Roger Laurence
Encyclopedia
Roger Laurence was an English nonjuring
priest and controversialist.
in April 1679, from the ward of St Botolph, Bishopsgate, on the presentation of Sir John Laurence, merchant, of London. On 22 November 1688 he was discharged and bound for seven years to a merchant vessel. He was afterwards employed by the firm of Lethieullier, merchants of London, and was sent by them to Spain, where he remained for some years.
He studied divinity
, became dissatisfied with his baptism
among dissenters, and was informally baptised at Christ Church, Newgate Street, on 31 March 1708, by John Bates, reader at the church. Laurence's act attracted attention, and was disapproved by the Bishop of London
. Laurence then published his Lay Baptism Invalid, which gave rise to a controversy. It was discussed at a dinner of thirteen bishops at Lambeth Palace
on 22 April 1712, and a declaration was drawn up in favour of the validity of baptisms performed by non-episcopally ordained ministers. This was offered to Convocation on 14 May 1712, but rejected by the lower house after some debate.
Through the influence of Charles Wheatly
, then Fellow of St John's College, Oxford
an honorary degree of M.A. was conferred on Laurence by the University of Oxford
on 16 July 1713. He was ordained deacon
on 30 November, and priest on 19 December 1714, by the nonjuring bishop George Hickes
. In 1716–18 nonjuring ordinations took place in Lawrence's chapel on College Hill, City of London
. He was consecrated a bishop by Archibald Campbell
in 1733; but his consecration, performed by a single bishop, as not recognised by other nonjurors. A new faction was started, of which Campbell and Laurence were the leaders, Thomas Brett
being at the head of the original body of nonjurors.
Laurence died on 6 March 1736 at Kent House, Beckenham
, the country residence of the Lethieulliers, aged nearly 66, and was buried at Beckenham on 11 March. In his will, made 29 February 1736, he is described as 'of the parish of St. Saviours in Southwark.' He left all his property to his wife, Jane Laurence, whose maiden name was Holman.
Nonjuring schism
The nonjuring schism was a split in the Church of England in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, over whether William of Orange and his wife Mary could legally be recognised as King and Queen of England....
priest and controversialist.
Life
The son of Roger Laurence, armorer, he was born 18 March 1670, and admitted on the royal mathematical foundation to Christ's HospitalChrist's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
in April 1679, from the ward of St Botolph, Bishopsgate, on the presentation of Sir John Laurence, merchant, of London. On 22 November 1688 he was discharged and bound for seven years to a merchant vessel. He was afterwards employed by the firm of Lethieullier, merchants of London, and was sent by them to Spain, where he remained for some years.
He studied divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
, became dissatisfied with his baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
among dissenters, and was informally baptised at Christ Church, Newgate Street, on 31 March 1708, by John Bates, reader at the church. Laurence's act attracted attention, and was disapproved by the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
. Laurence then published his Lay Baptism Invalid, which gave rise to a controversy. It was discussed at a dinner of thirteen bishops at Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. It is located in Lambeth, on the south bank of the River Thames a short distance upstream of the Palace of Westminster on the opposite shore. It was acquired by the archbishopric around 1200...
on 22 April 1712, and a declaration was drawn up in favour of the validity of baptisms performed by non-episcopally ordained ministers. This was offered to Convocation on 14 May 1712, but rejected by the lower house after some debate.
Through the influence of Charles Wheatly
Charles Wheatly
Charles Wheatly was an English clergyman, known for writings on the Book of Common Prayer.-Life:He was born on 6 February 1686, the son of John Wheatly, a tradesman of London. His mother, whose maiden name was White, was a descendant of Ralph White, brother of Sir Thomas White...
, then Fellow of St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
an honorary degree of M.A. was conferred on Laurence by the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
on 16 July 1713. He was ordained deacon
Deacon
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...
on 30 November, and priest on 19 December 1714, by the nonjuring bishop George Hickes
George Hickes
George Hickes was an English divine and scholar.-Biography:Hickes was born at Newsham, near Thirsk, Yorkshire, in 1642...
. In 1716–18 nonjuring ordinations took place in Lawrence's chapel on College Hill, City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. He was consecrated a bishop by Archibald Campbell
Archibald Campbell (bishop)
Archibald Campbell was a clergyman of the Scottish Episcopal Church who served as Bishop of Aberdeen. He was the son of Lord Neill Campbell by his wife Lady Vere Ker; his grandfathers were Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, and William Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian.He was a student of the...
in 1733; but his consecration, performed by a single bishop, as not recognised by other nonjurors. A new faction was started, of which Campbell and Laurence were the leaders, Thomas Brett
Thomas Brett (nonjuror)
Thomas Brett was an English nonjuring clergyman known as an author.-Life:He was the son of Thomas Brett of Spring Grove, Wye, Kent. His father descended from a family settled at Wye; his mother was Letitia, daughter of John Boys of Betshanger, Sandwich, where Brett was born. He was educated at Wye...
being at the head of the original body of nonjurors.
Laurence died on 6 March 1736 at Kent House, Beckenham
Beckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
, the country residence of the Lethieulliers, aged nearly 66, and was buried at Beckenham on 11 March. In his will, made 29 February 1736, he is described as 'of the parish of St. Saviours in Southwark.' He left all his property to his wife, Jane Laurence, whose maiden name was Holman.
Works
He published:- 'Lay Baptism Invalid, or an Essay to prove that such Baptism is Null and Void when administer'd in opposition to the Divine Right of the Apostolical Succession. By a Lay Hand' (anon.), London, 1708. Editions, with various alterations, appeared in 1709, 1712, 1714, 1723, and 1725, and a reprint, edited by W. Scott, in 1841. The book was attacked by Gilbert BurnetGilbert BurnetGilbert Burnet was a Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian...
in a sermon (7 November 1710); by Bishop William FleetwoodWilliam FleetwoodWilliam Fleetwood was an English preacher, Bishop of St Asaph and Bishop of Ely, remembered by economists and statisticians for constructing a price index in his Chronicon Preciosum of 1707.-Life:...
in an anonymous pamphlet; by Bishop William Talbot in a charge of 1712; and by Joseph BinghamJoseph BinghamJoseph Bingham , English scholar and divine, was born at Wakefield in Yorkshire.He was educated at University College, Oxford, of which he was made fellow in 1689 and tutor in 1691...
in his 'Scholastical History of Lay Baptism,' (1712). Laurence was supported by George Hickes and Thomas Brett. - 'Sacerdotal Powers, or the Necessity of Confession, Penance, and Absolution. Together with the Nullity of Unauthoriz'd Lay Baptism asserted' (anon., in reply to the Bishop of Salisbury), London, 1711; 2nd edit. 1713; a reprint of the first four chapters was edited by William Gresley in 1852.
- 'Dissenters' and other Unauthoriz'd Baptisms Null and Void, by the Articles, Canons, and Rubricks of the Church of England' (in answer to Fleetwood), London, 1712; 2nd edit. 1713; 3rd edit. 1810; reprint by William ScottWilliam Scott (clergyman)William Scott was an English clergyman, a leading High Church figure of his time.-Life:Born in London on 2 May 1813, he was the second son of Thomas Scott, merchant, of Clement's Lane and Newington, Surrey. In October 1827 he was entered at Merchant Taylors' School, and on 14 June 1831 he...
with 'Lay Baptism Invalid,' 1841. - 'The Bishop of Oxford's Charge consider'd.'
- 'The Second Part of Lay Baptism Invalid,' in which he tries to prove his position from Bingham's 'Scholastical History,' London, 1713. Bingham replied in a second part of his 'Scholastical History.' Laurence rejoined in the next.
- 'Supplement to the 1st and 2nd Parts of Lay Baptism Invalid' (assailing also White KennettWhite KennettWhite Kennett was an English bishop and antiquarian.-Life:He was born at Dover. He was educated at Westminster School and at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where, while an undergraduate, he published several translations of Latin works, including Erasmus' In Praise of Folly.Kennett was vicar of...
) (anon.), London, 1714. Bingham again replied, but was not answered. An bibliography of the controversy respecting lay baptism and Laurence's position is given in Warwick Elwin's 'Minister of Baptism,' pp. 258 et seq. - 'Mr. Leslie's Defence from some ... Principles Advanc'd in a Letter, said to have been written by him concerning the New Separation' (anon.), 1719.
- 'The Indispensable Obligation of Ministring the Great Necessaries of Publick Worship ... By a Lover of Truth' (anon.), London, 1732–1734. (a) 'The Indispensable Obligation ... with a Detection of the False Reasonings in Dr. B——t's Printed Letter to the Author of "Two Discourses,"' 1732. (b) 'A Supplement to the Indispensable Obligations,' &c., 1733. (c) 'The Supplement Continued,' 1734; in which Laurence comments on his own views and works in the third person.