David Simpson (priest)
Encyclopedia
Rev David Simpson, M.A. (12 October 1745 – 24 March 1799) was an Anglican
priest
who spent most of his career in Macclesfield
, Cheshire
, England.
, near Northallerton
, Yorkshire
, the son of Ralph Simpson, a farmer. He was expected to follow his father's occupation but as a boy received a calling to the ministry. He was educated at Scorton Grammar School
and then at St John's College, Cambridge
where he graduated B.A
in 1769 and M.A. in 1772. His theology was evangelical
and this was to cause problems during his career. As an undergraduate he became a friend of Rowland Hill
and he was also a close friend of John Wesley
, the founder of Methodism
.
and worked as a curate
in Ramsden Bellhouse
, Essex
. In 1771 he was ordained priest and became curate at Buckingham
. However he was forced to leave this position within one year because of his evangelical preaching. He was invited to move to Macclesfield by Charles Roe
, a local evangelical industrialist, and was appointed assistant curate at St Michael's Church
. His subsequent promotion to prime curacy was opposed by a group of parishioners and Roe built a new church for him, Christ Church
. Simpson was licensed in 1779 and he continued as minister of this church until his death in 1799.
As a result of his friendship with John Wesley, Wesley was invited to preach at Christ Church on at least 12 occasions, which was unusual for an Anglican church. In addition to his ministry at Christ Church he was also an itinerant preacher locally. He founded friendly societies
, charity school
s and Sunday schools
and attracted large congregations. He was a pioneer of congregational hymn
-singing and published a collection of hymns in 1776. He was a prolific author, publishing over 30 works, which included sermon
s, tracts
, essay
s, and volumes of apologetic
. Some of his collected writings are held in the library of St John's College, Cambridge.
Sunday 1799 and was buried two days later at Christ Church.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who spent most of his career in Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England.
Early life and education
David Simpson was born at Ingleby ArncliffeIngleby Arncliffe
Ingleby Arncliffe - is a small village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. The village itself merges into its smaller neighbour Ingleby Cross.-Notable residents:* Rev...
, near Northallerton
Northallerton
Northallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, the son of Ralph Simpson, a farmer. He was expected to follow his father's occupation but as a boy received a calling to the ministry. He was educated at Scorton Grammar School
Scorton Grammar School
Scorton Grammar School is a former grammar school that was located in Scorton village, in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England.It was founded by Leonard Robinson who bequeathed money, land and his house so that someone should "teach school in the town of Scorton"The school's latin motto was Sola...
and then at St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
where he graduated B.A
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1769 and M.A. in 1772. His theology was evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
and this was to cause problems during his career. As an undergraduate he became a friend of Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill (preacher)
Rowland Hill A.M. , was a popular English preacher, enthusiastic evangelical and an influential advocate of small-pox vaccination. He was founder and resident pastor of a wholly independent chapel, the Surrey Chapel, London; chairman of the Religious Tract Society; and a keen supporter of the...
and he was also a close friend of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
, the founder of Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
.
Career
In September 1769 Simpson was ordained deaconDeacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
and worked as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in Ramsden Bellhouse
Ramsden Bellhouse
Ramsden Bellhouse is a village in Essex, England. The village is in the district of Basildon and in the parliamentary constituency of Billericay.The River Crouch flows through Ramsden Bellhouse, flowing under Church Road....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. In 1771 he was ordained priest and became curate at Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
. However he was forced to leave this position within one year because of his evangelical preaching. He was invited to move to Macclesfield by Charles Roe
Charles Roe
Charles Roe was an English industrialist. He played an important part in establishing the silk industry in Macclesfield, Cheshire and later became involved in the mining and metal industries.-Early life and career:...
, a local evangelical industrialist, and was appointed assistant curate at St Michael's Church
St Michael's Church, Macclesfield
St Michael and All Angels Church, Macclesfield overlooks Market Place in the town of Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of...
. His subsequent promotion to prime curacy was opposed by a group of parishioners and Roe built a new church for him, Christ Church
Christ Church, Macclesfield
Christ Church, Macclesfield is a redundant Anglican church in Great King Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It is open to visitors at advertised times. ...
. Simpson was licensed in 1779 and he continued as minister of this church until his death in 1799.
As a result of his friendship with John Wesley, Wesley was invited to preach at Christ Church on at least 12 occasions, which was unusual for an Anglican church. In addition to his ministry at Christ Church he was also an itinerant preacher locally. He founded friendly societies
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
, charity school
Charity school
A charity school, also called Blue Coat School, was significant in the History of education in England. They were erected and maintained in various parishes, by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants, for teaching poor children to read, write, and other necessary parts of education...
s and Sunday schools
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
and attracted large congregations. He was a pioneer of congregational hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
-singing and published a collection of hymns in 1776. He was a prolific author, publishing over 30 works, which included sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s, tracts
Tract (literature)
A tract is a literary work, and in current usage, usually religious in nature. The notion of what constitutes a tract has changed over time. By the early part of the 21st century, these meant small pamphlets used for religious and political purposes, though far more often the former. They are...
, essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s, and volumes of apologetic
Apologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
. Some of his collected writings are held in the library of St John's College, Cambridge.
Personal life
Simpson married Ann Yaldy in May 1773 but she died 15 months later, leaving a daughter. He then married Elizabeth Davy in 1776; they had three children. He died on EasterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
Sunday 1799 and was buried two days later at Christ Church.
Further reading
- Shenton, Tim (2004), Forgotten Heroes of Revival, LeominsterLeominsterLeominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of the city of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at...
: Day One Publications.