Henry Albin (20 June 1624 – 5 September 1696) was an English minister, ejected for nonconformity.

Biography

He was born at Batcombe,

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

shire, famous still in association with

Richard Bernard Richard Bernard (1568–1641) was an English Puritan clergyman and writer. Life Bernard was born in Epworth, England, Epworth and received his education at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1592, obtained his BA in 1595, a ...

and

Richard Alleine Richard Alleine (16 October 1610 – 22 December 1681) was an English Puritan divine. Life Alleine was born at Ditcheat, Somerset, in 1610 and baptised on the 18 October 1610, (where his father another Richard Alleine, born circa 1585 and d ...

, on 20 June 1624. He was educated at the grammar school of

Glastonbury Glastonbury ( , ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than across the River ...

, and afterwards proceeded to the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, though no mention is made of him by Anthony à Wood. He was ordained as clergyman of the parish of West Cammel, but in 1660 was ejected for nonconformity. Appointed later to

Donyatt Donyatt is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at the source of the River Isle north of Chard. The village has a population of 347. The parish includes the hamlet of Peasmarsh. History The village was recorded as ''Dunnye ...

, also in Somersetshire, the Act of Uniformity found him again ready to be ejected and to share the witness and the sufferings of the two thousand. On his second ejection he retired to his native place, where he lived unobtrusively till his death. He held, as all the nonconformist ministers did, that his orders were of divine sanction, and could not be annulled by any bishop or other dignitary unless for proved fault. Accordingly, he went about as an evangelist and preacher. His most successful ministry was in the ‘church in the house’ of separate families. But he also frequently attended as a worshipper at the parish church. For many years of his life he was occupied with preaching, as a kind of chaplain, in the house of Thomas Moore, Esq., of Spargrove—a fine example of the ancient stately puritan gentleman. In 1687 he became "stated preacher" at Frome Selwood,

Shepton Mallet Shepton Mallet is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, some southwest of Bath, Somerset, Bath, south of Bristol and east of Wells, Somerset, Wells. It had an estimated population of 10,810 in 2019. ...

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a small market town, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, north-west of Gillingham ...

, and

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a town and electoral ward in Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. In the 2021 census the civil parish had a populatio ...

in rotation. He died on 5 September 1696. His

funeral sermon A Christian funeral sermon is a formal religious oration or address given at a funeral ceremony, or sometimes a short time after, which may combine elements of eulogy with biographical comments and expository preaching. To qualify as a sermon, it sh ...

was preached by William Hopkins, who held the same opinions as himself.

"He was a judicious man, and of good learning; eminent for his piety, and very diligent in his work. He was a great redeemer of time, a hard student, and remarkable for prudence. He had a large acquaintance, and was of a very friendly temper. He taught by his life as well as his doctrine, and lived and died a great example of strict and close walking with God, and of a heavenly convention. He had a majestic countenance, but was clothed with humility." Eulogy from the ''Nonconformists' Memorial''.

Works

Albin published little, if anything, besides two sermons—the one entitled ''A Practical Discourse on loving the World'', from 1 John ii. 15, and the other, published posthumously, ''The Dying Pastor's Last Farewell to his Friends in Frome Selwood'' (1697).

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Albin, Henry 1624 births 1696 deaths English Christian religious leaders People from Mendip District Alumni of the University of Oxford