Elder P. S. Rhodes, pastor of the Edinburg Christian Church, is a native of Rockingham County, Va., born on the 25th day of November, 1838. His parents, David and Magdalene E. Hildebrand Rhodes, were also natives of Virginia, in which state the father followed the farmer’s occupation. He was a minister of the Mennonite Church, and died in the year 1859, aged forty-nine years. Mrs. Rhodes is still living on the old homestead in Rockingham County, having reached her seventy-eighth year. Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes raised a family of twelve sons. The subject of this sketch was reared in his native state, and received a good common school education. He afterward became a student of Washington College, Iowa, where he pursued his studies for sometime, with the object of entering the ministry in view, and also taught several terms of school, and earned the reputation of a successful instructor. He was ordained a minister of the Christian Church, at Chandler, Iowa, October, 1872, by Elders E. S. Athearn and C. White, and immediately thereafter entered upon the active duties of his calling among the churches of that state. In 1874, he returned to Virginia, and, after preaching several years in his native county, accepted the position of district evangelist, and later became evangelist for the state, which work required his time and attention for nearly five years. He founded, in 1880, at the town of Gordonsville, Va., the Atlantic Missionary, a religious periodical, with which he was identified in the capacity of editor about four years, contributing in the meantime to columns of various papers of the church with which he is connected. Owing to the poor health of his family, he was compelled to discontinue missionary and evangelistic work, and accept a pastorate, which he did in 1887, moving that year to Edinburg, where he has since ministered with great acceptance to the large congregation at this place. Elder Rhodes is a popular minister, and possesses many of the elements which go to make up the successful pulpit orator. He is earnest and faithful in the presentation of scriptural truth, honest in his religious convictions, and has already won a warm place in the affections of his congregation. He was married September 11, 1862, in Keokuk, Iowa, to Miss Isabelle Lawler, daughter of Ausburn Lawler. Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes have a family of six children, viz.: John, Medora, Ella, William, Bertie and Florence.