Azariah Shadrach (1774–1844) was a Welsh evangelical writer and pastor.

Life

He was born on 24 June 1774 at Garn Deilo fach in the parish of Llanfair-Nant-y-Gôf,

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

, the fifth son of Henry and Ann Shadrach of

Nevern Nevern () is both a parish and a Community (Wales), community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The community includes the settlements of Felindre Farchog, Monington, Pembrokeshire, Monington, Moylgrove and Bayvil. The small village lies in the River Neve ...

. As an adult and farm servant to a local

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

minister, John Richards, he had access to his employer's books. At his master's suggestion he decided to enter the Independent ministry, and in 1798 he went on a preaching tour to

North Wales North Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdon ...

. Shadrach was induced by to remain in the area as a schoolmaster, first at Hirnant near

Bala Bala may refer to: Films * ''Bala'' (1976 film), an English-language dance documentary * ''Bala'' (2002 film), a Tamil-language action film * ''Bala'' (2019 film), a Hindi-language black comedy Life forms *Bala shark (''Balantiocheilos melano ...

, and then at

Pennal Pennal is a village and community on the A493 road in southern Gwynedd, Wales, on the north bank of the River Dyfi, near Machynlleth. It lies in the historic county of Merionethshire () and is within the Snowdonia National Park. Roman for ...

and

Derwenlas Derwenlas is a hamlet (place), hamlet in northern Powys, Wales. It is part of the Community (Wales), community of Cadfarch. Part of the historic county of Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn) from 1536 to 1974, it lies on the River Dyfi and was onc ...

near

Machynlleth Machynlleth () is a market town, community and electoral ward in Powys, Wales and within the historic boundaries of Montgomeryshire. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads. At the 2001 Census it had a po ...

. Towards the end of 1802 he was ordained pastor of the independent church at

Llanrwst ; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is on the east bank of the River Conwy and the A470 road, and lies within the historic counties of Wales, historic county boundaries of Denbighshire (histori ...

. There he campaigned against the Gŵyl Mabsantau which flourished in the district. In November 1806 he removed to north

Cardiganshire Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a county in the west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Ab ...

, where he had charge of the churches of Talybont and Llanbadarn Fawr. In 1819 Shadrach took on a new church which he formed at

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

, and for which, two years later, he built a chapel, at his own cost. In poor health, he resigned his charges in August 1835, but continued to preach until his death on 18 January 1844. He was buried at St. Michael's Church, Aberystwyth.

Works

Shadrach has been called the "Bunyan of Wales", for his use of

allegory As a List of narrative techniques, literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a wikt:narrative, narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a meaning with moral or political signi ...

, a title also given to

Christmas Evans Christmas Evans (25 December 1766 – 19 July 1838) was a Welsh Nonconformist (Protestantism), nonconformist minister, who, according to Martyn Lloyd-Jones, D. M. Lloyd-Jones, was "the greatest preacher that the Baptists have ever had in Great B ...

. He was the author of 27 works, all but one in Welsh. They were mostly

homiletic In religious studies, homiletics ( ''homilētikós'', from ''homilos'', "assembled crowd, throng") is the application of the general principles of rhetoric to the specific art of public preaching. One who practices or studies homiletics may be c ...

in character, sketches of sermons that he had given. ''A Looking Glass; neu Ddrych y Gwrthgiliwr'' (Carmarthen, 1807, and reprints), was translated into English by Edward S. Byam, chief magistrate of Mauritius, as ''The Backslider's Mirror: a popular Welsh treatise, translated from the ancient British Language'', London, 1845. His final work, ''Cerbyd o Goed Libanus'' (Aberystwyth, 1840), included some autobiographical notes. In 1836 Shadrach wrote a prophetic ballad about the

Aberdyfi Aberdyfi (), also known as Aberdovey ( ), is a village and community in Gwynedd, Wales, located on the northern side of the estuary of the River Dyfi. The population of the community was 878 at the 2011 census. The electoral ward had a larger ...

district, which gained a reputation.

Family

Azariah Shadrach married Margaret Maurice in 1805. They had at least four children, Eliakim Lloyd, Eve, Joanna and David Shadrach.

Notes

External links

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Shadrach, Azariah 1774 births 1844 deaths Welsh Congregationalist ministers Welsh writers People from Pembrokeshire People from Aberystwyth