Joseph Kemp
Encyclopedia
Joseph William Kemp was a Baptist
minister and preacher, a revival
ist, and a leader of the Christian fundamentalist movement in New Zealand
. He was born in Kingston-on-Hull, England, and died in Auckland
, New Zealand.
, Kemp worked as a bible class teacher in his early years, and studied at the Glasgow Bible Training Institute
from 1893-1895. He pastored churches in Kelso (1897–1898), Hawick
(1898–1902), and Charlotte Chape, Edinburgh
(1902–1915), and then pastored Calvary Baptist Church
(1915–1917) and Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle (1917–1919) in New York
.
. He was known as the prime spokesperson for American
fundamentalism in New Zealand. He founded the New Zealand Bible Training Institute in 1922. This college went on to become the leading educational institutional for evangelicals in New Zealand, a position it holds to this day as Laidlaw College. He founded the Reaper in March 1923, a monthly journal devoted to fundamentalist and revivalist theology, and in 1924 helped to found the Ngaruawahia
convention.
After seeing the detrimental effect of fundamentalism on interdenominational work during a visit to the United States in 1926, Kemp softened his stance somewhat, partly due to the influence of Baptist College of New Zealand principal J. J. North. He was a leading influence on a number of leading New Zealand evangelicals, including William H. Pettit
and E. M. Blaiklock
. His grandson Ian served as a lecturer, vice principal and acting Principal at the Auckland campus of Bible College of New Zealand, and his great-grandson Hugh has served as lecturer and Dean at the Manawatu Regional center of Bible College of New Zealand
in Palmerston North.
Kemp was a member of the Baptist College committee (1923–1933), president of the Baptist Union of New Zealand
(1929), and vice president of the Crusader Union of New Zealand (1931–1933).
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister and preacher, a revival
Christian revival
Christian revival is a term that generally refers to a specific period of increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of a church congregation or many churches, either regionally or globally...
ist, and a leader of the Christian fundamentalist movement in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was born in Kingston-on-Hull, England, and died in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand.
UK and US
Influenced by the Keswick movementKeswick Convention
The Keswick Convention is an annual gathering of evangelical Christians in Keswick, in the English county of Cumbria.- History :The Keswick Convention began in 1875 as a catalyst and focal point for the emerging Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom. It was founded by an Anglican, Canon T. D....
, Kemp worked as a bible class teacher in his early years, and studied at the Glasgow Bible Training Institute
Bible Training Institute
The International Christian College in Glasgow was formed in 1998 as the result of a merger between Glasgow Bible College and Northumbria Bible College , moving to its present premises at 110 St...
from 1893-1895. He pastored churches in Kelso (1897–1898), Hawick
Hawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
(1898–1902), and Charlotte Chape, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
(1902–1915), and then pastored Calvary Baptist Church
Calvary Baptist Church (Manhattan)
Calvary Baptist Church is located at 123 West 57th Street between the Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue, near Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is an independent, non-affiliated church. The senior pastor is Rev. David Paul Epstein, the brother of television personality...
(1915–1917) and Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle (1917–1919) in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
New Zealand
In August 1920 Kemp was appointed to the Auckland Baptist TabernacleAuckland Baptist Tabernacle
The Auckland Baptist Tabernacle is a heritage-listed church located near the corner of Queen Street and Karangahape Road, at the edge of Auckland central business district in New Zealand.-History:...
. He was known as the prime spokesperson for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fundamentalism in New Zealand. He founded the New Zealand Bible Training Institute in 1922. This college went on to become the leading educational institutional for evangelicals in New Zealand, a position it holds to this day as Laidlaw College. He founded the Reaper in March 1923, a monthly journal devoted to fundamentalist and revivalist theology, and in 1924 helped to found the Ngaruawahia
Ngaruawahia
Ngāruawāhia is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers...
convention.
After seeing the detrimental effect of fundamentalism on interdenominational work during a visit to the United States in 1926, Kemp softened his stance somewhat, partly due to the influence of Baptist College of New Zealand principal J. J. North. He was a leading influence on a number of leading New Zealand evangelicals, including William H. Pettit
William H. Pettit
William Haddow Pettit was a Christian missionary to Bangladesh with the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society from 1910-1915, and a leader of the fundamentalist/evangelical movement in New Zealand in the 1920s and 1930s...
and E. M. Blaiklock
Edward Musgrave Blaiklock
Edward Musgrave Blaiklock was chair of Classics at Auckland University from 1947 to 1968, and champion of Christian apologetic literature in New Zealand from the 1950s until his death in 1983.-Childhood:...
. His grandson Ian served as a lecturer, vice principal and acting Principal at the Auckland campus of Bible College of New Zealand, and his great-grandson Hugh has served as lecturer and Dean at the Manawatu Regional center of Bible College of New Zealand
Bible College of New Zealand
Laidlaw College, formerly known as Bible College of New Zealand , is an evangelical Bible college in New Zealand. The college offers tertiary courses in biblical, theological, historical and pastoral studies. It also offers teaching and counseling degrees...
in Palmerston North.
Kemp was a member of the Baptist College committee (1923–1933), president of the Baptist Union of New Zealand
Baptist Union of New Zealand
The Baptist Union of New Zealand is an association of Baptist churches in the country of New Zealand.Several Baptists settled in New Zealand in the 1840s, but the first Baptist minister, Decimus Dolamore from Yorkshire, England, did not arrive until May 1851...
(1929), and vice president of the Crusader Union of New Zealand (1931–1933).