Controversial theologian and politician. Born in Wiltshire, he was a Master of Arts and Doctor of Divinity graduate from Merton College, where he probably made the acquaintance of the essayist Addison who later dedicated a book to him. He came to attention as a preacher at St Saviour's Southwark, warning of the neglect of the Church by the Whig ministry. The ministry successfully prosecuted him, but this led to his becoming a cause celebre - he was banned from preaching for three years, but the public outrage which followed played a major part in bringing down the Whig administration. The new Tory government rewarded him, once his sentence was over, with the living of St Andrew's Church in Holborn, one of Wren's largest City Of London churches. He died at Highgate but was interred in the church at Holborn, although his anonymous remains may possibly have been moved to the City Of London Cemetery at Ilford in a recent crypt clearance.
Controversial theologian and politician. Born in Wiltshire, he was a Master of Arts and Doctor of Divinity graduate from Merton College, where he probably made the acquaintance of the essayist Addison who later dedicated a book to him. He came to attention as a preacher at St Saviour's Southwark, warning of the neglect of the Church by the Whig ministry. The ministry successfully prosecuted him, but this led to his becoming a cause celebre - he was banned from preaching for three years, but the public outrage which followed played a major part in bringing down the Whig administration. The new Tory government rewarded him, once his sentence was over, with the living of St Andrew's Church in Holborn, one of Wren's largest City Of London churches. He died at Highgate but was interred in the church at Holborn, although his anonymous remains may possibly have been moved to the City Of London Cemetery at Ilford in a recent crypt clearance.
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