This book explores the life and spirituality of John Cennick (1718–1755) and argues for a new appreciation of the contradictions and complexities in early evangelicalism. It explores Cennick’s evangelistic work in Ireland, his relationship with Count Zinzendorf and the creative tension between the Moravian and Methodist elements of his participation in the eighteenth-century revivals. The chapters draw on extensive unpublished correspondence between Cennick and Zinzendorf, as well as Cennick’s unique diary of his first stay in the continental Moravian centres of Marienborn, Herrnhaag and Lindheim. A maverick personality, John Cennick is seen at the centre of some of the principal controversies of the time. The trajectory of his emergence as a prominent figure in the revivals is remarkable in its intensity and hybridity and brings into focus a number of themes in the landscape of early evangelicalism: the eclectic nature of its inspirations, the religious enthusiasm nurtured in Anglican societies, the expansion of the pool of preaching talent, the social tensions unleashed by religious innovations, and the particular nature of the Moravian contribution during the 1740s and 1750s. Offering a major re-evaluation of Cennick’s spirituality, the book will be of interest to scholars of evangelical and church history.
We believe that there is a great deal of ignorance about the persons who wrote the hymns that we sing from 'Spiritual Songs'. There are a few books in existence that give some information about the better-known authors. The present exercise is to make available to the readers some information about authors in 'Spiritual Songs' who are not so well known. The exercise is begun trusting that the Lord will bless it. Frank Wallace. August 1985. Joseph Addison, 1672-1719. Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, 1823-95 James Allan, 1734-1804, and Hon. Walter Shirley, 1725-1786. Norman Anderson, 1908-1988. William Anglin, 1882 - 1965. Bagstaff or Littlewood. John Bakewell, 1721-1819. Mrs Bancroft, 1841 - ? (see C.L. Smith) H.P. Barker, 1869-1952. John Beaumont. Henry Bennett, 1813-1868. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091-1153 Christian Andreas Bernstein, 1672-1699. Mrs. Frances Bevan, 1827 -1909 Edward Lawrence Bevir, 1847-1922 William John Blew, 1808-1894. P.P. Bliss, 1838-1876 John Ernest Bode, 1816-1874. Horatius Bonar, 1808-1889. Mary Bowly (Mrs. Peters), 1813-1856 Sir John Bowring, 1792-1872. Nicholas Brady. (see Nahum Tate) Francis Crawford Burkitt, 1864-1929. Miss Hannah K. Burlingham, 1842-1901. Richard Burnham, 1749-1810. Lord Adalbert Cecil, 1841-1889. John Cennick, 1718-1755. Henry D'Arcy Champney, 1854 - 1942. Robert Cleaver Chapman, 1803-1902. Edith Gilling Cherry - Died 1897, aged 25. Samuel O'Malley Cluff, 1837-1910. C.A. Coates, 1862 - 1945. Josiah Condor, 1789-1855. Richard de Courcy, 1743-1803. Mrs. Ann Ross Cousin, 1824-1906. William Cowper, 1731-1800. John Nelson Darby, 1800 - 1882 Samuel Davies, 1723-1761. James George Deck, 1802-1884. David Denham, 1791-1848. Sir Edward Denny, 1796-1889 Miss Caroline Dent, 1815 - 1887+ Mrs. Hazel Dixon. Mrs Anna Dober, 1713-1739 Philip Doddridge, 1702-1751 Dr. Emil Donges, 1853-1923 Dr. C.C. Elliott, 1866 - 1942. Miss Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871. E. P. Ellis, 1879 - 1963 James Harrington Evans, 1785-1849. Jonathan Evans, 1748-1809. John Fawcett, 1740-1817. W.W. Fereday, 1866 - 1959 Inglis Fleming, 1859-1955. Maria De Fleury. Died about 1794. Samuel Trevor Francis, 1835-1927 George West Frazer, 1840-1896. John Gambold, 1711-1771. Samuel Whitelock Gandy. Died 1851. Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676 Thomas Gibbons, 1720-1785 Mrs. Gilbert (see Ann Taylor) Leslie M. Grant, 1917 - Agnes Mary Harding, 1887-1966. B. G. Hardingham, 1894 - 1973. Susannah Harrison, 1752-1784. Joseph Hart, 1712-1768 Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-1879. Thomas Haweis, 1732-1820. Robert Hawker, 1753-1827 R.S. Hawker, 1804-1875 Mrs. Gertude Helyar, Date ? W.J. Hocking, 1864-1953 Richard Holden, died 1886. Frank Binford Hole Josiah Hopkins, 1786-1862 James Hutton, 1715-1795 Joseph Irons, 1785-1852. Albert von der Kammer, 1860-1951 Thomas Kelly, 1769-1855 William Kelly, 1821-1906 John Kent, 1766-1843 Mary Ann Lathbury, 1841 - 1913. Walter A. Lickley, 1909- William Freeman Lloyd, 1791-1853 Robert Lowry, 1826-1899 Henry Francis Lyte, 1793-1847 Mrs. Margaret Mackay, 1802-1887 William Paton Mackay, 1839-1885 Henri Abraham Cesar Malan, 1787-1864 John Mason, Died 1694. J. T. Mawson, 1871-1943 Samuel Medley, 1738-1799. Albert Midlane, 1825-1909 Mrs Elizabeth Mills, 1805- 1829. J.S.B. Monsell, 1811-1875 James Montgomery, 1771-1854 John Newton, 1725 - 1807. Philipp Nicolai, 1556-1608 Miss Caroline Maria Noel, 1817-1877 Miss Marianne Nunn, 1778-1847. H.F. Nunnerley, 1873 -1953 Thomas West Porter, 1844 - 1917, Miss C.H. Von Poseck, 1859-1953. Dr. Thomas Edie Purdom, c. 1852-1942 Thomas H. Reynolds, 1830 - 1930 Robert Robinson, 1735-1790. Dr. H.L. Rossier, 1852-1942 Francis Rous, 1579-1659 Edward Rubie (dates?) Dr. John Ryland, D.D. 1753-1825 Robert Sandeman, 1718-1771 Joseph Scriven, 1820-1886. Robert Seagrave, 1693 - (died ?) Mary Shekleton, 1827 -1883. James Grindly Small, 1817-1881 C.L. Smith (Mrs Bancroft) 1841 - ? John Wilson Smith, born 5th. April (18th. May?) 1842, died 22nd. Jan. 1922. Joseph Denham Smith, c.1816-1889. August Gottlieb Spangenberg, 1704-1792 Miss Anne Steele, 1716-1778 Joseph Stennett, 1663-1713 Hugh Stowell, 1799-1865 Joseph Swain, 1761-1796 Nahum Tate, 1652-1715, and Nicholas Brady, 1659-1726. Ann Taylor (Mrs Gilbert), 1782 - 1866 Thomas Rawson Taylor, 1807-1835 Theodulf (Theodolph) of Orleans, France. 750-821. Miss Cenita Thompson, 1822-1909. Augustus Montague Toplady, 1740-1778 Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, 1813-1875 Mrs. J.A. Trench, 1843 - 1925 William Trotter, 1818 - 1865. Miss S.M. Walker, 1848 - 1918 Henry Ware, 1794 - 1843 Miss Anna Laetitia Waring, 1820-1910 S.M. Waring, 1792-1827. Isaac Watts, 1674 - 1748 Miss C.A. Wellesley Charles Wesley, 1707-1788. Frederick Whitfield, 1829-1904. G.V. Wigram, 1805 - 1879. Fanny Theodora Wigram, 1831-1871. William Williams, 1717-1791 W. Yerbury, Died 1863. Count Zinzendorf, 1700-1760.
Anne Steele (1717-1778) was one of the most well-known and best-loved hymn-writers of the eighteenth century, and her hymns remained exceedingly popular until late in the nineteenth century, being reprinted regularly in hymnbooks throughout Britain and North America. She was the first major woman hymn-writer as well as the most popular Baptist hymn-writer in the history of the church. Despite this, she has been largely neglected as a subject of academic enquiry until now. This book aims to elucidate Steele's spirituality and to clarify her unique contribution to eighteenth-century hymnody. It takes an interdisciplinary approach, setting Steele's devotional expression in its theological, literary, and historical contexts, and providing comparison to other eighteenth-century figures. It uses archival sources to reconstruct her life and work, offers a close reading of her verse, and concludes that Steele made a significant and as yet underrated contribution to eighteenth-century devotional expression.
This is the first ever full-scale biography of John Cennick, who was an outstandingly successful eighteenth-century preacher. He was the first layman to be used as a Methodist preacher by John Wesley and was a significant contributor to the success of Methodism in the Bristol area, especially Kingswood. Charles Wesley encouraged him to also become a hymnwriter, editing his early hymns. Cennick then became the right-hand man of the Calvinist Methodist, George Whitefield, becoming not only 'the apostle of Wiltshire' but the main leader of the work of that branch of Methodism in London and a close friend of the Welsh evangelist Howell Harris. Upset by the dissensions within Methodism, he became first a member and then an ordained deacon within the Moravian Church and their chief evangelist - working across parts of England and Wales, but mainly in northern Ireland, where he established fifteen chapels, over forty religious societies and over two hundred preaching places. It is estimated that between 1739 and his early death at the age of just 35 in 1755 he preached on between eight and nine thousand occasions, sometimes in the face of appalling mob violence.His story - and why John Wesley sought to erase his contribution - provides a real insight into the religious revival initiated by the Methodists and Moravians.
