The Legacy of Charles Simeon

John C. Bennett

s the vicar of Holy TrinityChurch, Cambridgefor fifty­ Simeon entered Eton at the age of seven. Later in life he A four yearsanda fellow of King'sCollege,CharlesSimeon characterized the school as "so profligate ... [that he] should be (1759-1836)was arguably the foremost evangelical clergyman in tempted even to murder his own son" rather than submit him to the Church of England during the late eighteenth and early the same experience." Simeon found the spiritual climate of nineteenth centuries. Well known for pressing evangelicals to Cambridge, when he entered as a King's Scholar in 1779, to be observe the discipline and order of the established church, he littlebetter thanwhat he had left behind at Eton.' Like many first­ also contributed significantly to the development of the nine­ and second-generation evangelicals, Simeon's faith was not teenth-century Britishmissionary movement, a markedlyvolun­ shaped by the institutional process; rather he was mentoredin the tary phenomenon. Reconciling the tension between his regular faith. The autobiographical account of his spiritual pilgrimage Anglican churchmanship and the voluntarism of evangelical begins with an encounter with the Scriptures and continues missionary efforts is key to understanding Simeon's mission through a series of relationships with a number of the leading legacy.' lights of the evangelical movement, including John Newton and the elder Henry Venn." The efficacy and value of the evangelical Seeds of 1759 mentoring process was etched into Simeon's worldview and played an important role in shaping his missionary agenda. In the birth records of England in 1759 are the names of four men Followinghis evangelicalconversionon Easter1779,Simeon who were to have significant effect on the evangelical Anglican decided to pursue the Christian ministry. He took his degree in share of the British missionary movement.' Most prominent of May of 1782 and was made a fellow of King's and ordained the four was the younger William Pitt, made prime minister at deacon in the same month. Simeon spent the summer as honor­ the age of twenty-five in 1783. Pitt was no evangelical, but he ary curate to Christopher Atkinson at St. Edward's Church in created a political and economic climate that was conducive to Cambridge. When the parish minister of Holy Trinity Church the developing British Empire and the missionary movement died unexpectedly that autumn, Simeon's father sought the post that would be connected with it.' Only slightly less noticeable, for his son. After a squabble between the bishop and the congre­ and of far more direct influence, was William Wilberforce. His gation, which favored another candidate, Simeon was made vision for a Christian nation and his evangelical agenda in vicar and preached his first sermon in the pulpit of Holy Trinity Parliament-supported by Pitt at key points-cleared the way Church in November. It was, however, not a happy beginning: for missionary activity in British India and beyond." John Venn, later rector of Clapham, was also born in 1759. Venn was the The disappointment which the parish felt [because of my appoint­ ment] proved very unfavourable to my ministry. The people almost universally put locks on their pews, and would neither come to church, nor suffer others to do so .... I put in there a Reconciling the tension number of forms, and erected in vacant places, at my own ex­ between Simeon's Anglican pense, some open seats; but the churchwardens pulled them down, and cast them out of the church. To visit the parishioners in churchmanship and his their own houses was impracticable; for they were so imbittered against me, that there was scarcely one that would admit me into evangelical voluntarism is his house." the key to understanding With Simeon's Sunday morning service under boycott, and his mission legacy. pastoral ministry largely impossible, Simeon decided to estab­ lish a Sunday evening lecture. This, too, the churchwardens prevented by locking the church doors. Nevertheless, Simeon leading clerical light of Wilberforce's "Clapham Saints" and a persevered. He took priest's orders the following September prime architect of the Society for Missions to Africa and the East, (1783),eventuallymadepeacewith his parishioners, andbecame soon after renamed the Church Missionary Society. The fourth an evangelical fixture in the parish, his college, and the university person was Charles Simeon. for the next half-century. The future vicar of Holy Trinity Churchwasbornat Reading on September 24, 1759, into the family of Richard Simeon, a White Knight of Evangelicalism? wealthy landowner and businessman. His mother, Elizabeth Hutton, descended from a clan that boasted two archbishops of In the one and a half centuries since his death in 1836, Charles York. Simeon's elder brother, Richard John, was a master in Simeon has been the focus of a host of funeral sermons, one Chancery until his untimely death in 1782. His younger sibling, memoir, two full biographies, more than ten "remembrances," Edward, became a successful London merchant and a director of and at least a half dozen thematic assessments." Throughout the Bank of England." these treatments Simeon is regularly characterized as an evan­ gelical and a committed churchman. Indeed, the most common impression associated with Simeon's name has always been his John C. Bennett serves as Director of the Theological Resource Center of Overseas Council for Theological Education and Missions, of Greenwood, twin loyalty to the evangelical cause and the established church. Indiana. Overseas Council facilitates international partnerships in supportof Smyth's Simeonand ChurchOrder(1940), the definitive work non-Western theological education and ministry training. to date on his churchmanship, speaks of Simeon's "steadying

72 INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH influence" on evangelicalism in the established church. Accord­ and then used his influence with the company's Court of Direc­ ing to Smyth, Simeonaddressed the two most significantinternal tors to secure the appointments." This was Simeon the mentor problems confronting evangelical Anglicans at the outset of the and patron. nineteenth century: the need for adherence to church order, and These interconnected and contradictorydevelopments were the means for continuity in parish leadership." Simeon applied not the product of ordinary evangelicalism and Anglican himself to the former issue by tutoring his Cambridge students churchmanship. Such conflicting outcomes were made possible in conformity to church discipline. He attended to the latter by a certain toleration for paradox." Indeed, the closer one looks concern through innovations in clerical patronage. Elliott-Binns, at Charles Simeon and his missionary agenda, the less predict­ in The Early Evangelicals (1953), seconds Smyth in noting the able he appears. "parochialterms" in whichSimeonexpressedhis evangelicalism." Even Ford K. Brown, in Fathers of the Victorians (1961), acknowl­ Simeon's Missionary Agenda edges the quality of Simeon's churchmanship despite his disaf­ fection with Simeon's evangelical agenda." The roots of Charles Simeon's evangelicalism, his commitment With the weight of a century of uniform historical opinion to Anglican order, and his penchant for the exercise of patronage pressinguponthem, Pollard and Hennellconcluded thatCharles merged in their effect on the British missionary movement. The Simeon, more than any other, was instrumental in retaining the net result was an agenda for promoting Christian mission with commitment of second- and third-generation evangelicals to the threeinteractingcentersof gravity: churchmanship,voluntarism, Church of England." Thus, Charles Simeon, "the complete An­ and personal patronage. The churchman in Simeon, the activist glican,"ls emerges from British ecclesiastical history as the white in Simeon, and the mentor-patron in Simeon found appropriate knight of second-generation evangelical churchmen. roles in the missionary movement. True to paradoxical form, Simeon also argued for the supremacyof each aspect of his work. In Search of Charles Simeon The interplay between the three facets of Simeon's missionary agenda is apparent in a brief chronology of his chief mission­ To label Charles Simeon of Cambridge as an evangelical and related efforts. churchman cannot be incorrect. It is, however, an incomplete 1787. From the outset of his ministry Charles Simeon cham­ description of the man, his worldview, and his work. His com­ pioned Christian mission as the appointed means for the global plexity becomes especially apparent when his involvement in proclamation of the universal grace of God in Christ. An oppor­ the British missionary movement is considered. tunity to apply his support for missionary work arose in 1787. In First, although we have in Simeon an Anglican clergyman that year Simeon undertook the promotion of a "missionary with a fundamental concern for ecclesiastical order, he neverthe­ establishment" in Bengal under East India Company patron­ less championed the formation of a voluntary missionary soci­ age." However, he was surprised and disappointed by the ety-the Church Missionary Society (CMS). Moreover, Simeon opposition of the company and Parliament to the plan. knew that the CMS would be governed exclusively by evangeli­ 1797. By 1797 Simeon was openly encouraging voluntary cal churchmen, that it would operate independently of the hier­ effort for Christian mission. However, he had discovered that he archy of the established church, and that it would compete with could not expect Anglicans to support the "undenominational" the church's existing missionary societies." This was Simeon the (London) Missionary Society (LMS), and he would not ask his voluntarist. evangelical colleagues to limit their backing to the SPCK and the Second, in Simeon we have an evangelical clergyman and SPG. An alternative society for evangelical churchmen had be­ founder of a evangelical missionary society who insisted on the come necessary. submission of that society and its missionaries to the hierarchy of 1799. For two years Simeon had crisscrossed England from the established church. Simeon urged the CMS to subject itself to the Midlands to Cornwall in support of an evangelical mission­ the Church of England, although its power structure had become ary society for the established church. During his travels to numerous clerical meetings Simeon had become impatient with the reluctance of his evangelical colleagues to take definitive action. Consider Simeon's plea to the Eclectic Society at its The churchman, the meeting on March 18: "What can we do?-When shallwe do it?­ activist, and the mentor­ How shallwe do it? ... We cannot join the [London] Missionary Society; yet I bless God that they have stood forth. We must now patron in Simeon all found stand forth. We require something more than resolutions­ appropriate roles in the something ostensible-something held up to the public. Many draw back because we do not stand forth.-When shallwe do it? missionary movement. Directly: not a moment to be lost. We have been dreaming these four years, while all England, all Europe has been awake."?" Simeon's spirits weregreatlylifted by the creation of the CMS the known for its ambivalence, if not opposition, to the missionary following month. agenda. This was Simeon the churchman. 1800. With the founding of the CMS, Simeon's concerns Third, in Simeon we have a university figure who, although turned to recruiting candidates for missionary service. Simeon endeavoringto impartmissionaryvisionto the establishedchurch, discouraged volunteers per se, that is, those who stepped for­ and aiding the creation of voluntary missionary societies for ward from personal enthusiasm or vocational despair: "When a churchmen, failed to direct a sizable number of students toward man asks me about a call to be a Missionary, I answer very missionary service through either channel. Instead, Simeon en­ differently from many others. I tell him that if he feels his mind couraged large numbers of "his" missionary candidates to seek to be strongly bent on it, he ought to take that as a reason for employment as chaplains with the British East India Company suspecting and carefully examining whether it is not self rather

April 1994 73 than God which is leading him to the work. The man that does began to search for alternatives to missionary service with a good as a Missionary is he who ....says, 'Here am I; do what voluntary society. His connectionwithDavid BrownandCharles seemeth good unto thee: send me.' "21 Simeon advocated a send­ Grant, dating back to 1787, proved to be formative. ing strategy in which God, via a mentor, discovers missionary 1805. Simeon gave serious thought to an alternative channel potential, shapes it, and channels the candidate toward a sphere for missionary activity. East India Company chaplaincies-a of activity, perhaps through an appointment arranged by the respectable vocation for university graduates-would allow mentor. Simeon to send his best students to India while avoiding the 1804. By the end of the CMS's first half-decade, Simeon had establishment's restrictions on missionaries per seeFrom 1805 to become concerned over the unwillingness of most university 1820, Simeon encouraged more than three dozen of his students students to consider missionary service." Owing to the pioneer­ to apply for India Company chaplaincies. With the support of ing work of the Dissenting societies (e.g., the Baptists and the Grant, twenty-one of Simeon's disciples made successful appli­ LMS), missionaries had developed a reputation as artisans and cations. It is significant that more than half of this activity schoolteachers. University graduates found little to recommend occurred after the 1813 renewal of the India Company's charter these vocations." Moreover, Simeon had become frustrated with lifted most of the restrictions on missionary access to India. the establishment's restrictions on missionary work in India. His Simeon's indirect influence in India, through "his" chaplains, relationship with the CMS also became strained by his unsuc­ extended far beyond his death in 1836. cessful efforts to recruit missionaries for the society. Simeon 1809. The alternatives to the CMS continued to emerge for Noteworthy Announcing

The Overseas Ministries StudyCenter, New Haven, Connecti­ Li Li, University of North Carolina: "Joining the Chinese­ cut, announces the 1994grantees of the Research Enablement Sophie Lanneau and Wei Ling Girl's Academy, 1900­ Program. Twenty-onescholars, representing Australia, China, 1950" Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Pales­ Thomas Reilly, University of Washington: "The Legacy of the tine, Sierra Leone, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the Taiping Rebellion for Chiang-nan Christianity" United States, received awards for research projects in the area John Wendel, University of Rochester: "Mission Education of Christian Mission and World Christianity. The Research and Personhood in Micronesia" Enablement Program is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and administered by OMSC. The Postdoctoral Book Research and Writing grants, which will be dispensed for work in the 1994-1995 Angelyn Dries, Cardinal Stritch College: "A History of U.S. academic year, total approximately $242,000. Roman Catholic Missions Overseas" Dr. Gerald H. Anderson, OMSC's director who also serves Jane Ellis, St. Antony's College: "Mission in Russia: Relations as director of the Research Enablement Program and chair of Between the Russian Orthodox Church and Foreign Prot­ the Review and Selection Committee, states, "Competition for estant Missions" the 1994-1995research awards was unusually stiff, reflecting Erick Langer, Carnegie Mellon University: "Asking for Pears the high quality of the proposals. The awards committee is of the Elm Tree: Franciscan Missions Among the confident that the grantees will make a solid contribution to Chiriguanos" the advancement of scholarship in Christian Mission and Paul Liu, Georgetown University: "Development of Chris­ World Christianity." tianity in Post-Mao China" The intensity of the competition is reflected in the increased Jocelyn Murray, London, England: "A History and Study of number of applications-162 for 1994-1995as compared with the East African Revival Movement, 1929-1991" 110 in the previous year. Twenty percent of the applicants Mitri Raheb, Bethlehem Bible College: "The Koran-A were women, and nearly fifty percent were citizens of coun­ Contextualization of the Biblical Message?" tries outside Europe and North America. The grantees repre­ Willem Saayman, University of South Africa: "Mission in sent Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox ecclesial com­ Context: A Missiological Interpretation of the Life of munities. Professor Z. K. Matthews" The Research Enablement Program is designed to support Evgeny Steiner, Hebrew University of Jerusalem: "Russian both younger scholars undertaking dissertation field research Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Japan in Comparison and established scholars engaged in major writing projects with Western Christian Missions to That Country" dealing with mission and Christianity in the non-Western world. The grantees, listed by category, are as follows: Missiological Consultations David Ford, Cambridge University, and Graham Kings, Cam­ Dissertation Field Research bridge Federation of TheologicalColleges: "Searching for Graeme Batley, Melbourne College of Divinity: "Analytical God in Europe and Africa: The Interplay of Mission, Evaluation of Emic Christian Theologizing Taking Place Theology, and Religious Studies" Among the Samban People of New Guinea" Peter Ng, Chinese University of Hong Kong: "Historical Ar­ Anthony Bryan, University of South Carolina: "Third World chives of Pre-1949 Christian Higher Education in China" Analysis of Mutuality in Mission: Advancement or Inter­ national Debt Trap"

74 INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH Simeon. He began to give serious attention to a moderate form of notice of his appointmentin 1814. Middleton was no evangelical. millenarianism and, as a result, developed an enthusiasm for the The society would not instruct its missionaries to submit to the conversion of the Jewish people. Simeon came to believe that bishop until he licensed them. In turn, Middleton refused to Jewish converts would become a strategic means to evangelize license the missionaries because he was unsure of their loyalty." traditionally non-Christian societies. This conviction, combined Problems of this sort plagued the CMS's work in India until the with continued difficulties in recruiting and placing missionar­ 1840s. In contrast, Simeonconsistentlyurged propercooperation ies, motivated Simeon to participate in the work of the London between the CMS and the bishop of Calcutta. Simeon's influence Societyfor PropagatingChristianityAmongsttheJews (LSPCJ).24 in the matter was also indirectly exerted through his former Simeon's most significant contribution to the LSPCJ was its students who were then chaplains in India. reorganization in 1814 as a society governed by churchmen. 1818. Although the CMS's ecclesiastical policies and prac­ 1814. With the creation of the Calcutta episcopate in 1813, tices troubled Simeon and strained his relationship with the Charles Simeon had anticipated a close and profitable relation­ society, he did not abandon the CMS. He regularly encouraged ship between the CMS and the bishop of Calcutta. However, his Cambridge congregation to support the society." Moreover, Simeon became concerned for the CMS's commitment to church Simeon supported the development of auxiliary Church Mis­ order when the society balked at the submission of its mission­ sionary Associations (CMAs) from the inception of the plan in aries in India to the new bishop. The General Committee of the 1813. However, Simeon delayed his backing for the Cambridge Society had become suspicious of T. F. Middleton from the first association until 1818. He had deferred his support for a local

English Translations will meet June 16-17 at the same place in conjunction with the Robert Schultz, Life Enrichment Center, Seattle: "Sent to ASM. The theme of their meeting will be "Integrating Spiritu­ Heal: English Edition of Christopher H. Grundmann's ality." Mary Motte, F.M.M., of the Mission Resource Centerin Gesandt zu heilen" North Providence, Rhode Island, is president of the ASM, and Jonathan Bonk of Providence College and Seminary in Oral History Projects Otterburne,Manitoba, is presidentof the APM for 1993-94.For Jay Crain, California State University, Sacramento: "Conver­ further information and registration for both meetings, con­ sion on the Periphery: Oral Histories of Christianity in tact George R. Hunsberger, Western Theological Seminary, Inner Borneo" 86 East 12th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423. Mark Mullins, Meiji Gakuin University: "Transplanted and Transformed: Studies in the Japanese Reception and Personalia Indigenization of Christianity." W. Stanley Rycroft, one of the most noted Protestant lay Planning Grant for Major Interdisciplinary Project missionaries in Latin America of this century, died November Andrew F. Walls, Centre for the Study of Christianity in the 30, 1993, in Princeton, New Jersey. He was 94. After mission­ Non-Western World, and Leslie E. Shyllon, University of ary service in Lima, Peru, under the Free Church of Scotland Sierra Leone: "Sierra Leone Church History Project" in the Colegio Anglo-Peruano from 1922 to 1939, he was elected secretary of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin In additionto these mission research grants, the PewChari­ America in New York City. In 1950 he became Secretary for table Trusts have announced the awarding of a $291,000, Latin America of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presby­ three-year grant in support of a major collaborative terian Church, U.S.A., and in 1960 was designated its first missiological research project. The "Christianity in South In­ Secretary for Research. After retirement in 1969 he continued dia" project, headed by Robert E. Frykenberg (University of active in many civic and religious causes. Rycroft wrote On Wisconsin-Madison), involves a team of Indian and American ThisFoundation (1942),Indiansin theHighAndes (1946),Religion scholars. The members of the Review and Selection Commit­ and Faith in Latin America(1953), The Ecumenical Witness of the tee for last year's round of grantmaking in this field of collabo­ United Presbyterian Church (1968), and Memoirs of Lifein Three rativeresearchwereJoel A. Carpenter(PCT Religion program Worlds (1976). A life-long friend of John A. Mackay and a director), Samuel H. Moffett (Princeton Theological Semi­ traveling companion of John R. Mott, Rycroft knew well the nary), Lamin Sanneh (Yale University Divinity School), and early ecumenical encounters in Latin America. A. Christopher Smith (PCT Religion program officer). Another cycle of grant-making in this research category Carroll Stuhlmueller, C.P., coauthor with Donald Senior of was announced by The Pew Charitable Trusts in the January Biblical Foundations forMission (Orbis, 1983),died February 21, 1994 issue of the INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN (p. 39). 1994, at age 70 after suffering a massive stroke. A leading figure in Catholic church movements in the U.S., he was a The American Society of Missiology will hold its 1994 chartermember of the faculty of CatholicTheological Union in annual meeting on June 17-19,at TechnyTowers, Illinois (near Chicago, where he served as professor of Old Testament Chicago). The themeof the meetingwill be "ImagesofChurch­ studies. Editor of the journal The Bible Today, he authored Images of Mission." The Association of Professors of Mission twenty-three books and scores of articles on biblical topics.

April 1994 75 CMS auxiliary because of continued trouble between the society came a less fruitful channel for his missionary patronage, Simeon and Middleton and the residual tensions in the town from the turned to the East India Company as an alternative, demonstrat­ founding of the Bible Society's auxiliary in 1812. ing the independent spirit of his patronage. It is certainly true The 18205. During the closing decade and a half of his life, that Simeon's work in support of the CMS and his partnership Simeon did not fail to continue to mentor and influence second­ with Grant in appointing EIC chaplains were consistent with his and third-generation leaders for the evangelical Anglican mis­ evangelical commitment, but this fact does nothing to lessen the sionary movement. Consider, for example, his relationship with tensionbetweenhis missionaryactivities andhis churchmanship. Henry Venn (junior), the distinguished honorary secretary of the The standard secondary sources on Charles Simeon, such as CMS, and Daniel Wilson, the evangelical bishop of Calcutta. By those by Smyth, Pollard and Hennell, and Hopkins, do not means of his influence on the two men, Simeon indirectly helped attempt to resolve this tension. Simeon's missionary agenda is the CMS to strike a balance between its ecclesiastical and mis­ notthe major consideration in these accounts of his life and work. sionary priorities. Venn and Wilson made peace between the The fact that Simeon's involvement with the CMS had greatly society and the Calcutta episcopate in 1838.27 Charles Simeon is, diminishedby 1804mayhavecausedtheseauthorsto connecthis perhaps, owed some of the credit for the achievement of this embrace of the CMS' s voluntary principles with the other irregu­ "Concordat." Although it was an indirect product of his efforts, larities of his early years. Moreover, the limited emphasis on it serves as a fitting reminder of the evangelical Anglican who Simeon's missionary efforts in these studies is consistent with strove for balance between churchmanship, voluntarism, and their ecclesiastical (versus missionary) focus. However, it would individualism in the first decades of the British missionary be a mistake to relegate Simeon's missionary concerns to the movement. periphery of his agenda. The frequency with which missionary affairs were addressed in Simeon's correspondence, sermons, Legacy of Charles Simeon autobiography, and Carus's Memoirs suggests that the global progress of the Gospel was a central concern to Charles Simeon. As has been suggested, Charles Simeon approached his mission­ The voluntarism and independence of action that is inherent ary agenda as a voluntarist and a mentor-patron. His intense in Simeon's missionary agenda stands in contrast with his efforts on behalf of the formation of the Society for Missions to churchmanship. Nevertheless, the Cambridge minister's reputa­ Africa and the East, later renamed the Church Missionary Soci­ tion as a regular churchmanwas well deserved. The reality is that ety, highlight his willingness to rely onvoluntary means in order Simeon's pragmatism and tolerance of paradox made room for to forward the missionary agenda. Simeon's role in the creation these divergent agendas. Recognizing this tension is the key to of the CMS establishes him as a voluntarist to no lesser extent understanding Charles Simeon's legacy for the British mission­ than Wilberforce and the Clapham Saints. When the CMS be­ ary movement in the early nineteenth century.

Notes------­ 1. Portions of this article are based on the author's "CharlesSimeonand 7. See Bennett, "Simeon," p. 150, for Simeon's views on the spirituality the Evangelical Anglican Missionary Movement: A Study of Volun­ he found at Cambridge. taryism and Church-Mission Tensions" (Ph.D. diss., University of 8. Carus, Memoirs,pp. 15ff. A thorough summary from many sources Edinburgh, 1992) and also appear in "Voluntary initiative and is provided in Bennett, "Simeon," pp. 44ff. and 122ff. Church Order: Competing Values in the Missionary Agenda of 9. Carus, Memoirs, p. 39. Charles Simeon," BulletinoftheScottishInstitute ofMissionaryStudies 10. A summary of these works may be found in Bennett, "Simeon," pp. N.S. 6-7 (1990-91), pp. 1-15. 406ff. 2. The term"evangelical(s)" is used in this article to refer to evangelicals 11. C. H. E. Smyth, Simeonand ChurchOrder: A Study ofthe Origins of the in the Church of England. This was common usage at the time. Evangelical Revivalin Cambridge in theEighteenth Century (Cambridge: Evangelical Nonconformists were no less "evangelical," but they Cambridge Univ. Press, 1940), pp. 250,255. were unable to escape the label "Dissenters." 12. L. Elliott-Binns, The Early Evangelicals: A Religious and Social Study 3. For a discussion of the connection between the British Empire and (London: Lutterworth Press, 1953) p. 284. the missionary movement, see Max Warren's Social History and 13. Ford K. Brown, Fathers of the Victorians: The Age of Wilberforce (Cam­ Christian Missions (London: SCM Press, 1967). bridge: CambridgeUniv. Press, 1961),p. 289. Brownis highly critical 4. William Wilberforce's notion of a Christian nation and its impact on of what he perceived as subversive efforts by "evangelical mission­ his worldview may be seen in his Practical view of the prevailing aries to the Gentile world in England," namely, the "proselyting" of religious system of professed Christiansin thehigherand middleclasses in orthodox Anglican laity into the evangelical camp (p. 271). thiscountrycontrasted with real Christianity(London, 1797).This work 14. A. Pollard and M. Hennell, eds., Charles Simeon (1759-1836): Essays may be the clearest example of evangelical thought at the time. For Written in Commemoration of His Bicentenary by Members of the Evan­ a good accountof the life of Wilberforce, see JohnPollock's Wilberforce gelical Fellowship forTheological Literature (London: SPCK, 1964),p. 26. (Tring, Herts: Lion Press, 1977). 15. H. E. Hopkins, Charles Simeon of Cambridge (London: Hodder & 5. See J. Williamson's Briefmemoirof the Rev. C. Simeon . . . (London, Stoughton, 1977), p. 181. 1848), pp. 6-7, for a concise summary of the Simeon family vitals. 16. A chief complaintagainst the CMS was its inherent competitionwith 6. Henry Venn quoting Simeon in a letter to a friend, September 18, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) and the 1782, in W. Carus, Memoirsof the lifeof theRev. Charles Simeon,M.A., Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG). Late Senior Fellow of King's College and Minister of Trinity Church, 17. Simeon's missionary expectations for India Company chaplains are Cambridge, 3d ed. (London, 1848), p. 28. Simeon never had opportu­ considered in depth in Bennett, "Simeon," chapter 6, "The Mission­ nity to carry out his threat: he remained a bachelor. ary Agenda by OtherMeans," pp. 291ff.Simeon saw "his" chaplains

76 INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH as hardly less missionary than those he might send to India with the earlier. See Horne's Letters on missions addressed to the Protestant CMS. This is readily apparent in his correspondence with Charles ministers of the British churches (London, 1794; reprint, Andover, Grant (senior), a member of the company's Court of Directors from 1815), p. 32 and throughout. 1794 to 1816 and Simeon's chief ally in securing chaplaincy appoint­ 24. For a complete summary of Simeon's efforts in aid of Jewish evange­ ments for more than two dozen men. In one sequence of letters lism, see J. B. Cartwright, Loveto theJewish nation: A sermonpreached Simeon discussed the expected impact of the "native schools" pro­ at theEpiscopal Jews'Chapel, Bethnal Green, London, onSundaymorning, posed by chaplain Thomas Thomason-one of Simeon's men-on November 27th, 1836, on the occasion of the death of the Rev. Charles the progress of the missionary task in India. See Simeon to Grant, Simeon (London, 1836), pp. 31-43. March 15 and December 17, 1814; and July 1 and August 5, 1815 25. There is evidence to suggest that Middleton refrained from licensing (Simeon MSS, Ridley Hall, Cambridge). any missionaries, whether CMS or SPCK, until he could license all of 18. D. M. Rosman has observed that a tolerance of paradox was a mark them, and that more than a legal technicality hindered him vis-a-vis of nineteenth-century evangelical expediency ("Evangelicals and the CMS. See Bennett, "Simeon," chapters 4 and 5, where this Culture in England, 1790-1833" [Ph.D. diss., Keele University, 1979], important example of church-mission tension is considered in some p. 19). The argument is valid, but it is an incomplete explanation for detail. Simeon's ability to embrace contrasting values. Simeon genuinely 26. For example, the first parochial collection on behalf of the CMS was believed that the Scriptures affirm principles that appear to be taken at Holy Trinity Church in 1804. See Hole, EarlyHistory, p. 96. contradictory. For this reason he did not fear to do the same. One 27. In 1836, Daniel Wilson proposed four "rules" to guide the bishop of paradox in particular stands out in connection with Simeon's name: Calcutta in his relationship with the CMS's clerical missionaries in On biblical grounds Simeon spoke of himself as a Calvinist, as an India: (1) determine the missionary's fitness for licensing, (2) ap­ Arminian, and as neither of these. See Bennett, "Simeon," pp. 19ff. prove the stationing of the missionary, (3) superintend his ecclesias­ 19. I.e., the September 1787 "Plan for a missionary establishment in tical work (versus his missionary work), but (4) receive regular Bengal and Behar," as proposed from Calcutta by David Brown, reports from the society on the missionary work of the clergyman William Chambers, Charles Grant, and George Udny (Simeon MSS). (Wilson to theCMS GeneralCommittee,June9, 1836,CMS Archives, 20. Carus, Memoirs,pp. 125-26; see also J. H. Pratt, ed., Eclectic Notes. . . University of Birmingham, C 11/08/4). "Appendix II" to the thirty­ 2d ed. (London, 1865) p. 99. ninth Reportof the CMS, drafted by Henry Venn in 1838, reflected the 21. A. W. Brown, Recollections oftheconversation parties oftheRev. Charles acceptance of Wilson's proposal. These principles were formalized Simeon . . . (London, 1863), p. 208. in Venn's "Concordat" of July 1841, incorporating them into "Law 22. "Not one of them says, 'Here I am, send me' " (Simeon to Thomas 32" of the society. With the publication of the new regulations, the Scott, August 22, 1800, CMS Archives, University of Birmingham, archbishops of Canterbury and York and the bishop of London G/AC 3; also cited in C. Hole, The Early History of the Church finally consented to serve the CMS as vice-patrons. (See W. Shenk, Missionary Society [London, 1896], p. 62). "Henry Venn as Missionary Theorist and Administrator" [Ph.D. 23. This problem had become apparent to Melville Horne a decade diss., University of Aberdeen, 1978], pp. 242-53.)

Bibliography Material by Simeon Material about Simeon

1802 A sermon preached at the parish church of St. Andrew by the Balda, W. D. "Spheres of Influence: Simeon's Trust and Its implications Wardrobe and St. Anne, Blackfriars ... June8,1802, before the for Evangelical Patronage." Ph.D. diss., Cambridge University, SocietyforMissionstoAfricaand theEast. . . beingtheirsecond 1981. anniversary. . . . London. Bennett,J. C. "CharlesSimeon and the Evangelical Anglican Missionary 1816 (ed.) Memorial sketches of the Rev. David Brown: With a Movement: A Study of Voluntaryism and Church-Mission Ten­ selection of his sermons preached at Calcutta. London. 1821 The conversion of theJews, or, Our duty and encouragement to sions." Ph.D. diss., University of Edinburgh, 1992. promote it: Two discourses preached before the University of Brown, A. W. Recollections of the conversation parties of the Rev. Charles Cambridge, on February 18th, and 20th, 1821. London. Simeon,M.A., SeniorFellow of King's College, and Perpetual Curateof 1837 Substance of an address . . . in behalfof the London Societyfor Trinity Church,Cambridge. London, 1863. Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews, on ... October the Carus, W. Memoirsof the lifeof the Rev. Charles Simeon,M.A., LateSenior 27th,1834:Communicated asalettertotheRev.].B.Cartwright, Fellow of King's College and Minister of Trinity Church,Cambridge. 3d M.A., Secretary of the Society. London. ed. London, 1848. 1845 Horae homileticae, or, Discourses digested into one continued Hopkins,H. E.Charles Simeon ofCambridge. London: Hodder& Stoughton, series, andformingacommentaryuponeverybook oftheOldand 1977. New Testament . . . . 7th ed. 21 vols., with indexes by T. H. Moule, H. C. G. Charles Simeon. London, 1892. Horne. London. 1959 Let Wisdom Judge: University Addresses and SermonOutlines Pollard, A., and M. Hennell, eds. Charles Simeon (1759-1836): Essays by Charles Simeon. Edited with an introduction by A. Pol­ Written in Commemoration of His Bicentenary by Members of the lard. London: SPCK. Evangelical Fellowship forTheological Literature. London: SPCK, 1964. Smyth, C. H. E. Simeon and Church Order: A Study of the origins of the Evangelical RevivalinCambridge intheEighteenth Century.The Birkbeck Lectures for 1937-38. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1940.

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