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0:00:00 > 0:00:05- 300 years ago, William Williams, - one of our greatest hymn-writers...
0:00:05 > 0:00:09- ..was born at Cefn-coed farm - across the hills behind me.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13- Welcome to - Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19- # Soli Deo gloria
0:00:19 > 0:00:24- # Soli Deo gloria
0:00:27 > 0:00:32- # Soli Deo gloria #
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- During the programme, - we'll remember William Williams.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52- Our congregation - are in Llanfair-ar-y-bryn church.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57- We'll meet an expert on Williams - and his work, Professor Wyn James.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04- Before we meet Wyn, - let's sing our first hymn.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09- Phillip Watkins is the conductor - and Elaine Robbins is the organist.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12- We begin with - O Llefara Addfwyn Iesu.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37- I've already mentioned - that Williams was born in Cefn-coed.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41- However, he is mostly associated - with this farm, Pantycelyn.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- He spent most of his life here.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- He moved here with his mother...
0:05:46 > 0:05:50- ..after his father died - when he was 25 years old.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- He lived here, - with his mother first...
0:05:53 > 0:05:57- ..and then his wife, and raised - a family, eight children in total.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00- He lived and died in Pantycelyn.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07- Williams was sent to - Llwynllwyd Institute of Education...
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- ..a school near Talgarth.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- One morning, - when he was 20 years old...
0:06:13 > 0:06:18- ..Williams was passing - the graveyard of Talgarth church...
0:06:18 > 0:06:22- ..and Howell Harris - was preaching in the graveyard.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27- Harris had recently experienced - a conversion to Methodism.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31- Williams once famously wrote - in one of his hymns...
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- .."This is the morning - I'll never forget."
0:06:34 > 0:06:37- He was captivated - by the words of Howell Harris.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40- It was a major turning point - in Williams' life.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- He went to the academy with - the intention of becoming a doctor.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- Because of the - religious conversion...
0:06:48 > 0:06:52- ..he experienced - after listening to Harris...
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- ..he decided to become - a shepherd of souls.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- William Williams - used to go across Wales to preach.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02- Oh, yes, he mentions his journey - along mountains and slopes.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07- He was an experienced walker - across darkened, misty hills...
0:10:07 > 0:10:10- ..the length and breadth of Wales.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- He said himself, - towards the end of his life...
0:10:13 > 0:10:18- ..he wrote a letter to Thomas - Charles ten days before he died...
0:10:18 > 0:10:24- ..saying he could only walk - around 40ft across the room...
0:10:24 > 0:10:28- ..after a lifetime of 50 years...
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- ..travelling over 3,000 miles - on horseback.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34- Next, a performance.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39- Here are Y Tri Bariton to - perform Pererin Wyf Mewn Anial Dir.
0:10:49 > 0:10:58- # A pilgrim am I in a desert land
0:10:58 > 0:11:07- # Wandering hither and yon
0:11:07 > 0:11:16- # And in a kind of hope every hour
0:11:17 > 0:11:24- # That my Father's house is at hand
0:11:26 > 0:11:35- # And I shall most likely hear
0:11:35 > 0:11:44- # Some heavenly sound before me
0:11:44 > 0:11:54- # Having overcome and gone through
0:11:54 > 0:12:03- # Tempests of water and fire
0:12:13 > 0:12:22- # Come, Holy Spirit, widen the way
0:12:22 > 0:12:31- # Be to me cloud and fire
0:12:31 > 0:12:40- # I will not walk correctly - half a step
0:12:41 > 0:12:48- # Except thou be before me
0:12:50 > 0:12:59- # I veer at times to the right
0:13:00 > 0:13:09- # And to the left hand too
0:13:09 > 0:13:18- # Therefore lead me, step by step
0:13:19 > 0:13:27- # To the paradise yonder
0:13:38 > 0:13:47- # I have a longing for the land
0:13:47 > 0:13:56- # Where multitudes without number
0:13:56 > 0:14:05- # Are singing the anthem - the days of their age
0:14:05 > 0:14:14- # About the death of Calvary
0:14:15 > 0:14:27- # About the death of Calvary #
0:14:34 > 0:14:39- William Williams is remembered - as a hymn-writer.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43- He is considered the father - of the Welsh congregational hymn.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48- Very little hymn singing took place - before the Methodist Revival.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53- With the Revival, people - experienced religious conversion...
0:14:53 > 0:14:59- ..and new and different - spiritual feelings.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03- They began to rejoice - in this salvation...
0:15:03 > 0:15:06- ..and wanted to express - their feelings in song.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- The Methodist leaders - started to form hymns...
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- ..to express these experiences.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18- They didn't have - the literary ability to do so...
0:15:18 > 0:15:24- ..but they transferred experiences, - beliefs and desires into song.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28- Methodist fellowship meetings - started with singing.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33- Hymns were required - for these meetings.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- Many tried their hand - at writing hymns.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- Howell Harris and Daniel Rowland - wrote hymns, along with others...
0:15:43 > 0:15:48- ..but soon, Williams Pantycelyn - came to the fore...
0:15:48 > 0:15:50- ..as the one with the talent.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- Howell Harris once said, - "The hymn is Will's."
0:15:54 > 0:15:58- From then on, - he became a prolific hymn-writer.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- He started writing hymns - in his 20s...
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- ..and continued to write - until his death.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16- We're standing next to Williams' - grave, in Llanfair-ar-y-bryn.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18- It must have been some funeral.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- It was a significant funeral.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25- Williams Pantycelyn was such - an influential character...
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- ..in the Methodist movement.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33- Thousands experienced a religious - conversion because of his influence.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38- He was one of the last of the - first group of Methodist leaders...
0:18:38 > 0:18:42- ..to pass away and was buried - on Llanfair-ar-y-bryn.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48- How would you sum up the life, - the work and legacy of Pantycelyn?
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- It's almost impossible to do so - in a matter of a few sentences.
0:18:53 > 0:19:00- When you think of all the Welsh - people who've sung his hymns...
0:19:00 > 0:19:05- ..I would argue - that he had the most influence...
0:19:05 > 0:19:09- ..on the outlook and mind-set - of the Welsh nation.
0:19:09 > 0:19:15- We have many popular poets, - hymn-writers and singers...
0:19:16 > 0:19:19- ..but everywhere in Wales, - every week...
0:19:20 > 0:19:22- ..words by Williams Pantycelyn - are sung.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- His emphasis on the individual and - the importance of the individual...
0:19:28 > 0:19:33- ..in the long term, promoted the - radicalism that typified Wales...
0:19:33 > 0:19:37- ..from the end - of the eighteenth century onwards.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- He was very influential - in numerous ways.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45- Wyn James, which hymn - have you chosen as our final hymn?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- Mi Dafla' 'Maich Oddi Ar Fy Ngwar.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52- It's one of Pantycelyn's - finest lyrics.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- It encompasses everything.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59- It begins with him suffering - under the weight of sin.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01- As he did many times...
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- ..Pantycelyn introduces the Cross - in the middle verse.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- At the end, - he's in Heaven with Jesus...
0:20:08 > 0:20:10- ..surveying the surrounding beauty.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14- It encompasses everything - about Pantycelyn's hymns.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.