William Ambrose (Emrys)

A close friend and fellow-worker of the last was the Rev. WILLIAM AMBROSE (Emrys). He was born at the Penrhyn Arms Hotel, Bangor, August 10, 1813. The course of his life was even and calm as the flowing of a river through a level land, his death alone adding an incident of startling impressiveness to his earthly story. He was preaching in his own pulpit at Portmadoc on Sunday, April 27, 1873. For some time he had been suffering much from the effect of a paralytic stroke; but that was a day of marked power, and the people felt the peculiar nearness of the spirit land. The text of the evening sermon was Isaiah vii. 15: 'For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and the holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' It was a remarkably powerful sermon; and hundreds were rejoicing that night in the hope of restored eloquence and further guiding of their soul through him into the doctrine of Jesus Christ. But he had scarcely come down from the pulpit when he was seen to grow pale and lean heavily 115 back. It was the final stroke--the hand of death was laid upon him as he was coming out of the shining cloud. For six months he lingered; and all that time the silver tongue was speechless. It was on the 31st of October, the same year, that the silent Hand once more was laid upon him, and more heavily. But it was only to make his spirit free, and to lead him to the land where the word of eloquence can never be hushed any more.