Ebenezer Henderson
Encyclopedia
Ebenezer Henderson a Scottish
divine, was born at the Linn near Dunfermline
, and died at Mortlake
.
He was the youngest son of an agricultural labourer, and after three years schooling spent some time at watchmaking and as a shoemaker's apprentice. In 1803 he joined Robert Haldane
's theological seminary, and in 1805 was selected to accompany the Rev. John Paterson to India
; but--as the East India Company
would not allow British vessels to convey missionaries to India--Henderson and his colleague went to Denmark to await the chance of a passage to Serampur, then a Danish port.
Being unexpectedly delayed, and having begun to preach in Copenhagen
, they ultimately decided to settle in Denmark
, and in 1806 Henderson became pastor at Elsinore
. From this time till about 1817 he was engaged in encouraging the distribution of Bibles in the Scandinavia
n countries, and in the course of his labors he visited Sweden
and Lapland (1807-1808), Iceland
(1814-1815) and the mainland of Denmark and part of Germany
(1816). During most of this time he was an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society
.
On October 6, 1811 he formed the first Congregational church in Sweden. In 1818, after a visit to England, he travelled in company with Paterson through Russia
as far south as Tiflis, but, instead of settling as was proposed at Astrakhan
, he retraced his steps, having resigned his connection with the Bible Society
owing to his disapproval of a translation of the Scriptures, which had been made in Turkish.
In 1822 he was invited by Prince Alexander (Galitzin) to assist the Russian Bible Society in translating the Scriptures into various languages spoken in the Russian empire. After twenty years of foreign labour Henderson returned to England, and in 1825 was appointed tutor of the Mission College, Gosport.
In 1830 he succeeded Dr William Harrison as theological lecturer and professor of Oriental languages in Highbury Congregational College. In 1850, on the amalgamation of the colleges of Homerton, Coward andHighbury, he retired on a pension. In 1852-1853 he was pastor of Sheen Vale chapel at Mortlake. His last work was a translation of the book of Ezekiel
.
Henderson was a man of great linguistic attainment. He made himself more or less acquainted, not only with the ordinary languages of scholarly accomplishment and the various members of the Scandinavian group, but also with Hebrew
, Syriac, Ethiopic, Russian, Arabic, Tatar, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Manchu, Mongolian
and Coptic
. He organized the first Bible Society in Denmark (1814), and paved the way for several others. In 1817 he was nominated by the Scandinavian Literary Society a corresponding member; and in 1840 he was made DD
by the university of Copenhagen
. He was honorary secretary for life of the Religious Tract Society
, and one of the first promoters of the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Jews
.
The records of his travels in Iceland (1818) were valuable contributions to our knowledge of that island. His other principal works are:
See Memoirs of Ebenezer Henderson, by Thulia S Henderson (his daughter) (London, 1859); Congregational Year Book (1859).
He is buried at Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, London, where his memorial records some of his achievements.
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Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
divine, was born at the Linn near Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
, and died at Mortlake
Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-History:...
.
He was the youngest son of an agricultural labourer, and after three years schooling spent some time at watchmaking and as a shoemaker's apprentice. In 1803 he joined Robert Haldane
Robert Haldane
-Biography:Haldane was born in London, the son of James Haldane 2nd of Airthrey House, and his wife Katherine Duncan. His younger brother James Alexander Haldane was also a clergyman...
's theological seminary, and in 1805 was selected to accompany the Rev. John Paterson to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
; but--as the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
would not allow British vessels to convey missionaries to India--Henderson and his colleague went to Denmark to await the chance of a passage to Serampur, then a Danish port.
Being unexpectedly delayed, and having begun to preach in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, they ultimately decided to settle in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and in 1806 Henderson became pastor at Elsinore
Elsinore
Helsingør is a city and the municipal seat of Helsingør municipality on the northeast coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Helsingør has a population of 46,279 including the southern suburbs of Snekkersten and Espergærde...
. From this time till about 1817 he was engaged in encouraging the distribution of Bibles in the Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n countries, and in the course of his labors he visited Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Lapland (1807-1808), Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
(1814-1815) and the mainland of Denmark and part of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(1816). During most of this time he was an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society
British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world....
.
On October 6, 1811 he formed the first Congregational church in Sweden. In 1818, after a visit to England, he travelled in company with Paterson through Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as far south as Tiflis, but, instead of settling as was proposed at Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
, he retraced his steps, having resigned his connection with the Bible Society
Bible society
A Bible society is a non-profit organization devoted to translating, publishing, distributing the Bible at affordable costs and advocating its credibility and trustworthiness in contemporary cultural life...
owing to his disapproval of a translation of the Scriptures, which had been made in Turkish.
In 1822 he was invited by Prince Alexander (Galitzin) to assist the Russian Bible Society in translating the Scriptures into various languages spoken in the Russian empire. After twenty years of foreign labour Henderson returned to England, and in 1825 was appointed tutor of the Mission College, Gosport.
In 1830 he succeeded Dr William Harrison as theological lecturer and professor of Oriental languages in Highbury Congregational College. In 1850, on the amalgamation of the colleges of Homerton, Coward andHighbury, he retired on a pension. In 1852-1853 he was pastor of Sheen Vale chapel at Mortlake. His last work was a translation of the book of Ezekiel
Book of Ezekiel
The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah and preceding the Book of the Twelve....
.
Henderson was a man of great linguistic attainment. He made himself more or less acquainted, not only with the ordinary languages of scholarly accomplishment and the various members of the Scandinavian group, but also with Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, Syriac, Ethiopic, Russian, Arabic, Tatar, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Manchu, Mongolian
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
and Coptic
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
. He organized the first Bible Society in Denmark (1814), and paved the way for several others. In 1817 he was nominated by the Scandinavian Literary Society a corresponding member; and in 1840 he was made DD
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
by the university of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
. He was honorary secretary for life of the Religious Tract Society
Religious Tract Society
The Religious Tract Society, founded 1799, 56 Paternoster Row and 65 St. Paul's Chuchyard, was the original name of a major British publisher of Christian literature intended initially for evangelism, and including literature aimed at children, women, and the poor.The RTS is also notable for being...
, and one of the first promoters of the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Jews
British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Jews
The British Society for Propagating the Gospel Among the Jews founded London 1842, was the Presbyterian and dissenting churches' counterpart to the Anglican London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews . The two societies were in large part identical, but representing high-church and...
.
The records of his travels in Iceland (1818) were valuable contributions to our knowledge of that island. His other principal works are:
- Iceland, or the Journal of a Residence in that Island (2 vols, 1818)
- Biblical Researches and Travels in Russia (1826)
- Elements of Biblical Criticism and Interpretation (1830)
- The Vaudoir, a Tour of the Valleys of Piedmont (1845)
See Memoirs of Ebenezer Henderson, by Thulia S Henderson (his daughter) (London, 1859); Congregational Year Book (1859).
He is buried at Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, London, where his memorial records some of his achievements.
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