John Simpson (Unitarian)
Encyclopedia
John Simpson was an English Unitarian minister and religious writer, known as a biblical critic. Some of his essays were very well known in the nineteenth century.
Simpson was also known for his rejection of the literal existence of the devil, following on from writers like Arthur Ashley Sykes
.
on 19 March 1746. After being at school at Kibworth
, Leicestershire
, under John Aikin
, and at Market Harborough
, he entered Warrington Academy
in 1760. In 1765 he migrated to Glasgow University, where he was a pupil of William Leechman
. Leaving Glasgow in 1767, he spent some years in home study. In April 1772 he succeeded Thomas Bruckshaw as junior minister of High Pavement Chapel
, Nottingham
. He became sole minister on the death of John Milne in the following September; in 1774 George Walker
became his colleague. Simpson and Walker got back a section of the congregation which had seceded in 1760. In August 1777 Simpson moved to Walthamstow
, Essex
, to assist Hugh Farmer
as afternoon preacher. He resigned this office in 1779, retired from active duty, married, and moved to Yorkshire
, living at Cottingham
, East Riding
; Little Woodham
, near Leeds
; and Leeds itself.
In 1791 he settled at Bath for the remainder of his days; there Simpson was pastor of the Unitarian Chapel, Princes Street. He died on 18 August 1812, and was buried on 31 August at Lyncomb, near Bath. He married, in 1780, Frances, daughter of Thomas Woodhouse of Gainsborough, and widow of Watson of Cottingham, and left one son, John Woodhouse Simpson of Rearsby
, Leicestershire. In his obituary he was praised as "one of the most amiable of men".
. He published a few sermons and a number of essays. Those on topics of biblical criticism were collected as his major work Essays on the Language of Scripture,’ Bath, 1806, enlarged, Bath, 1812, 2 vols. They include An Essay on the Duration of a Future State of Punishments and Rewards, 1803, 8vo; an argument for universal restoration, commended by Joseph Priestley
. Essays on the Language of Scripture was cited frequently in the second, Unitarian, edition of the Archbishop of Armagh William Newcome
's translation of the New Testament, where Simpson was given the abbreviation "Sn." indicating the work's wide use among Dissenters, Independents and Unitarians. The Essays were also cited in 19th-century general reference books.
Posthumous were:
Simpson was also known for his rejection of the literal existence of the devil, following on from writers like Arthur Ashley Sykes
Arthur Ashley Sykes
-Life:Sykes was born in London in 1683 or 1684 and educated at St. Paul's School. In 1701 he was admitted to Corpus Christi College at Cambridge, where he received scholarship , B.A. , M.A. , and D.D....
.
Life
The youngest son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Simpson, he was born at LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
on 19 March 1746. After being at school at Kibworth
Kibworth
Kibworth is an area of the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England, that contains two civil parishes—the villages of Kibworth Beauchamp and Kibworth Harcourt . According to the 2001 census, Kibworth Beauchamp has a population of 3,798, and Kibworth Harcourt has a population of 990. The two...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, under John Aikin
John Aikin (Unitarian)
John Aikin was an English Unitarian scholar and theological tutor, closely associated with Warrington Academy, a prominent dissenting academy.-Life:...
, and at Market Harborough
Market Harborough
Market Harborough is a market town within the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.It has a population of 20,785 and is the administrative headquarters of Harborough District Council. It sits on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border...
, he entered Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy
Warrington Academy, active as a teaching establishment from 1756 to 1782, was a prominent dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by those who dissented from the state church in England...
in 1760. In 1765 he migrated to Glasgow University, where he was a pupil of William Leechman
William Leechman
-Life:The son of William Leechman, a farmer of Dolphinton, Lanarkshire, he was educated at the parish school; theT father had taken down the quarters of Robert Baillie of Jerviswood, which had been exposed after his execution on the tolbooth of Lanark...
. Leaving Glasgow in 1767, he spent some years in home study. In April 1772 he succeeded Thomas Bruckshaw as junior minister of High Pavement Chapel
High Pavement Chapel
High Pavement Chapel is a building on High Pavement in Nottingham. It is now the Pitcher and Piano public house and is Grade II listed.-History:...
, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. He became sole minister on the death of John Milne in the following September; in 1774 George Walker
George Walker (Presbyterian)
George Walker was a versatile English dissenter, known as a mathematician, theologian, Fellow of the Royal Society, and activist.-Life:...
became his colleague. Simpson and Walker got back a section of the congregation which had seceded in 1760. In August 1777 Simpson moved to Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
, 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...
, to assist Hugh Farmer
Hugh Farmer
Hugh Farmer was an English Dissenter and theologian.He was educated at the Dissenting Academy in Northampton under Philip Doddridge, and became pastor of a congregation at Walthamstow, Essex. In 1701 he became preacher and one of the Tuesday lecturers at Salters' Hall, London...
as afternoon preacher. He resigned this office in 1779, retired from active duty, married, and moved to 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...
, living at Cottingham
Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire
Cottingham is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies just to the north-west of the city of Kingston upon Hull...
, East Riding
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
; Little Woodham
Little Woodham
The Living History Village of Little Woodham or The Seventeenth Century Village is a living museum dedicated to recreating life in a rural village in the mid-17th century...
, near Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
; and Leeds itself.
In 1791 he settled at Bath for the remainder of his days; there Simpson was pastor of the Unitarian Chapel, Princes Street. He died on 18 August 1812, and was buried on 31 August at Lyncomb, near Bath. He married, in 1780, Frances, daughter of Thomas Woodhouse of Gainsborough, and widow of Watson of Cottingham, and left one son, John Woodhouse Simpson of Rearsby
Rearsby
Rearsby is a village and civil parish in the Charnwood district of Leicestershire, England. The parish has a population of about 1,000. It is on the A607 road between Leicester and Melton Mowbray, and is just south of the River Wreake. Nearby places are East Goscote, Thrussington and Rotherby...
, Leicestershire. In his obituary he was praised as "one of the most amiable of men".
Works
Simpson lived much among his books, and made few friends; among them was Joseph StockJoseph Stock
Joseph Stock was an Irish Protestant churchman and writer, bishop of Killala and Achonry and afterwards bishop of Waterford and Lismore.-Life:...
. He published a few sermons and a number of essays. Those on topics of biblical criticism were collected as his major work Essays on the Language of Scripture,’ Bath, 1806, enlarged, Bath, 1812, 2 vols. They include An Essay on the Duration of a Future State of Punishments and Rewards, 1803, 8vo; an argument for universal restoration, commended by Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
. Essays on the Language of Scripture was cited frequently in the second, Unitarian, edition of the Archbishop of Armagh William Newcome
William Newcome
William Newcome was an Englishman and cleric of the Church of Ireland who was appointed to the bishoprics of Dromore , Ossory , Waterford and Lismore , and lastly to the Primatial See of Armagh .-Life:...
's translation of the New Testament, where Simpson was given the abbreviation "Sn." indicating the work's wide use among Dissenters, Independents and Unitarians. The Essays were also cited in 19th-century general reference books.
Works
- An essay to show that Christianity is best conveyed in the historic form. London 1782
- Christian arguments for social and public worship. 1792
- A reply to the Reverend Mr. Williams's answer to an essay, shewing that "Civil mandates for days of public worship are no argument against joining in it." 1794
- An essay on religious fasting and humiliation. London, 1795
- Thoughts on the novelty, the excellence, and the evidence, of the Christian religion. London, 1798
- Internal and presumptive evidences of Christianity, considered separately and as uniting to form one argument. London, 1801
- Internal and presumptive evidences of Christianity. 1801
- Plain thoughts on the New Testament doctrine of atonement. Cambridge, 1802
- Arguments for the use of a printed congregational liturgy, for public worship. 1803
- An essay on the duration of a future state of punishments and rewards. 1803
- An essay on the impropriety of the usual mode of teaching Christian theology. 1803
- An attempt to explain the meaning of the words satan, satanas, diabolos, and of other supposed synonymous expressions in the Old and New Testament. Bath 1804
- Essays on the language of scripture. Bath 1806
- An explanation of John 1:1 to 18. 1807
- Additional essays on the language of Scripture. London 1812
Posthumous were:
- ‘Two Essays … on the Effects of Christianity … on the Sabbath,’ &c., 1815.
- ‘Sermons,’ 1816, 8vo (ed. by his son).