William Appleton Lawrence (May 21, 1889 - December 21, 1968) was the third

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts (1937–57). His father, William Lawrence, was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts (1893–1927).

Early life and family

Lawrence was born on May 21, 1889, in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

, the son of the Bishop of Massachusetts William Lawrence and Julia Cunningham. He was the grandson of the notable abolitionist Amos Adams Lawrence and a member of an influential "

Boston Brahmin The Boston Brahmins are members of Boston's historic upper class. From the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, they were often associated with a cultivated New England accent, Harvard University, Anglicanism, and traditional Britis ...

" family, founded by his great-great-grandfather and American revolutionary Samuel Lawrence. His great-grandfather was the noted philanthropist Amos Lawrence. Lawrence's brother, Frederic C. Lawrence, was

suffragan bishop A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led b ...

of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts (1956–68).

Education and career

Lawrence graduated from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

, as was the tradition in his family. He attended the

Union Theological Seminary Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York (shortened to UTS or Union) is a Private college, private ecumenical liberal Christian seminary in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, affiliated with Columbia University since 1928. Presently, Co ...

and the Episcopal Theological Seminary. He also studied at Lawrence College in

Appleton, Wisconsin Appleton () is the county seat of Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States, with small portions extending into Calumet County, Wisconsin, Calumet and Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Winnebago counties. Located on the Fox River (Green Bay tributary ...

from where he graduated with a Doctor of Divinity in 1929.

Priest

Lawrence was ordained by his father, deacon on June 7, 1914, and priest in 1915. He was curate of Grace Church in

Lawrence, Massachusetts Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen, Massachusetts, Methuen ...

until 1916 when he became rector of St Stephen's Church in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...

. In 1926 he went to

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

to become rector of Grace Church.

Bishop

On October 21, 1936, Lawrence was elected as the third bishop to the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. He was consecrated on January 13, 1937, by his father Bishop William Lawrence and the Presiding Bishop James De Wolf Perry. In 1938, Lawrence created the first diocesan council and recommended that lay employees be included under

social security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...

. Then, in 1946, he established Camp Bement, which was closed by the diocese in 2009. In his retirement, Lawrence developed what is known today as the Clergy Deployment Office. He was also active in civil rights, ecumenical and world peace causes. Lawrence retired in 1957. He died on December 21, 1968."Bishop William Lawrence Dies at Age 79"
''Episcopal News Service'', 27 January 1969. Retrieved on 09 November 2018.

References

External links

Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts
- official website Appleton family Harvard College alumni Anglican pacifists Harvard Divinity School alumni 1889 births 1968 deaths 20th-century American Episcopalians Episcopal bishops of Western Massachusetts {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub