Perth Amboy Evening News

FOR REV. EDGAR

Occupied Presbyterian Pulpit at Jamesburg for First Time.

Special to the EVENING NEWS.

Jamesburg, April 13.—The Rev. W. J. B. Edgar, the newly-called pastor of the Presbyterian church, preached his first sermon to a big audience yesterday morning at the Easter service. He received the call to the local church March 15th following a meeting of the congregation, the vote being unanimous. It is expected that Rev. Mr. Edgar will be installed as pastor some time during the latter part of April.

The Rev. W. J. B. Edgar, sometimes confused with his illustrious namesake, William Jennings Bryan, was born forty-five years ago in New York city. He spent the early part of his life in that city and during a short period resided at Jersey City. While a student at the High School there he was a classmate of New Jersey's present Governor, James Fielder. He received his college education at Princeton and was graduated from the Theological Seminary. Shortly after he was assigned to churches about the Quaker city and has been engaged in his work in that section ever since.

It was while pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church, of Philadelphia, that he has just left to accept the local call that Mr. Edgar has attained his greatest success in the pulpit. He was installed as pastor of that church twenty-one years ago and has been connected continuously ever since. The first pastor was assigned to the First United Presbyterian church that Mr. Edgar leaves in 1742. It was here that John Adams, previous to his elevation to the presidency of the United States, worshipped. During the American revolution the building was used as a hospital. On October 16th, 1910, the Rev. Edgar dedicated a new $150,000 church that is a beautiful piece of work in stone. For ten years Mr. Edgar has been president of the Philadelphia Ministers and Elders Union.

He was the organizer of the most strongest and most influential Improvement Association in West Philadelphia. His aggressive spirit has always found him a member of all the Citizen's Committees appointed by the different mayors of the Quaker city. He has been moderator of the Philadelphia Presbytery and for several years one of the prominent speakers at the afternoon meetings held in the Young Men's Christian Associations about the city on Sunday for men. He is therefore well qualified to accept the call to the local church after so successful a pastorate in the city. Had not a desire to locate in the country taken possession of his family Jamesburg would not have been so fortunate in securing so gifted and popular a leader.

Rev. Mr. Edgar will find a large field at the local Presbyterian church. He will be the seventh pastor since the founding of the church June 6th, 1854 with but eleven members. At the present time there are enrolled over five hundred communicants. The Sunday-school is also an important branch of the church life having an enrollment of over three hundred members. There are also two branches of the Sunday-school, one at Rhode Hall and Matchaponix.

That the pecuniary remuneration does not figure at all in the coming of the Rev. Mr. Edgar to the Jamesburg church is shown that he will receive less than half of the salary he now receives. As pastor of the Jamesburg church he will receive fifteen hundred dollars, the free use of the manse and a four weeks vacation during the summer months.