Known as the “Sweet Sing­er of Wales,” Will­iams was or­dained a dea­con of the Es­tab­lished Church in 1740 by Dr. Cla­get, Bi­shop of St. Da­vid’s, and for three years served the cur­a­cies of Llanwrtyd and Llanddewi-Aberg­wesyn; he ne­ver re­ceived Priest’s Or­ders. He be­came ear­ly ac­quaint­ed with the re­viv­al­ist Dan­iel Row­lands, and for 35 years preached month­ly at Llaullian, Caio, and Llansawel, be­side mak­ing preach­ing jour­neys in north and south Wales. He was held in great esteem as a preacher. His works in­clude:

• Halleluiah, 1744 & 2 more editions
• Hosannah to the Son of David (Bristol, England: John Braham, 1759)
• Y Môr o Wydr, 1762 & 4 more editions
• Gloria in Excelsis, 1771

Sources

Hymns

1. Awake, My Soul, and Rise
2. Beneath Thy Cross I Lay Me Down
3. Cymer, Iesu, fi fel’ rydwyf
4. Dros y brinian tywyl niwliog
   • O’er Those Gloomy Hills of Dark­ness
5. Enormous Load of Human Guilt, The
6. Guide Me, O Thou Great Je­ho­vah
7. Hark! The Voice of My Be­loved
8. Jesus, Lead Us with Thy Pow­er
9. Jesus, My Sav­ior Is Enough
10. Jesus, Whose Al­mighty Scep­ter
11. My God, My God, Who Art My All
12. Savior, Look on Thy Beloved
13. White and Rud­dy Is My Be­loved

Translations

1. Pererin