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Rebels in the Established Church: Welsh Calvinistic Methodism in the Diocese of St Davids in the early nineteenth century D. Ben Rees When Thomas Burgess, the scholarly and knowledgeable theologian, came to his new residence at Abergwili in the Tywi Valley in 1803 as the new bishop of the Diocese of St David's, he came to a bishopric which, in reality, had become the heartland of the Calvinistic Methodist witness. The Anglican Church was known to the inhabitants of the Diocese as Y Fam Eglwys (the Mother Church), but a large number of the plant (children) had become fervent evangelicals and itinerant preachers, rebels within the Established Church. The great names of the Methodist Revival had all resided within the Diocese of St Davids. Daniel Rowland, born in 1713, was one of the generals, and up to his death in 1 790, he had made Llangeitho in Cardiganshire, the Mecca for the first generation of Methodists. Daniel Rowland was steeped in Anglicanism. His father was a vicar, as well his brother and also his son Nathaniel, while the powerful preacher himself became a curate successively at Nantcwnlle and Llangeitho, Llanbadarn Odwyn and Llanddewi Brefi in Cardiganshire. It was natural that the early converts made their way to the parish of Llangeitho. Years later, in 1763, the bishop of St Davids expelled him, but he did not sulk and leave the Church. Indeed, Rowland built a chapel of his own, Capel Gwynfil, and though he did not wish to see his loyal followers leave the Anglican Church, Llangeitho came to be regarded as a kind of Cathedral for the body which, in 1783, was called by Thomas Charles of Bala, another extraordinary Anglican Methodist cleric, 'The Connexion'. Howell Harris, the other pioneer of the Revival, stayed faithful to the Church though he was denied ordination on four separate occasions.3 William Williams, Pantycelyn, the hymn writer, served as a curate at Llanddewi Abergwesyn and Llanwrtyd until he became an assistant to Daniel Rowland.4 Howell Davies, the Apostle of Pembrokeshire and Peter Williams, the biblical commentator, were also ordained to Holy Orders. They all died as Anglicans, having served the new movement, retaining dual membership.