David Eirwyn Morgan ( ; 23 April 1918 – 30 August 1982) was a minister, journalist and Welsh nationalist

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. Born in

Pen-y-groes Penygroes or Pen-y-groes may refer to any of several places in Wales: *Penygroes, Gwynedd ** Penygroes railway station, a former station in the town *Penygroes, Pembrokeshire *Pen-y-groes, Carmarthenshire Pen-y-groes is a village in Carmarthen ...

in Carmarthenshire, Morgan began preaching at an early age in the

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

church in nearby

Llandybie Llandybie ( cy, Llandybïe , " Saint Tybie's church") is a community which includes a large village of the same name situated north of Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, Wales. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, Llandybie village itself is ...

. He studied at

Ammanford Ammanford ( cy, Rhydaman) is a town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, with a population of 5,411 at the 2011 census. It is a former coal mining town. The built-up area had a population of 7,945 with the wider urban area even bigger. Acco ...

Grammar School, where he befriended

David Rees Griffiths David Rees Griffiths (6 November 1882 – 17 December 1953), also known by his bardic name of Amanwy, was a Welsh poet, and an older brother of politician Jim Griffiths. Griffiths was born in Betws, Carmarthenshire, where his father was a bla ...

, the school caretaker, who introduced him to Welsh literature. Morgan won a scholarship to the

University College of Swansea , former_names=University College of Swansea, University of Wales Swansea , motto= cy, Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn , mottoeng="Technical skill is bereft without culture" , established=1920 – University College of Swansea 1996 – University of Wa ...

and graduated with a degree in Welsh, then studied theology at the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen, and finally the Baptist College in London. He was subsequently ordained and attached to a parish in Pisgah. During this time, he became active in Plaid Cymru, and stood unsuccessfully for the party in

Llanelli Llanelli ("St Elli's Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. ...

at the

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...

and 1959 general elections. He also edited the party newspaper, ''Y Ddraig Goch''. In 1956, he moved to minister in

Llandudno Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2011 UK census, the community – which includes Gogarth, Penrhyn Bay, Craigsi ...

, then in 1960 he won a

Fulbright Scholarship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

to the New York Union Seminary. However, he left early due to ill health, and returned to Llandudno. In 1967, he became a tutor in theology at the

University College Bangor Bangor University ( cy, Prifysgol Bangor) is a Public university, public university in Bangor, Gwynedd, Bangor, Wales. It received its Royal charter, Royal Charter in 1885 and was one of the founding institutions of the federal University of Wales ...

, and from 1971 until 1980, he served as principal of its Baptist College. Morgan was also an active

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...

, and served as secretary of the Welsh Peace Society. He was the first secretary of the Welsh Hymn Society. He was also active in journalism; from 1960 to 1972, he was the editor of '' Seren Cymru'', the newspaper of the Welsh Baptists, and from 1975 until 1977, he edited ''

Seren Gomer ''Seren Gomer'' was the first Welsh-language weekly newspaper. The first number was published in 1814 in Swansea by the local Baptist minister and writer Joseph Harris (Gomer). Publishing history The weekly was intended to cover news from the wh ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, David Eirwyn 1918 births 1982 deaths Alumni of Swansea University Baptist pacifists People from Carmarthenshire Plaid Cymru politicians 20th-century Welsh Baptist ministers Welsh Christian pacifists Welsh-speaking clergy Welsh-speaking journalists Welsh-speaking politicians