JONES
,
JENKIN
(
1700?
-
1742
),
Arminian minister
;
b. at
Trafle
,
Llanwenog, Cards.
, in
1700 (?)
. The family later moved to
Bryngranod
which was sufficiently near
Crug-y-maen
to be influenced by its radical tendencies. There is an entry in the
Cilgwyn church
register which reads: ‘
Jenkin
Jones
of
Llwynrhydowen
; ord.
Apr. 1726
, obiit
1742
.
’ We know nothing of his early life except that he was at
Carmarthen Academy
from
1720 to 1722
. He is said to have been a member of the
Independent church
at
Pantycreuddyn
and he may have felt that in this place the liberal views of
Crug-y-maen
and
Carmarthen
were being smothered. At any rate, there was a split in the congregation and he began to
preach
the new doctrines, or
Arminianism
, at
Wern-hir
or
Pen-y-banc
, about
1726
. In
1733
he built a chapel at
Llwynrhydowen
— the first
Arminian chapel
in
Wales
. He published at least two original books:
Cyfrif Cywir o'r Pechod Gwreiddiol
,
1729
, and
Catechismau i'w dysgu gan blant
,
1732
, and two translations from the
English
:
Llun Agrippa
,
1723
, and
Dydd y Farn Fawr
,
1727
. His
Hymnau
was published in
1768
, after his death. He was the
apostle of Arminianism
, and before his death six or seven ministers and churches had accepted the new point of view. He d. in
1742
when he was only 42 years of age and was buried
20 June 1742
in
Llandysul
churchyard.
Bibliography:
-
Lloyd Letters (1754–96)
, 1908
, li-liii;
-
Hanes Plwyf Llandyssul
, 1896
, 158-61;
-
Yr Ymofynnydd
,
Feb. 1932
, 21-9;
-
Enwogion Sir Aberteifi
, 1868
,
1868
;
-
Enwogion Ceredigion
, 1869
,
1869
;
-
Y Drysorfa Gynnulleidfaol
, Swansea,
1843-1851
,
1850
, 231;
-
Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion
Cymru
, ii, 95;
-
D. Peter
,
Hanes Crefydd yng Nghymru, o'r amser y daeth
y Cymry i Ynys Brydain hyd yr amser presennol
,
Carmarthen, 1816
, 619.
Author:
Rev. Thomas Oswald Williams, M.A., (1888-1965), Lampeter
