Edmund Butcher
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Edmund Butcher (28 April 1757 – 14 April 1822) was an
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
Unitarian minister.


Early life

Butcher was born on 28 April 1757, at
Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the ...
. The only son of an unsuccessful builder, he had early to struggle for a living. His primary education was given him by Dr. Thomas Stanton, Presbyterian minister at Colchester. At fourteen years of age, he gave sign of precocious talent in an heroic poem, the "Brutæis", illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings (not printed). He was soon apprenticed to a London linen-
draper Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. History Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period ...
, and at this early age wrote for periodicals, sending the profits to his parents and sister. Subsequently, the family inherited the small estate of their ancestor, John Butcher, vicar of
Feering Feering is a village and civil parish in the Braintree district of Essex, England. The parish is between Colchester and Witham. The village, which lies at the south-west edge of the parish, is conjoined to the neighbouring village of Kelvedon. ...
, Essex, about 1657. Butcher attended the ministry of Hugh Worthington, the eloquent
Arian Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered he ...
of
Salters' Hall The Worshipful Company of Salters is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, ranking 9th in order of precedence. An ancient merchant guild associated with the salt trade, the Salters' Company originated in London as the Guild of Corp ...
, who prepared him for the ministry.


Ministry

He entered
Daventry Academy Daventry Academy was a dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by English Dissenters. It moved to many locations, but was most associated with Daventry, where its most famous pupil was Joseph Priestley. It had a high reputation, ...
, under
Thomas Belsham Thomas Belsham (26 April 175011 November 1829) was an English Unitarian minister. Life Belsham was born in Bedford, England, and was the elder brother of William Belsham, the English political writer and historian. He was educated at the di ...
, in 1783, having previously received some classical training from Richard Wright, Presbyterian minister at
Atherstone Atherstone is a market town and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. Located in the far north of the county, Atherstone is on the A5 national route, and is adjacent to the border with Leicestershire which ...
. He had been taught the assembly's catechism, but he says he never gave credence to the
trinitarian The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...
doctrine, and his studies confirmed him in
Arian Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered he ...
views. His first settlement was at Sowerby, near Halifax, but he soon moved to London, where Worthington got him temporary engagements at Monkwell Street and Carter Lane. He was ordained 19 March 1789, as successor to Thomas Pope at
Leather Lane Leather Lane is a street west of Hatton Garden, in the Holborn area of London. It is home to a well-used weekday market which specialises in clothing, footwear and fruit and vegetables. There are now many food retailers capitalising off the l ...
, Holborn. In this ordination Belsham, who was still reputed orthodox, was associated, for the first time, with
Theophilus Lindsey Theophilus Lindsey (20 June 1723 O.S.3 November 1808) was an English theologian and clergyman who founded the first avowedly Unitarian congregation in the country, at Essex Street Chapel. Lindsey's 1774 revised prayer book based on Samuel C ...
, the only
humanitarian Humanitarianism is an ideology centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotiona ...
minister in London, and five Arian ministers. While at Leather Lane Butcher took part with others in the Wednesday evening lecture established by Worthington (after 1792) at Salters' Hall. His feebleness of voice precluded him from popularity, and compelled his retirement from active duty in 1797. Butcher's lungs recovered tone, and in 1798 he became minister at
Sidmouth Sidmouth () is a town on the English Channel in Devon, South West England, southeast of Exeter. With a population of 13,258 in 2021, it is a tourist resort and a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. A large part of the town has ...
in
Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
. Here he remained till 1820, building a house on a piece of ground presented to him by a member of a wealthy Jewish family, who attended his services. Relinquishing all belief in a propitiatory atonement, his views gradually passed from the Arian to the humanitarian form of unitarianism. A paralysing
stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
weakened the later years of his ministry, but did not prevent him from preaching. Early in 1821 he went to reside with his son at
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, and moved from there in November to
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
. A fall, which dislocated hie hip, confined him to bed. He died on Sunday (his own wish), 14 April 1822, and was buried at Lyncomb Vale, near Bath.


Works

He published, in his life: # ''Sermons, to which are subjoined suitable Hymns'', 1798, octavo (the hymns are original, and intended as "poetical epitomes" of the twenty-one sermons; the second edition, 1806, octavo, has title ''Sermons for the use of Families'', contains twenty-two sermons and no hymns). # ''Moral Tales'', 1801, duodecimo. # ''The Substance of the Holy Scriptures methodised'', 1801, quarto, 2nd ed. 1813, quarto (intended as a sort of family Bible; Butcher assisted Worthington and others in its preparation, and contributed a hymn to each lesson). # ''An Excursion from Sidmouth to Chester in the Summer of 1803, (2 vols)''
Volume 1
1806, duodecimo. # ''A Picture of Sidmouth;'' the fourth edition, Exeter
830 __NOTOC__ Year 830 ( DCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Britain * King Wiglaf of Mercia regains control from Wessex, and returns to the throne.Swanton, ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', pp. ...
duodecimo, has title ''A new Guide, descriptive of the Beauties of Sidmouth''. # ''Sermons for the use of Families'', volume ii. 1806, octavo. # ''Unitarian Claims described and vindicated'', 1809, duodecimo (sermon on 2 Corinthians x. 7, at Bridgwater, Wednesday, 5 July, before the Western Unitarian Society, of biographical interest as giving the process by which he reached his latest views). # ''Sermons for the use of Families'', volume iii. 1819, octavo (twenty-eight sermons printed at the
Chiswick Press The Chiswick Press was founded by Charles Whittingham I (1767–1840) in 1811. The management of the Press was taken over in 1840 by the founder's nephew Charles Whittingham II (1795–1876). The name was first used in 1811, and the Press contin ...
; the preface, 1 May, reproduces the autobiographical details of No. 7). # ''Prayers for the use of Families and Individuals'', 1822, octavo (one for each sermon in his three volumes, and some for special occasions); and single sermons. Posthumous were: # ''Discourses on our Lord's Sermon on the Mount'', Bath and London, 1825, duodecimo (twenty-one sermons edited by his widow; the preface says he had selected the materials for another volume). # ''A Poetical Version of the Chronological History of the Kings of England'', 1827, duodecimo. Besides these, Butcher contributed to the ''Protestant Dissenters Magazine'', 1794-9 (see especially volume i. pp 120, 204, 246, 330, 373, 417, 460, for poetical pieces), and edited the later volumes.


Legacy

A tablet to his memory was placed in the Old Meeting House, Sidmouth.Probably now called the One who knew him describes him as "a most lovable man in all respects". Butcher is known among topographers by his account of Sidmouth, and among poets by a few hymns of great merit. His hymn ''From north and south, from east to west'' won the warm commendation of
Anna Barbauld Anna Laetitia Barbauld (, by herself possibly , as in French, Aikin; 20 June 1743 – 9 March 1825) was a prominent English poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, and author of children's literature. A prominent member of the Blue Stockings ...
.


Family

He married, 6 July 1790, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Lawrence, a Shropshire landowner, and widow of
Samuel Lowe Samuel Lowe (c. 1693–1731) of Goadby Marwood was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1718 to 1731. Lowe was the son of Henry Lowe of Goadby Marwood and his wife Elizabeth Long, daughter of Samuel Long of Jamaica, and neph ...
; she died at Bath 25 November 1831. They had a son, Edmund, and a daughter, Emma.


Personal papers

Records of the Butcher family, their predecessors and descendants are held at
Bristol Archives Bristol Archives (formerly Bristol Record Office) was established in 1924. It was the first borough record office in the United Kingdom, since at that time there was only one other local authority record office (Bedfordshire Record Office, Bedf ...
(Ref. 32955)
online catalogue
.


Notes


References

;Attribution *; Endnotes: **Evans, in ''Monthly Repository'' 1822 page 309 seq. (revised in Christian Moderator, 1827, page 347 seq.) **''Monthly Repository'' 1821, page 345; 1822, pages 285, 332, 471; 1832, page 70 **Belsham's ''Mem. of Lindsey'', 1812, page 292 ** **Lawrence's ''Descendants of Philip Henry'', 1844, page 21 seq. **Miller's ''Our Hymns'', 1866, page 266 seq. **Spears's ''Record of Unit. Worthies'' (1877), page 211 **private information. {{DEFAULTSORT:Butcher, Edmund 1757 births 1822 deaths English Unitarian ministers Clergy from Colchester