Following his conversion by Griffith Jones, Llanddowror, in 1735, he became renowned as a preacher and made Llangeitho memorable as a centre for Calvinistic Methodism in Wales.

[3] The Anglican Church authorities deprived him of his Nantcwnlle curacy in about 1763, an action which was unpopular with parishioners.

[1] Following this, he established a Methodist "cause" in Llangeitho, and by 1770 was said to be attracting congregations of over a thousand, making it necessary to preach outdoors.

[7] One of the best-known of Rowland's sermons is "The Redeemer's Voice", which takes as its text a passage from the Book of Revelation.

[8] At first Rowland and Harris worked together as leaders of the Methodist revival, but by 1741, they had fallen out, and in 1750 they ceased to cooperate.