Background
Edwards was born in Trevethin parish, Pontypool, Wales, and attended Bristol College, after which he began preaching in 1738.
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 1761 he immigrated to the American colonies, and became pastor of the Baptist church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was one of the few 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. 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:
The 70th week of Daniel 9 is often considered to be seven years and popularly called "The Tribulation" by modern Pre-tribulationists. Thus modern Pre-tribulationalists may refer to Morgan Edward's view above as mid-tribulationism, since it puts the Rapture only (about) 3 1/2 years before the Millennium, instead of 7 years.
However, for one who limits the "Tribulation" to 3 1/2 years, Morgan Edwards would have a pre-tribulation position.
Married twice; married second, Mistress.