EDWARDS, JOHN (fl. second half of 17th century), preacher and 'strict' Baptist of Abergavenny, and by trade a shoemaker

He was baptized at Abergavenny 16 June 1653, elected deacon on probation on the following 29 December, and a preacher during the same month. He took a prominent part at Abergavenny in a controversy on the question of baptism in the same year, and signed the humble representation and address to Oliver Cromwell from the South Wales churches in 1656. He was appointed by authority of the Triers to preach at Llan-gors, Brecknock (Cathedine according to Calamy), but was superseded by the Anglican incumbent Thomas Morgan, 9 December 1660. He withstood the hardship of the period of religious persecution which followed, and on 10 August 1672, under the Declaration of Indulgence, his home at Abergavenny was licensed as a meeting house. The date of his death is not known, but there is a reference to him as late as 1689-90 as a deacon at Llangwm, Monmouth, 'faithful in office though in low circumstances.'

Author

• Benjamin George Owens

Sources

• J. Walker, An attempt towards recovering an account of the numbers and sufferings of the clergy of the Church of England, heads of colleges, fellows, scholars, etc., who were sequester'd, harrass'd, etc. in the late times of the Grand Rebellion occasion'd by the ninth chapter (now the second volume) of Dr. Calamy's Abridgment of the life of Mr. Baxter. Together with an examination of that chapter, i, 160, ii, 258
• Edmund Calamy, An account of the ministers, lecturers, masters, and fellows of colleges and schoolmasters, who were ejected or silenced after the Restoration in 1660. By or before, the Act for Uniformity. (London 1713), ii, 733
• David Jones, Hanes y Bedyddwyr yn Neheubarth Cymru (1839), 212, 216-8, 245
• Joshua Thomas, Hanes y Bedyddwyr ymhlith y Cymry: o amser yr Apostolion, hyd y flwyddyn hon: yn ddwy ran (Caerfyrddin 1778), Atodiad, 6
• T. Richards, Religious Developments in Wales, 1654–1662 (1923), 45, 51, 386
• T. Richards, Wales under the Penal Code, 1662-1687 (1925), 99
• T. Richards, Wales under the Indulgence, 37, 98, 159-60, 198
• Joshua Thomas, A History of the Baptist Association in Wales (1795), 20
• Thomas Rees, History of Protestant Nonconformity in Wales from its rise in 1633 to the present time (London 1883), 140-1
• N.L.W. Civil War Tract, no. 141
• Hanes y Bedyddwyr yn Nghymru, ii, 465-6, iii, 12
• Josiah Thomas Jones, Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru (Aberdâr 1867-70), i, 232

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733395

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/