Morgan Edwards
Encyclopedia
Morgan Edwards was a Welsh
historian
of religion
, Baptist
pastor, and notable for his teaching on the 'rapture' before its popularization by John Nelson Darby
(1800 – 1882).
Edwards was born in Trevethin parish, Pontypool
, Wales
, and attended Bristol College, after which he began preaching in 1738. He pastored several small Baptist churches in England
for seven years, then moved to Ireland
, where he pastored for nine years. In May of 1761 he immigrated to the American colonies, and became pastor of the Baptist church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the only known Baptist clergyman to side with the Tories in the American Revolution
.
After the war, he became what has been referred to as the premier Baptist historian of his day. He may have been the first American Baptist historian. His major work, Materials Toward A History of the Baptists (1770) is an important source describing the Baptists in America. He later produced a companion volume, Materials Toward A History of the Baptists in New Jersey (1792)
In his Materials for a History of the Baptists in Rhode Island
, Edwards wrote:
"The first mover [himself] for it [a Baptist college] in 1762 was laughed at as a projector of a thing impracticable. Nay, many of the Baptists themselves discouraged the design (prophesying evil to the churches in case it should take place) from an unhappy prejudice against learning."http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/University_Library/exhibits/education/founding.html In 1764, Edwards joined The Reverend James Manning, The Reverend Ezra Stiles
, the Reverend Isaac Backus
, the Reverend John Gano
, the Reverend Samuel Stillman
, William Ellery, and former Royal Governors Stephen Hopkins
and Samuel Ward among several others as an original fellow or trustee for the chartering of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
(the former name for Brown University
), the first Baptist college in the original thirteen colonies
and one of the Ivy League
universities.http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Corporation/downloads/charter-of-brown-university.pdf
Edwards is notable for his early pretribulationism, predating John Nelson Darby
(1800 – 1882) and popularization of the idea. Pretribulationism is the view that Christian believers will be raptured or translated to heaven with Christ before the events of the tribulation
. Edwards taught in 1788:
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
of religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
pastor, and notable for his teaching on the 'rapture' before its popularization by John Nelson Darby
John Nelson Darby
John Nelson Darby was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. He is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism. He produced a translation of the Bible based on the Hebrew and Greek texts called The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation...
(1800 – 1882).
Edwards was born in Trevethin parish, Pontypool
Pontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and attended Bristol College, after which he began preaching in 1738. He pastored several small Baptist churches in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for seven years, then moved to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where he pastored for nine years. In May of 1761 he immigrated to the American colonies, and became pastor of the Baptist church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the only known Baptist clergyman to side with the Tories in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
After the war, he became what has been referred to as the premier Baptist historian of his day. He may have been the first American Baptist historian. His major work, Materials Toward A History of the Baptists (1770) is an important source describing the Baptists in America. He later produced a companion volume, Materials Toward A History of the Baptists in New Jersey (1792)
In his Materials for a History of the Baptists in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, Edwards wrote:
"The first mover [himself] for it [a Baptist college] in 1762 was laughed at as a projector of a thing impracticable. Nay, many of the Baptists themselves discouraged the design (prophesying evil to the churches in case it should take place) from an unhappy prejudice against learning."http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/University_Library/exhibits/education/founding.html In 1764, Edwards joined The Reverend James Manning, The Reverend Ezra Stiles
Ezra Stiles
Ezra Stiles was an American academic and educator, a Congregationalist minister, theologian and author. He was president of Yale College .-Early life:...
, the Reverend Isaac Backus
Isaac Backus
Isaac Backus was a leading Baptist preacher during the era of the American Revolution who campaigned against state-established churches in New England....
, the Reverend John Gano
John Gano
John Gano was a Baptist minister and Revolutionary War chaplain who allegedly baptized his friend, General George Washington.-Biography:...
, the Reverend Samuel Stillman
Samuel Stillman
Dr. Samuel Stillman was an American Baptist minister. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised in South Carolina, he married Hannah Morgan and took a pastorate in South Carolina for several years....
, William Ellery, and former Royal Governors Stephen Hopkins
Stephen Hopkins (politician)
Stephen Hopkins was an American political leader from Rhode Island who signed the Declaration of Independence. He served as the Chief Justice and Governor of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and was a Delegate to the Colonial Congress in Albany in 1754 and to the...
and Samuel Ward among several others as an original fellow or trustee for the chartering of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
(the former name for Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
), the first Baptist college in the original thirteen colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
and one of the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
universities.http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Corporation/downloads/charter-of-brown-university.pdf
Edwards is notable for his early pretribulationism, predating John Nelson Darby
John Nelson Darby
John Nelson Darby was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, and an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren. He is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism. He produced a translation of the Bible based on the Hebrew and Greek texts called The Holy Scriptures: A New Translation...
(1800 – 1882) and popularization of the idea. Pretribulationism is the view that Christian believers will be raptured or translated to heaven with Christ before the events of the tribulation
Tribulation
The Great Tribulation refers to tumultuous events that are described during the "signs of the times", first mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet discourse...
. Edwards taught in 1788:
Sources
- Lindsey, Hal, Vanished Into Thin Air, Western Front, Ltd., 1999, p. 133.
- Ice, Thomas, Pre-Trib Perspectives Articles, http://www.according2prophecy.org/apredarby.html
- Welsh Biography On-line
- Brown University Charter
- Brown University's John Hay Library