Date of Death: 8 Jun 1850
Subject: John Edwards
Source: The Weekly Tribune [Liberty, KS], 12 Jul 1850
A GREAT MAN FOR ISRAEL HAS FALLEN
Elder John Edwards, departed this life on the 8th day of June, 1850. He was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, the 16th day of March, 1778, and migrated to Kentucky in 1792, from thence to Clay County, Missouri, in 1826 and finally to Andrew County Missouri, where he died.
He commenced preaching the Gospel in 1800, in Kentucky; his first text was taken from lst Corinthians, IV Chapter, and 8th Verse: --- "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battle."
Elder Edwards was a tall spare man, more than six feet high, whose countenance was deeply marked with gravity and solemnity, and yet a pleasant serenity was always manifested.
The years 1800-1-2-3, in Kentucky, are seasons that will be handed down to posterity as an epoch in the Church of God that will never be forgotten. Many thousand during this period heard the sound of this "Trumpet, and prepared for the battle," and joined the ranks of the soldiers of Christ. He cut a conspicuous figure in his happy revival when some thousands were baptized. His whole heart was imbued with, and only concerned in the sounding of this trumpet in the holy mount of God, for the gathering of the people together and the journeying of the camps of Israel. He remained in these camps 26 years and thence came to Missouri, where he was equally indefatigable in blowing this 'Trumpet" to the joy .and transport of many in this state. He uniformly maintained the doctrine of grace as reigning in Election, in Regeneration, and final Glorification of the Redeemed of the Lord. For fifty years he was a burning and shining light in the army of saints, --- his bright example both as a minister and a saint was highly worthy of imitation.
This venerable man of God after having lived 72 years in the kingdom of nature, and having spent fifty of these brilliantly in the kingdom of grace, had a sudden attack on Tuesday, evening, closed his labors on Saturday evening, and was buried on the following Lords day surrounded by an immense concourse of brethren, neighbors, and friends not far from his own meeting house. The Apocalyptic Angel commanded John to write: --- "Blessed are the dead who died in the Lord." "Our fathers where are they, and the prophets do they live for ever." No, no, for the battle is ended, and he is now enjoying the triumph and glory for there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
He has left a dear and worthy consort, five sons and four daughters to mourn their loss, but their loss is his eternal gain; and they should not sorrow as those with out hope, for they have every reason to believe that he has gone home to that conquered promised rest.
The Church of God has lost a valuable member, a loving associate, and a faithful, discreet and a brilliant minister of the Gospel, of the grace. of God. The Angel in the Apocalypse, has written the divine epitaph himself on the death of all his servants, in the following sublime strain: --- "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of them shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe tears from their eyes. AMEN.