Obituary

This obituary for Elias appeared in the Christian Reformer or Unitarian Magazine

On Tuesday, the 8th of June, aged 68, at his residence, Fron, near Llangefni, in the island of Anglesey, the Rev. John Elias.

He was, perhaps, the most popular and the most laborious of all who hare engaged in the ministry among the Welsh Calvinislic Methodists, by far the largest religious denomination in the Principality. (See Christian Reformer, Old Series, Vol. XIX. p. 422; New Series, Vol. VIII. p. 270).

His parents were in humble circumstances: originally he was himself a weaver, and he enjoyed few of the advantages of early education. His chief characteristics in after life were, a clear and masculine understanding, great tenderness of feeling, a discriminating judgment, strong reasoning faculties, and a spirit of genuine, unpretending piety. His preaching was always in Welsh; and in compass, vigour and brilliancy of language, he had no rival.

The standards of Calvinism were his rule of faith. He was zealous for his own system of doctrine; he was also zealous for those great essential truths of our religion which appear so prominently and so distinctly in the New Testament, that they have never been entirely obscured and forgotten. He could exuibit,such extensive views of what he regarded as "the' deep things of God," and of the requirements of the gospel, of its awful denunciations and its precious promises, and could connect them with pictures of the human character so vivid and often so true to nature and to our experience, that he seldom failed to touch and even to thrill the heart. All his ideas were arranged in luminous order, and he had a quick perception of what belonged, and whatidid not belong, to any question that came before him. He knew how to reject all that was extraneous; hence no one could mistake him. Whatever opinion might be formed of his conclusions or of the force of his arguments, his hearers were sure to understand his meaning; and without the appearance of any effort, he always left a strong and well-defined impression upon their minds. He had no turns of thought remarkable for nothing but their strangeness, no smart, sparkling witticisms, no false transports. It was not his practice to deal in satirical, sarcastic remarks, and he was entirely free both from coarseness and from flippancy. For the most part, his sentences were simple, but they were never cast in a rugged or careless mould. When he adopted a colloquial style, he took the utmost pains to avoid every thing like vulgarity. He was familiar with the works of some of the most distinguished preachers of a former day; such as Owen, Charnock, Hopkins, Baxter and Flavel; and though it cannot be said that he formed himself on the model of either of those eminent men, it was impossible not to be struck with his occasional approaches to their habit of thinking and their phraseology. He preached not to amuse but to convince; there was an earnest solicitude about him, which gave an elevation and a persuasiveness to his discourses far more capable of awakening a deep and lasting interest, than the most admired specimens of artificial eloquence.

The expression of his countenance, the tones of his voice, and his gestures, strikingly corresponded with what was passing in his mind. His whole manner was artless, dignified and graceful.

If we take all these circumstances into consideration, we shall be at no loss to account for the extraordinary attraction of his public addresses, or for the magical dominion which he had over his auditors, whatever might be their age or their attainments. The sorcery arose not more from the strength than from the versatility of his genius.

It is only justice to remark, that, unlike too many who believe that " in this ruined world " they are from their birth the true and exclusive heirs of all the mercy of God, he never encouraged persecution, under pretence of extending the spirit and the influence of Christianity.

The qualities of his social and private character were of the most amiable and engaging kind. He was warm and acutely sensitive in his strongest affections, most faithful in his attachments of friendship, indulgent and generous to all with whom he had intercourse. He could be cheerful without levity, and grave without moroseness. He could mix with men of the world when occasion required it, without compromising his principles, or in the slightest degree lowering his character as a minister of the gospel; and his presence was enough to check in a moment whatever had even the semblance of irreligion. Among his confidential acquaintances, independently of the interest which his high reputation cast around him, he was delightful. While he drew with ease from his varied stores of information, there was about him a child-like, ingenuous simplicity, which redoubled the charm of his conversation. To that native frankness of disposition which is the surest indication of a great mind, he added an unaffected kindness and cordiality which at once gained the hearts of the youngest and most inexperienced who applied to him for counsel or for comfort. He was peculiarly accessible.

But amidst all his attention to the claims of friendship, he never lost sight of the paramount value of the sacred office to which he had devoted his talents and his warmest love.

His dying illness confined him for about three months to his chamber. It was sometimes severely painful. He saw that the evening shadows were stretching themselves out, he felt that his course was nearly run, and he awaited the gracious signal of release in humble, unostentatious, calm and patient hope. His end was tranquillity itself: without the faintest groan or sigh, he fell asleep in Jesus.

His funeral took place on the Tuesday after his death. Agreeably to his own request, he was buried in the secluded, peaceful church-yard of Llanvaes, a scene of natural romance and beauty, the site too of an ancient monastery of Franciscan friars, more than a mile to the north of Beaumaris, and 15 miles from Llangefni. It is computed that not fewer than nine thousand persons were present at the solemnity. In the procession were forty-one vehicles of different descriptions and an hundred and eighty four separate horses. The day was uncommonly fine, labour and business were for many hours suspended, and a sabbath like quietness reigned through the whole district.

On the evening before the funeral, the Calvinistic Methodist chapel at Llangefni was crowded to overflowing. The attendants were all so absorbed in grief, that although they made many efforts to sing, they were obliged to desist. Forsaken and desolate, they "hung," as it were, "their harps upon the willows," and "sate down and wept." What a beautiful, affecting tribute of Christian love!