Robert Hindmarsh
Robert Hindmarsh (1759–1835) was an English printer and one of the original founders of
Life
He was born at
About 1781 he met with one of
In December 1783 he formed a society (originally consisting of five members) for the purpose of studying Swedenborg's works. Hindmarsh found first three other readers of Swedenborg: Peter Prow, William Bonington, and John August Tulk. They organized a public meeting of readers of Swedenborg with an advertisement in the newspaper. The meeting took place on 5 December 1783[1] at the "London Coffee House" on Ludgate Hill. They were joined by one other member, William Spence. They met again on 12 December and were joined by Henry Pickitt and James Glen. A group of readers of Swedenborg slowly grew.
In January 1784 they formed "The Theosophical Society", for translating, printing and distributing the writings of Swedenborg. Rooms were taken for the society in New Court,
On 27 January 1788 a chapel in
Hindmarsh fell into controversy with Joseph Priestley, to whom he had lent (1791) Swedenborg's works, and attended annual conferences of believers in Swedenborg's doctrine, advocating in 1792 the autocracy of the priesthood. Hindmarsh held a conference (of seven members) in 1793, at which a hierarchy of three orders was agreed on, and Great Britain parcelled into twenty-four dioceses; but for want of funds the Eastcheap chapel was closed within the year. A few years later he got his friends to build a ‘temple’ in Cross Street, Hatton Garden. It was opened on 30 July 1797 by Joseph Proud, who had moved from Birmingham. Proud left in 1799 owing to disputes with the proprietors, and the chapel subsequently became the scene of Edward Irving's labours.
Meanwhile, Hindmarsh tried stockbroking, with only temporary success. In 1811 William Cowherd invited him to Salford to superintend a printing office for cheap editions of Swedenborg's works. He soon broke with Cowherd, but some of the hearers of Clowes and of Cowherd persuaded him to stay. He preached in Clarence Street, Manchester, from 7 July 1811, holding on Thursdays in 1812 a debating society, which he called the ‘new school of theology.’ His friends built for him (1813) a ‘New Jerusalem temple’ in Salford.
He was the founder of The New Magazine of Knowledge and the head of the Society for Promoting the Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem.[3] At the conference held in Derby, 1818, over which Hindmarsh presided, it was resolved that he had been ‘virtually ordained by the divine auspices.’ Hindmarsh preached at Salford till 1824. After his retirement he wrote a history, from 1824 to 1834 working on the manuscript for Rise and Progress of the New Jerusalem Church in England, America and Other Parts. He passed the work on to others (including the Rev. Edward Madeley) to edit and complete. It was published in London in 1861.[4]
Family and death
He married Sarah Paramor on 7 May 1782;[2] Sarah died on 2 March 1833. They had five children, Henry, Elizabeth, Charles, George, and Jane.[2]
He died on 2 January 1835 in his daughter's house at
References
- ^ a b c d e f Schreck, Rev. E J E (1916). "Early History of the New Church in Birmingham". New Church History. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Odhner, Carl T. (1895). "Robert Hindmarsh; a biography". New Christian Bible Study. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Hindmarsh, Robert (1759-1835)". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Rise and Progress of the New Jerusalem Church, in England, America, and Other Parts". Google Books. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- Hindmarsh, Robert (1861). Rise and Progress OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH In England, America and Other Parts. London: Hoderson and Sons. ISBN 978-1-4021-3146-2. Archived from the originalon 19 July 2011.
- Odhner, Carl Theophilus, Robert Hindmarsh: A Biography, Academy Book Room 1821 Wallace Street, Philadelphia, 1895.
External links
- Works related to Robert Hindmarsh at Wikisource
- Media related to Robert Hindmarsh at Wikimedia Commons
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Hindmarsh, Robert". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.