Introduction

Biography

Thomas was the son of John and Pru­dence Le­vi. His son, Pro­fess­or T. A. Le­vi, es­tab­lished the Law de­part­ment at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Wales, Ab­er­ys­twyth.

He re­ceived lit­tle for­mal edu­ca­tion, and worked as a boy at the Ynyscedwyn Ir­on­works. When the iron­works closed for a time due to a de­press­ion in trade, he moved 50 miles to the Tre­de­gar ir­on­works. After his mo­ther’s death, his fa­ther and bro­thers emi­grat­ed to Am­er­ica.

Levi be­gan to preach around age twen­ty. He be­came min­is­ter of Ca­pel yr Ynys, Ystradgyn­lais around 1855 and stayed there un­til 1860, when he moved to Phi­la­del­phia, Mor­ris­ton.

In 1876, he re­ceived a call to min­is­ter at the Ta­ber­na­cle, Ab­er­ys­twyth, one of the lead­ing chapels in the de­no­mi­na­tion. He served there for the rest of his ca­reer.

Levi was a Li­ber­al mem­ber of Car­di­gan­shire Coun­ty Coun­cil, 1889–95.

He re­tired from the min­is­try in 1901.

Works

Levi ed­it­ed Try­sor­fa y Plant (1862–1911), a month­ly jour­nal for child­ren and young people with a cir­cu­la­tion of 40,000.

His other works in­clude:

• Bywyd a Theithiau Liv­ing­stone, 1857
• Yr Anianydd Cristionogol, 1859
• Hanes Prydain Fawr, 1862
• Gweddiau Teuluaidd, 1863
• Hanesion y Beibl, 1870
• Casgliad o Hen Farwnadau, 1872
• Hanes y Beibl Cymraeg, 1876
• Traethodau Bywgraffyddol, 1882
• Cedyrn Cymru; Canmlwyddiant yr Ysgol Sabbothol, 1885
• Crist a Gwroniaid y Byd Paganaidd, 1887