I was nurtured among Calvinists.  To their Sunday School I am indebted for almost all the education my youthful years were blessed with.  Towards some of them I was taught in infancy to look up with reverence and esteem; and the recollection of their Christian virtues proves to me that whatever tendency Calvinism may have to relax the ties of moral obligation, the argument cannot be drawn from the lives of many of its professors.  With many Clergymen who take Calvinism for their creed, I have still the happiness to live in bonds of Christian friendship; but my respect for the men does not blind me to their opinions.  I am no Calvinist, and ever since I have been capable of forming a judgment upon theological subjects, I have not been a Calvinist.  The sincerity of my attachment to our national Church cannot, I trust, be doubted.  I was made a member of her by Baptism, and ever since I have attained to years of discretion, my public devotions have been offered up within her pale.  For many a dark year—­long before the idea of my being elevated to the clerical function had received a shadow of existence, I had resolved to live and die an humble worshipper at her altar.

J. BLACKWELL.

AT EI FAM, PAN OEDD WEDDW.

Athrofa’r Iesu, Rhydychen, Hyd. 19eg 1827.

FY ANWYL FAM,

Fy nyledswydd ydyw hysbysu i chwi, gyda phob brys, fy mod wedi cyrraedd pen fy nhaith yn gysurus, a chael pob peth wrth fy modd.  Y mae y cyflwr unig y gadewais chwi ynddo, yn peri i mi hiraethu mwy am danoch y tro hwn nag un tro o’r blaen.  Buasai yn dda gan fy nghalon gael aros yn agos atoch nes i angeu ein gwahanu.  Ond nid felly y mae Rhagluniaeth yn trefnu:  rhaid i ninnau ymostwng.  O ddiwrnod i ddiwrnod daw y flwyddyn i fyny, pan y caf eich gweled, gobeithio, mewn gwell iechyd ac ysbrydoedd nag y gadewais chwi.  Yn y cyfamser erfyniaf arnoch, er dim, i gadw eich meddwl mor dawel ag y galloch:  ar hyn y mae eich cysur chwi a minnau yn ymddibynu.  Ni wna tristhau ac ymofidio ddim ond gwaethygu eich llygaid dolurus, a chlwyfo meddwl y rhai a’ch carant.  Digon gwir cawsom golled fawr,—­collasom y cyfaill ffyddlonaf a thirionaf a welsom erioed; eto “na thristawn fel rhai heb obaith.”  Oni adawodd dystiolaeth ar ei ol ei fod wedi myned i ddedwyddwch—­i wlad well na daear, “lle y gorffwys y rhai lluddedig, ac ni chlywant lais y gorthrymydd.”  Ac os dilynwn ei lwybrau, ni a gawn ei gyfarfod eto mewn ardal nad oes na phechod, na phoen, nag ymadawiad o’i mewn.  “Gwir ddymuniad fy nghalon, a’m gweddi ar Dduw sydd erddoch.”

CWYN AR OL CYFAILL.

Pan hirarosai yn Rhydychen, Mehefin, 1827.

(Efelychiad o “Bugail Cwmdyli,” gan I. G. G.)

Trwy ba bleserau byd
Yr wyt yn crwydro c’yd? 
Mae pleser fel y lli’,
A’r moethau goreu i mi
Yn wermod hebot ti,
      Sior anwylaf.