The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard
1913
Two-light window. The left-hand light appears to show the master hiring workers, and in the right-hand light he settles accounts with them. An angel in the top tracery light holds the text 'As for the earth, out of it cometh bread' (Job 28:5), while in the side tracery lights are shields with a cross and a lion, symbolising faith and courage. Angels with inscription below.
size: 50 cm (width of each light) [approx]firm/studio: Robert J. Newberypatron: William Thomas LewisChurch of St Elvan, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taffnorth wall
The text below the main scenes reads 'For many are called, but few are chosen' (Matthew 22:14).
Given by Sir W.T. Lewis, first Lord Merthyr of Senghenydd, in memory of his associates, the 'Captains of Industry'.The subject appears to be the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20), in which all of the workers are paid the same regardless of the time at which they were hired, to the annoyance of those who had worked all day. It could perhaps depict the parable of the talents, a more common subject, but the master does not clearly hand over anything in the left-hand light, and there are only two men in this scene. The text below, from Matthew 22, is not related to either parable, but concludes the parable in which a king holds a marriage feast for his son, to which those who were invited did not come, and those from the highways 'both bad and good' were brought in. (ObjectID=4574 ImageID=8567) Original File Name=Aberdare_DSC8569A.jpgRecord added by Martin Crampin. Last updated on 19-05-2016
For other views of this work click on the image(s) below:This work is indexed under the following main subject(s):
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Show more subjectsMartin Crampin, Stained Glass from Welsh Churches (Talybont: Y Lolfa, 2014), p. 158.
Click to show suggested citation for this recordMartin Crampin (ed.), Stained Glass in Wales Catalogue, University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth, 2016.
https://stainedglass.delweddau.cymru/object/4574 (accessed 6 July 2025)
View this object on the Imaging the Bible in Wales database
 Photo © Martin Crampin
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