Welsh Methodist Revival - A Movement

A Movement

Rowland and Harris had been at work for some eighteen months before they met at Defynnog church in 1737. This led to a friendship that lasted, with a ten year break in fellowship, until Harris's death in 1773. This meeting also can be seen as the beginning of a Methodist movement in Wales. Methodist leaders met regularly to organise their work and to agree on matters of common interest.

Harris and Williams undertook major preaching journeys, starting in South Wales but later venturing north. As they preached they made converts which they then gathered together into organised groups of fellowships (known as seiadau (societies) in Welsh). As more and more converts were made, more and more evangelists were also created, and by 1750 there were over 400 such fellowship groups in Wales. These groups were closely supervised by the leaders and were built up into a significant and powerful network within the Church of England.

Rowland concentrated his efforts on Llangeitho which became a centre for the movement. On Communion Sundays thousands of the members of the seiadau would travel there to receive the sacrament.