His was a varied and versatile career. He was above all a preacher , but, although he officiated regularly at Associations and festivals, he does not rank amongst the giants of the pulpit. He was, however, the foremost administrator of his denomination and contributed more than any other of his contemporaries to the evolving and perfecting of the intricate connexional structure. He occupied for practically thirty-five years ( 1840-70 and 1871-5 ) the key position of secretary of the North Wales C.M. Association , was moderator of the General Assembly ( 1872 ), and twice moderator of the Association ( 1870 and 1886 ).

As editor of Y Drysorfa ( 1847-86 ; up to 1853 jointly with John Roberts of Liverpool ), by first publishing in serial form his own novels, starting with Y Tri Brawd , 1866 , he allayed Methodist suspicion of fictional literature and thus prepared the way for Daniel Owen (q.v.) , whose ‘discoverer’ he was, inducing him to contribute Y Dreflan to that journal. He was, jointly with Lewis Edwards (q.v.) , a founder-editor of Y Drysorfa , continuing as joint editor (for the last ten years with Owen Thomas , q.v.) until 1865 . His greatest service was perhaps rendered as editor of Cronicl Oes , 1835-9 , the first political newspaper in Welsh . He showed audacity and courage in venturing openly to espouse Radical principles, thereby incurring the wrath of John Elias and defying the official, traditional, attitude of Calvinistic Methodism . His pioneer work in the Cronicl foreshadowed that of Gwilym Hiraethog in Yr Amserau and of Thomas Gee in Y Faner , and laid the foundation for the political Liberalism which later became so characteristic of North Wales . He also edited Y Pregethwr , 1841-2 , Y Dyddiadur Methodistaidd , 1843-86 , and Y Salmydd Cymreig (first published in 1840 ). He was also a poet ( Caneuon Roger Edwards , first published in 1855 ) and a hymn-writer .