MEREDITH
,
BENJAMIN
(
1700
-
1749
),
Baptist minister
;
b. in
1700
at
Llanwenarth, Mon.
, the son of
William
Meredith
who was a prominent member and
preacher
at the
Baptist church
,
Llanwenarth
. He was baptized at the age of 17 and began to
preach
in
1720
. About
1730
he was invited to take charge of the
Independent church
at
Llanbryn-mair
, and after serving there for some time he was ordained in
1733
, but in the following year, he was asked to resign because
of his unorthodox views. He was the last
Baptist minister
at
Llanbryn-mair
; he seems to have been a popular
preacher
, for the congregation increased during his short ministry. He returned to
Llanwenarth
but there was disagreement within the church concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, and in
1748
he was dismissed together with a few other members. He
preached
to his followers in a place near the chapel and later, when his health deteriorated, in his own home. His
translation
into
Welsh
of
John
Bunyan
's
Jerusalem Sinner Saved
was published in
1721
, with a second edition in
1765
. He d. in
Dec. 1749
.
Bibliography:
-
National Library of Wales Manuscript
9266 (300);
-
Eminent Welshmen
, 1908
;
-
R. Williams
,
Montgomeryshire Worthies
, second ed.,
1894
, 194;
-
Collections Historical and Archaeological
relating to Montgomeryshire
,
1886
, xix, 338-9;
-
Joshua Thomas
,
Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith y Cymry
, 223-5, 233-4, 292-3;
-
Hanes y Bedyddwyr yn Nghymru
,
1893–1907
, iii 130, 180-1, iv, 157;
-
Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru
, i, 237-8;
-
Hen Gapel Llanbrynmair, 1739–1939
,
1939
(ed.
I. C. Peate
), 27-43;
-
Y Cofiadur
,
1924
, no. 2, 25-8.
Author:
Miss Nansi Ceridwen Jones, Aberystwyth
