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THE JOHN WESLEY STONE By the Rev. ERIC EDWARDS, Llanidloes (^\N Thursday, October 24, 1946, a goodly number of Methodists, chiefly from the Llanidloes circuit, assembled near the old Market Hall at Llanidloes, Montgomeryshire, for a special meeting. Near the old Market Hall stands a fair-sized stone which has alwasy been known by Idloesians as The Wesley Stone but for a stranger who chanced to pass by, there was no indication of the tra- ditional history of the stone. In his Journal, John Wesley records that he passed through Llanidloes on his journeys to North Wales (and Ireland) and that he preached at least three times (in 1748, 1749 and 1764) in the market-place and successive generations have believed that it was from the stone which now lies near the old market- hall that John Wesley preached on these occasions. At the Welsh Methodist Assembly held at Llanidloes in June of last year (1946), the Mayor of Llanidloes (Ald. George F. Hamer, J.P.) suggested that, short of its being their responsibility, it would be a wise gesture on the part of local Methodists to have recorded on the Wesley Rtone" John Wesley's visits to Llanidloes. When Mr. W. T. Morris, a Methodist born at Llanidloes and a successful busi- ness man at Llanelly, heard of this suggestion, he at once offered to supply a suitable plaque to be fitted to the stone. By doing this, added Mr. Morris, he would be fulfilling an intention which had long been in his mind. His kind offer was gratefully accepted by the Llan- idloes Circuit. The bronze plaque was unveiled at the above meeting on Thursday, October 24, 1946, by Mr. W. T. Morris. The President of the Welsh Assembly (the Rev. W. Morris Jones, B.A., Bangor) presided over the meeting. The Mayor of Llanidloes extended a welcome to the gathering and addresses were delivered by the President of the Welsh Assembly, the Rev. D. Tecwyn Evans, M.A., Rhyl, and the Rev. Griffith T. Roberts, M.A., B.D., Bangor. Prayers were offered by the Rev. H. Meilir P. Lewis, B.A., B.D., Llanasa, and the Rev. E. Wyn Williams, Trefeglwys and a vote of thanks, on behalf of the Llan- idloes Circuit, was expressed by the Rev. Eric Edwards, Llanidloes, and Mr. W. S. Hamer, J.P. (Circuit Steward). The singing of three hymns by Charles Wesley was conducted by Mr. Emrys Wood, Llanidloes. The following is the inscription on the Plaque THE JOHN WESLEY STONE John Wesley passed through Llanidloes at least six times on his journeys through Wales, and, according to tradition, he preached on this stone on three of those occasions, in 1748, 1749 and 1764. This Plaque was given by Mr. W T. Morris, Llanelly, on the occasion of the first meeting of the Historical Society of the Methodist Church in Wales, which was held at Llanidloes, 24th October, 1946. Immediately after the meeting near the Wesley Stone, the first meeting of the new Historical Society of the Methodist Church in Wales was held in the schoolroom of our church at Long Bridge Street, Llanidloes. Professor R. T. Jenkins, M.A., D.Litt., Bangor, addressed the meeting on John Wesley in North Wales." The meeting was presided over by the Rev. D. Tecwyn Evans, M.A. Professor Jenkins was thanhed by the Revs. W. Morris Jones, B.A., and Griffith T. Roberts, M.A., B.D.