David Charles (11 October 1762 – 2 September 1834), was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

hymn-writer.

Life

David Charles was born at

Llanfihangel Abercywyn Llanfihangel (English: ''St Michael's Church'') can refer to the following places in Wales: *Llanfihangel (Powys electoral ward), including Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa *Llanfihangel Aberbythych, Carmarthenshire * Llanfihangel Bachellaeth, Gwynedd *Lla ...

, near

St Clears St Clears ( ; cy, Sanclêr) on the River Tâf in Carmarthenshire, Wales, is both a small town and a community. At the 2011 census, the population was 2,995. The community includes the small settlements of Bancyfelin and Pwlltrap. It is border ...

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...

, the son of Rees and Jael Charles, and the younger brother of the Methodist leader

Thomas Charles Thomas Charles (14 October 17555 October 1814) was a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist clergyman of considerable importance in the history of modern Wales. Early life Charles was born of humble parentage at Longmoor, in the parish of Llanfihangel Abe ...

, later of Bala. He was apprenticed to a flax-dresser and rope-maker at Carmarthen and afterwards spent three years at

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. He returned to Carmarthen when he married Sarah, the daughter of Samuel Levi Phillips, a

Haverfordwest Haverfordwest (, ; cy, Hwlffordd ) is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire with a population of 14,596 in 2011. It is also a community, being the second most populous community in the county, ...

banker, and set himself up as a tradesman. Long connected with the

Calvinistic Methodists Calvinistic Methodists were born out of the 18th-century Welsh Methodist revival and survive as a body of Christians now forming the Presbyterian Church of Wales. Calvinistic Methodism became a major denomination in Wales, growing rapidly in the 1 ...

, he joined the congregation at Water Street Chapel and became an elder. Charles began to preach at the age of forty-six, and was one of the first lay-preachers ordained ministers in South Wales in 1811. He helped to establish the "Home Mission", but was forced to retire in 1828 after suffering a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

. He died on 2 September 1834, and was buried at

Llangunnor Llangunnor is a village and community located in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is the southern suburb of Carmarthen town and consists mainly of typical suburban housing which has expanded in recent years. It has a small shop, two chapels, a church ...

. There is a memorial to Charles, by Daniel Mainwaring, at Water Street Chapel. His best-known hymns include "O fryniau Caersalem ceir gweled" ("From the Hills of Jerusalem are Seen").

References

;Attribution

Sources

Books and Journals

*E. Wyn James, ‘David Charles (1762–1834), Caerfyrddin: Diwinydd, Pregethwr, Emynydd’, ''Cylchgrawn Hanes (Cymdeithas Hanes y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd)/Journal of the Historical Society of the Presbyterian Church of Wales'', 36 (2012), 13–56. ISSN 0141-5255.

Online

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, David 1762 births 1834 deaths Welsh Methodist hymnwriters Welsh Methodist ministers 18th-century Welsh clergy 19th-century Welsh clergy 18th-century Welsh writers 18th-century British male writers 19th-century Welsh writers