Welsh Journals

Oh, how glorious and resplendent Fragile body, shalt thou be, When endued with so much beauty Full of health, and strong, and free.? John Morgan died on 26 June 1957. In his Will he asked that his funeral should be private at 8.00am no music; no memorial service; and no obituary. Only after his death dare anyone disobey some, at least, of his wishes. There was a memorial service at St John the Baptist, Cardiff, on 3 July 1957. John Morgan, who had both presence and stature, conveyed the best of Anglicanism change and continuity, change conditioning continuity, continuity assimilating change. Ultimately a person lives under the authority of his own conscience. He has to set in their proper order the different duties and claims which are pressed upon him. This John Morgan achieved. His presidency of the Governing Body stabilized the Church in Wales, protecting it from the foibles and fancies of some in its midst who still asked if disestablishment had been gain or loss. He prevented isolation and introversion. He detested publicity and was devoid of populism. His style reflected himself- clear, strong, fearless, never sentimental, verbose or ostentatious, albeit with a shy persona hiding great emotion. He would have been surprised at the sense of personal loss felt by a host of individuals when he died. Although he slightly mellowed with clergy towards the end of his life, he was always more at home with the laity. Every generation succeeds to the situation created by its predecessors and must in turn hand on to its successor a situation which is altered, enriched by its labours and impoverished by its failures. 'Good people here are much scandalized at Thirlwell's being made a bishop,' wrote Edward Fitzgerald on hearing that his former tutor had been nominated by Lord Melbourne to the see of St Davids. 'I do not think, however, that I would have made him bishop: I am all for good and not great bishops.' (Connop Thirlwall was a distinguished theologian and historian and bishop of St Davids from 1840 to 1874.) The episcopate and archiepiscopate of John Morgan fell substantially within these parameters. I am indebted to the National Library of Wales for furnishing me with copies of material from their John Morgan archive. 1 B.B.C. Radio, 28 February 1950, on the eve of the festival of St David.