PROPHET OF THE TRANCH

Ebenezer United Reformed Church was founded in 1740 by Edmund Jones, who gave thirty pound out of his life savings of forty pounds to erect a meeting house. When more money was needed he sold part of his precious library for fifteen pounds to finish the building.

A description of Edmund Jones

He was described as middle size of sturdy build with penetrating eyes, but had the dignity of a apostle. He spread the gospel in the way he lived more than by his preaching.

Edmund was not a great orator his voice was rather feeble, but he was a man of great strength of character, and his fame as a Prophet spread throughout Wales. He was also a very generous man who never worried about money and gave to the poor.

Among his friends were the Countess of Huntingdon, Howell Harris and George Whitfield.

While staying at Edmund’s Home George Whitefield saw the happy marriage Edmund and his wife Mary enjoyed, so he decided to get married himself. He met and married a widow Mrs James from Abergavenny. But later on told a friend “Alas Mrs Whitfield is not a Mrs Jones”

Edmund was also a contemporary of John and Charles Wesley.

Early meetings were held in his cottage, and if it was fine in a small field at the rear. With increasing numbers attending the meetings, he decided to build a church. One spring morning he was going up the road from Cwmfrwdoer to Pentrepiod, when he noticed the singing of the birds in a patch of land on the side of the road , Edmund said “As the birds sing so beautifully here I will build my Church to worship God”.

The local people were not wealthy making a living by farming, growing only enough to feed their families. Edmund had forty pounds life savings and he gave thirty pounds to start the building. When some more money was needed he sold part of his library for Fifteen pounds. A years wages for him as a minister was ten pounds.

He had a appetite for learning and kept his mind alert to new knowledge, becoming one of the most informed self taught men of his time. He was also a man of strong convictions as illustrated below.

He would not be intimidated if a injustice was committed.
A non conformist minister was asked to speak in a local chapel , he stayed overnight at a farm house and after he retired to bed a local land owner and a minister of the established church went to the farm and asked to see the minister.On being told he was in bed , the landowner went to the bedroom and woke him brandishing a sword threatening if he did not leave at once he would kill him. This so unnerved the minister he had a nervous breakdown and died in a twelve month.

Some time later the landowner came to ask Edmund for his vote he said he would never give his vote to a man who had threatened a minister of God and told him to leave.

His ministry lasted over seventy years making a name for himself not only in the locality but throughout Wales.

He died November 26th 1793 at the age of ninety one.A plaque commemorating him was placed in the church.

Plaque Rev. Edmund Jones