June 25 Today in OPC History

Edward Louis Kellogg was born on June 25, 1912. As the great-grandson of Jonathan Blanchard, Wheaton College’s founder and first president, it was fitting that Ed was born in Wheaton, IL. One of six children, after graduating from Wheaton High School Ed then enrolled in the family college nearby.

While a student there, Ed met and eventually became engaged to Eleanor Peterman, to whom he would remain married for 64 years. Though his early interests included mathematics and architecture, when he heard Machen preach during a visit to the College, Ed turned his mind toward the study of theology and the Gospel ministry. After finishing at Wheaton, Ed moved to Philadelphia to attend Westminster. The summer before enrolling at WTS he supported himself selling Bibles.

Insufficient funds prevented the Kelloggs from serving in India with the Committee on Foreign Missions after Ed finished at WTS. Instead he took a call to pastor his first church in New York City. From there he next served at Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Middletown, PA. All told, Ed served seven OP congregations in various capacities and helped to start eight. Though retiring in 1983, he responded to the call of the Committee on Christian Education five years later to serve a one-year term in Philadelphia as interim General Secretary. Thereafter he moved back to the San Diego area where Ed served as interim pastor for the OPC in Bonita, California, one of several he had planted in southern California. The Kelloggs’ final home was in Leesburg, VA, where Ed helped his son-in-law Ed Urban in the ministry of Bethel OPC, and Eleanor faithfully taught Sunday School and played the organ. He entered the rolls of the church triumphant on August 23, 2001.