From the Knoxville Daily Chronicle, Sunday, December 29, 1872

About the 14th of April, 1866, five Welshmen, viz: Joseph and David Richards, Daniel Thomas and John and Daniel Jones, came to Knoxville on an inspection tour, and being pleased with the place, concluded to make this their future home. They at once handed in their letters of membership to Second Presbyterian church.

During the months of June and July of the same year, their families, as well as other Welsh families, arrived here, all following the example of the first, giving in their letters of membership to the same church; but in the latter part of July, they formed a Welsh prayer meeting, which was held every Sabbath evening, at 2 o'clock, in the Lecture Room of that church.

They continued thus to worship as a Welsh Religious Society, yet with their membership in the Presbyterian church for about three years and a half. They were treated by them with the utmost courtesy and Christian benevolence and those years are remembered by many as some of the happiest of their lives.

About June 1869 the idea to build a church of their own was considered by Mr. Joseph Richards and others who immediately went to work in seeking assistance from the Christian people in Knoxville in the way of contributions towards erecting the building, the lot having been donated by Mr. C. M. McGhee and the Knoxville Iron Company in McGhee's addition to Knoxville, near the corner of McGhee and Atkins streets.

At that time money matters were very close, in fact times were hard, yet Mr. Richards says he never will forget the kindness of the Knoxville people and their liberality towards this enterprise. Every one that he approached on the subject gave freely something towards it, at the same time expressing regrets that the money stringency prevented them from making the donation ten time the amount given.

Mr. Joseph Richards worked with a indefatigable zeal, superintending the work himself and we are told at times was forced to deprive his family of many luxuries having used his funds in paying off the men who were working on the church. The Welsh people of Knoxville remember him with gratitude and deservedly too as the man to whose pious zeal they are chiefly indebted for their church.

On the 24th day of October the basement room of their church was completed and Divine worship was held there on that day. The members then withdrew from the Presbyterian church and formed a Welsh Congregational Church on liberal principles and with free communion to all denominations. They have some members with them of four different Evangelical denominations.

After the organization the following officers were elected: Joseph Richards, John Jones and Thomas Davis, Trustees and Deacons: David Lewis, Secretary and William J. Richards, Treasurer.

About the 12th of February, 1870, Rev. Thomas Thomas came direct from Wales to this country and having some friends among the Welsh settlers in this city, he gave them a visit, and soon after his arrival here the church made a call upon him to become their pastor. He accepted the call and served the church faithfully for nearly two years. During his ministry about 80 members were added to the church by letter and otherwise.

The church also lost one of its main props in the removal of Mr. Joseph Richards to Chattanooga who was followed there by about 19 of the Welsh members. His place as a leading member and moving spirit in the church was filled by Hon. David Richards who is also a zealous worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

After the removal of Mr. Joseph Richards and company the following deacons were elected to fill their places: Evan D. Evans, Thomas Price and Moses Jones, with Isaac Lewis as Secretary and Wm J. Richards as Treasurer. Mr. Thomas Price has since left but his place as Deacon had not yet been filled.

In April 1872, Rev. R. D. Thomas came to this place from Pennsylvania on a visit to some of his friends and on the following May, Rev. Thomas Thomas having resigned the pastorship, he received a call from the church and on September 8, 1872, took charge of it and has labored zealously with the flock ever since. There were only about 45 to 50 members left in the church when Rev. R. D. Thomas, its pastor, but owing to his earnest and faithful labors about 28 persons have been induced in the last two or three months to become members and have pledged themselves in the future to make God's cause their cause.

Sunday School

Soon after the arrival of the Welsh Colony in this place and their connection with the Presbyterian Church as Above states, they organized a Welsh class in the Sabbath school of that church with Mr. Joseph Richards as teacher.

They thus continued having about 25 scholars until the completion of the basement room of their church in North Knoxville, when they organized a Sabbath school there with a membership of seventy at the first meeting. Rev. Isaac Emory assisted in the organization of the school.

The first officers were Mr. Joseph Richards, Superintendent: David Lewis, Secretary and John Jones, Treasurer. They hold an election of officers every three months.

All the Richards have been leading men in the school as well as the church and are zealous workers with the young. Truly a better field for usefulness could not be opened unto them than to bring the little ones to Christ and the reward of all such men at the "Last Day" will be great. The school at present is in a flourishing condition, having about 112 members and we are told is one of the most interesting little schools in the State.

Band Of Hope

This band was organized about one or two months ago with Rev. R. D. Thomas as leader. The object is total abstinence from strong drink of any kind and from the use of snuff or tobacco. They now number about 50 young people and 8 or 10 grown. This is a good movement and can but result in glory to God.

The use of strong drink is a crying evil in our community and many of the damned souls in the pit of darkness can point back to the intoxicating cup as the chief cause of hell being their eternal abode. Only the other day we noticed a little boy not more than ten or twelve years old staggering around on the street under the influence of this curse of mankind. We are glad that the Welsh church is looking to the lambs of its flock in this respect and is training them to live soberly before God and man.

How The Week Is Spent

The pastor Rev. Mr. Thomas recognizes the fact that the prosperity of a church depends much on earnest faithful labor and therefore makes use of every night in the week for the advancement of the Redeemers cause as follows:

• Monday Night, Class Meeting. These meetings are of incalculable value to the Christian. They meet and after prayer and songs of praise they relate their experience in the Christian warfare telling of their many trials, troubles and of the goodness of God in safely bringing them out of them all without even the smell of fire being left upon them to indicate that they had been in the furnace. Oh! The comfort and strength derived from these meetings is truly wonderful and the heart’s of God’s children are drawn to each other in sympathy and love while thus congregated in the class and to God their united prayers arise.
• Tuesday Night, Young Men's Meeting. This is a religious social and literary meeting and is also conducted by the pastor. Great good must also be the ultimate result of this gathering together. The pastor by his judicious management has made this a very interesting meeting to the young men who are in the habit of visiting his church. Literary and religious subjects are taken up and freely discussed, their young hearts are made warm towards the church, their minds are cultivated and improved, good society is made attractive to them and bad society disgusting and thus the church is built up and the cause of God is strengthened.
• Wednesday Night, Children's Meeting. This meeting is conducted by the pastor and Mr. David Richards and is for the special benefit of the little lambs of the flock. Oh how sweet the words, "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven," and where is there a work more noble and glorious than to be the bearer of such a God loving message to their little hearts. May this glorious work continue and a deeper interest be awakened in the hearts of all our people in regard to bringing up the young in the fear of God.
• Thursday Night, Prayer Meeting. This meeting is well attended by the members and the result can not be otherwise than good. Prayer is the main armor of the Christian in his warfare against the powers of darkness for "Satan trembles when he sees, The weakest saint upon his knees."

The Present Condition

The church is in a flourishing condition with about 76 good working members. The basement part in which they have been worshiping is beginning to get to small and they intend to finish the church as soon as possible or rather as soon as the necessary funds can be raised. Mr. Joseph Richards says he wishes he could be here to go on another collecting tour, and feels confident that he would meet with equal if not better success than before.

The Welsh colony here is a sober, steady and religious one, and we are informed that 75 percent of them are professors of religion and members of the church. Their church is open to all denominations and although they are of the Congregational belief, yet they claim that their chief object is the salvation of souls and although they wish to build up their own church, yet their chief object is to build of Christ's kingdom. We wish them the utmost success in their noble undertaking.

Transcribed by Robert McGinnis and used by permission.