Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Edwards, Roger
EDWARDS, ROGER, D.D. (1811–1886), Welsh Calvinistic methodist, was born in 1811, the year in which the Calvinistic methodists first assumed the power to ordain their own ministers; and he grew up amid the controversy over Calvin's five great points. Ebenezer Morris, John Elias, &c., were then leading lights in the denomination. In 1835 he became editor of 'Cronicl yr Oes,' perhaps the first Welsh political paper; this he conducted for four years, writing most of it himself. The leaders in the 'Chronicle' for 1836 on the 'House of Lords,' 'The Ballot,' and 'Church Rates' were strongly radical, and they brought on young Edwards the charge of socialism and sympathy with Tom Paine. From 1839 to 1874 Le was secretary of the Calvinistic Methodist Association. In January 1845 appeared the first number of the 'Traethodydd,' of which he was co-editor with his namesake Lewis Edwards[q.v.] till 1855, and after that with another till his death in 1886. He was editor of the 'Drysorfa' (a magazine founded in 1779 by Thomas Charles of Bala [q. v.] 1846-86. Besides this he published two volumes of the 'Preacher,' a hymn-book, the Welsh Psalmist; 'Methodist Diary;' James Hughes's 'Expositor,' with additional notes; Henru Rees' of Liverpool, 'Sermons,' 3 vols. He was the first to publish a serial story in Welsh; of these he wrote three.
[Memoir in Drysorfa for September and October 1886.]