Griffiths, Albert (1882-1944)

Transcription of obituary published in the Minutes of Conference

ALBERT GRIFFITHS: born at Pontlottyn, South Wales, in 1882. After a period spent as Lay Pastor in the Brinkworth Circuit, he entered Hartley College in 1906 and the Ministry of the Primitive Methodist Church in 1909. He served his Church with great fidelity for thirty-five years. He was well known in the Bristol District, where much of his work was done.

The greatest joy of his life was in the salvation of souls. He was an earnest preacher of the Word and a faithful pastor of the flock. He loved the Holy Scriptures and was never so happy as when he was setting forth the saving love of God in Christ Jesus. Walking humbly with his God and keeping the fellowship of the secret place unbroken, he invested even the commonplace duties of the Ministry with a spirit which made them memorable. He brought into a business meeting a fine devotional atmosphere, and made everyone feel that even in this place you were about the King’s business. He was very humble, sensitive to the sorrows of others, and quite indifferent to his own comfort. He hated all pretence and hypocrisy. Through his deep faith in the power of God he radiated a spirit of optimism.

From time to time life brought to him a stern challenge, but he faced it in the belief that our sufficiency is of God. His last illness he bore with wonderful patience and courage. He died on 27th August 1944, in the sixty-first year of his life and the thirty-fifth year of his ministry. He was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.

Family

Albert was born on 26 June 1882 at Pontlottyn, Glamorgan, to parents William and Mary.

He married Lily Matilda Stephens (b1892), daughter of Rev E.V. Stephens, in the summer of 1915 in the Sheppey Registration District, Kent. The 1933 Methodist Who’s Who records they had one son.

Albert died on 27 August 1944 at Frome, Somerset.