Howell Harris

Howell Harris (1714-1773 was a Calvinistic Methodist evangelist.
He was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century
along with Daniel Rowland and William Williams Pantyselyn.

Howell was born on the 23rd January 1714 at Trefeca, naer Talgarth, Wales.

He underwent religious conversion in May 1735 having heard Rev. Pryce Davies preach on palm Sunday on the necessity to take Holy Communion. After several weeks of self examination it reached a climax on Whit Sunday, May 1735, He felt convinced that he had received mercy through the blood of Christ.

He began immediately to tell others. He held meetings in his house to encourage others to seek the same assurance.

The Church of England were unwilling to accept him for ordination because of his ‘Methodist’ views so he became an itinerant preacher and travelled far and wide in Wales and England. He was tirelessly determined to spread the Word especially in Wales. His preaching led him into personal danger, persecution and hardship before he gained support. From 1738 Marmaduke Gwynne, a local squire and early convert, supported him.

Howell became friends with Daniel Rowlands in about 1737.

In 1750 he retreated to Trefeca after becoming the subject of a public scandal for his close friendship with ‘Madam’ Sidney Griffith. In 1752 he founded a religious community known as Teula Trefeca - The Trefeca family with himself as ‘Father’.
His friendship with Daniel broke down when Howell became involved with Motavian errors.
In 1763, 13 years later, friendship with Daniel renewed after reconciliation. They resumed their former activities.

Howell died 10 years later on 21st July 1773. 20,000 are said to have attended his funeral. he was buried close to his birthplace in Talgarth.

Howell Harris was effectively the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Wales, also known as the Calvinistic Methodist Church.

In 1811 - not without much heart searching- the Welsh Calvinist Methodists broke away from the Church of England.

He kept a detailed diary and filed letters sent and received. For years they gathered dust! These papers, some in Latin, offer a first hand account of the Welsh Methodist revival. In 2000 Howell Harris: From Conversion to Separation 1735-50 was published. ( Read ‘The papers of Howell Harris’)