war, and the rejection of other nations to force Welshmen to serve in their armed forces. With this policy party leaders hoped a significant number of Welshmen would refuse to join the British Army. Lewis and other party members were attempting to strengthen loyalty to the Welsh nation "over the loyalty to the British State." Lewis argued "The only proof that the Welsh nation exists is that there are some who act as if it did exist." However, most party members who claimed conscientious objection status did so in the context of their moral and religious beliefs, rather than on political policy. Of these almost all were exempt from military service. About 24 party members made politics their sole grounds for exemption, of which twelve received prison sentences. For Lewis, those who objected proved that the assimilation of Wales was "being withstood, even under the most extreme pressures". Pastor, author, and editor As a pastor he served church in north Wales and edited the Baptist quarterly magazine, Seren Gomer, from 1951 to 1975. He also wrote of his experience in the war in Dyddiadur milwr (=A soldier's diary), 1988. Valentine is also famed as the writer of the hymn Gweddi dros Gymru ("A prayer for Wales"), usually sung to the tune of Jean Sibelius's Finlandia Hymn. This is considered by some to be the second Welsh national anthem, and has been recorded and widely performed by Dafydd Iwan. Whilst he was Baptist pastor at Llandudno, he translated a selection of Psalms called Detholiad o'r Salmau, which was published by Gwasg Ilston in 1936. Further reading Valentine, Lewis (1893–1986). In Meic Stephens (Ed.) (1998), The new companion to the literature of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. . Vittle, Arwel. Valentine: cofiant Lewis Valentine. (2006). Tal-y-bont: Y Lolfa. . References Bibliography People from Denbighshire 1893 births 1986 deaths Welsh people of World War I Plaid Cymru politicians 20th-century Welsh Baptist ministers Welsh-speaking journalists Welsh-speaking clergy Welsh language activists Leaders of Plaid Cymru