William Williams Pantycelyn

William Williams Pantycelyn (1717-1791) is generally seen as Wale’s premier hymnist. In religion he was among the leaders of the 18th century Welsh Methodist revival along with the evangelists Howell Harris and Duncan Rowland.
He is also rated as one of the great literary figures of Wales, as a writer of poetry and prose.

He was born on 11th February 1717 in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Wales. His parents were John and Dorothy Williams. When John died in 1742 Dorothy moved to a farm called Pantycelyn ( William was often referred to by that name).

His family were nonconformists. He was educated locally at the nonconformist academy in Talgarth, He had intended to study medicine but following conversion in 1937/8, after the preaching of the evangelical Methodist revivalist Howell Harris, he choose to preach.

In 1740 he took deacon’s orders in the established Anglican Church ( now called Church in Wales). His first appointment was as curate to Theophilus Evans in Llanddewi Abergwesyn.
By this time he had become involved with the Methodist movement and in June 1742 his disapproving parishioners reported him to the Archdeacon’s court at Brecon. In 1743, when he applied for ordination, he was refused.

He became a Methodist minister instead. He travelled through Wales preaching the doctrine of Calvinistic Methodism. he needed to be not only a theologian and an advocate for the new era but also an organiser and administrator. His reward was seeing the community grow and thrive over the years.

Runnng parallel to what was happening in Wales we have the Wesley brothers , John and Charles and George Whitefield.

William wrote over 900 hymns in his lifetime, the majority in Welsh. He started publishing in 1744. The best known undoubtedly is *Guide me ,O Thou Great redeemer ** written originally in Welsh. ( See’Hymns’)

His poetry included 2 long poems on theological and religious themes (See ‘Poetry)
His prose include his writing about the 1762 revival.
He never wrote either a diary or autobiography.
A short 12 page biography ’ The Spiritual Treasury’ was written by Thomas Charles
In 1867 J.R. Kilsby Jones wrote *All the poetic and Prose work of William Williams *-846 pages !

He is acknowledged as one of the leaders of the Methodist revival in Wales during the 18th century,

For much of his life William stayed in Llanfair-at-y-brn. He died on the 11th January 1791, aged 74. He was buried in the local parish churchyard

In 1811 The Welsh Calvinistic Methodists broke away from the Anglican Church.

See separate TES entries for Daniel Rowland and Howell harris
Source used
Wikipdeia