
10. Sugar, Mustard and a baked potato (The root vegetable substitute)

Three things I didn't know

As old as I am, I'm still learning things I either didn't know or have somehow forgotten. Two recent examples

1. The Hawaiian islands were formerly known as the Sandwich Islands. (James Cook named the chain in 1778 in honour of his patron, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich (the same British nobleman who inspired the food item). The name was used by Europeans and Western maps through the 19th century before changing back to the native name Hawaiʻi as the islands unified under the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.

2. Canadian thanksgiving is six weeks before the American one. It falls on the second Monday in October (October 12 this year).

3. The controversial Hawaiian pizza was invented in Canada. It was invented in Ontario in 1962 by a Greek immigrant, Sam Panopolous at his family's Satellite Restaurant. It is called Hawaiian fom the brand of pineapple chinks first used.

Guernsey

My wife and I are currently in Guernsey with our good friends Robert and Elaine Yerby. It is my fourth of fifth time on the island which is lovely and quiet and rural. I am chiefly here to preach at the anniversary services of La Villiaze Congregational Church where Robert has been pastor these last five years. I preached yesterday evening (Friday) and will reach tomorrow morning and evening, God willing. There is a meal tonight in a local hotel.

On arriving here, I received an interesting message from my mobule provider. It begins "Tesco Mobile: Welcome to JERSEY, which is one of our Home From Home destinations - using data and calling/texting UK & Home From Home numbers will come out of any free credit or bundles you have. Picture messages will be 55p to send ...."

Midweek Meeting October 14 2026

This week it was homegroups. Emmanuel has four home groups, each linked up on Whatsapp. About 15 of us gathered (half and half men and women, a little opn the older side maybe) in the front room of a couple who've been in the church since the beginning. A cuppa and biscuits were kindly supplied then Paul led us in looking over last Sunday morning's sermon, with contributions from several there. We then listed prayer points and spent about half an hour in prayer. There's good atmosphere and it was encouraging to see so many out midweek. It is also easier to get to know a quarter of what is for us a fairly large church.