MONMOUTHSHIRE CONFERENCE
This conference was held at Nanty Glo, on Sunday the 25th of April. As I have unwittingly sent the minutes of this, 100 miles hence to press, without reserving a copy, I cannot furnish particular items--suffice it to say that I remember as follows:--Number of branches 8, elders 8, priests 16, teachers 10, deacons 5. Baptized since last conference there 114. Total, 233. Called three elders, about a dozen priests, besides teachers and deacons in proportion.
The hall would not contain a fourth of the people who came to hear, and mnay had to return, but we have a larger one there now.
Brother Richards's health would not permit him to attend until towards the close of the afternoon meeting; but then, and in the night meeting he did it well, to the joy of all present, except of those who had no business there or in heaven either; for, when he had explained, but the wisdom of heaven, the wiles of Satan, and exposed him so that he was ashamed of himself, he went out just as he was going to put the chain round his leg, and in his rage clenched it himself by throwing stones through the point. But facts, like baptizing a dozen since, there, go to prove that he lost the case after all.
You see we have been baptizing at the rate of from three to four a day in these two conference for three or four months, although this we consider only a prelude of the coming harvest here. Let those laugh now, who laughed when I represented "two in my conference--myself and wife included!" Well, I suppose I have said enough, considering, withal, that you will remember the rest, and my head aches until I am almost blind. Remember your promise to select or remodel items if you wished to STAR it!
Another item I have just thought of. Last summer I told the readers of the STAR of a frolic I had in baptizing a blind man--how he got to "see the candle plain;" that the blind leaders of the blind (you know who I mean), led him back to total darkness twofold; and made a tool of him to publish a 'bull' against poor me. Well, this was edited and published by a Rev., sold, like fresh eggs, until the markets were glutted. I replied to it, and was led to say, "that as hot a fate as that of 'Cora Dathan' awaited him doubly, if he recalled not his lies," &c. No sooner was the reply out of press, than on the old blind man it came, hot and heavy. He cried out that he was burning up alive; his friends poured cold water on him night and day in vain! He would rush out from them to a pool that was by, and there he would roll, and wallow, and yelp until he terrified the passers by. Doctors admitted entire ignorance of the cause of his pain, some said he had a legion of **** in him, and others something else. However, yesterday, by letter I was informed by an eye witness (for he lives aobut 80 miles off), that he took his departure hence, too *****. Yes, he died a monument of the displeasure of a just God for hypocrisy, is the admission of many besides Saints.
DAN JONES.
