Charles Bulkley (1719–1797) was an English

Baptist minister Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

Life

The fourth son of Thomas Bulkley, silk mercer in

Ludgate Street Ludgate Hill is a street and surrounding area, on a small hill in the City of London. The street passes through the former site of Ludgate, a city gate that was demolished – along with a prison, gaol attached to it – in 1760. The area ...

, and Esther, fourth daughter of

Matthew Henry Matthew Henry (18 October 166222 June 1714) was a Nonconformist (Protestantism), Nonconformist minister and author, who was born in Wales but spent much of his life in England. He is best known for the six-volume biblical commentary ''Exposition ...

, he was born in London 18 October 1719. His early education was under the Rev. Lancaster, a clergyman at Chester. He was trained for the ministry under

Philip Doddridge Philip Doddridge D.D. (26 June 1702 – 26 October 1751) was an English Nonconformist (specifically, Congregationalist) minister, educator, and hymnwriter. Early life Philip Doddridge was born in London the last of the twenty children of D ...

, whose

Northampton Academy Northampton Academy is a mixed secondary school and sixth form in Northampton, Northamptonshire for students aged 11 to 18. Since September 2004, it has been an Academy, part of United Learning, a subsidiary of the United Church Schools Trust ...

he entered in 1736. Bulkley's first settlement was with the Presbyterian congregation at

Welford, Northamptonshire Welford is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in England, on the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon border between Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. At the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census, the population was 1,04 ...

. He shortly moved on to

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colches ...

for a while. Under the influence of John Ashworth, brother of

Caleb Ashworth Caleb Ashworth, D.D. (1722–1775) was an English dissenting tutor. Life Ashworth was born at Cloughfold, Rossendale, Lancashire, in 1722. His father, Richard Ashworth, who died in 1751, aged eighty-four, was a lay preacher among the Particular ...

, he adopted the views of the

General Baptists General Baptists are Baptists who hold the ''general'' or unlimited atonement view, the belief that Jesus Christ died for the entire world and not just for the chosen elect. General Baptists are theologically Arminian, which distinguishes them from ...

, went to London, and was immersed. Ashworth had been minister of the Baptist congregation at White's Alley,

Little Moorfields Coleman Street is one of the 25 ancient wards of the City of London and lies on the City's northern boundary with the London Borough of Islington. The ward, which includes land lying on either side of the former city wall, takes its name from ...

; in 1743 Bulkley was the successful candidate (in competition with Richard Baron) for that post, but he again moved on to a more prominent position. Bulkley, in 1745, succeeded James Foster at the

Barbican A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer fortifications, defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe ...

, carrying with him his congregation from White's Alley. Some years later, when Foster retired (January 1752) from the Sunday evening lectureship at the

Old Jewry Meeting-house The Old Jewry Meeting-house was a meeting-house for an English Presbyterian congregation, built around 1701, in the Old Jewry, a small street in the centre of the City of London. Its first minister was John Shower. In 1808 new premises were buil ...

, Bulkley again succeeded him. He came round, after Foster's death, to " mixed communion", and was taken to task for it by

Grantham Killingworth Grantham Killingworth (1699–1778) was an English lay Baptist controversialist. Life A grandson of Thomas Grantham, he was born in Norwich. He was a layman, and a personal friend of William Whiston, whom he supplied with evidence of cures effecte ...

, a General Baptist layman of

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...

. He is reported to have had a crowded audience at the Old Jewry for some few years. In 1779 the General Baptist numbers in London were dropping. Bulkley's congregation associated with three others in building a small meeting-house in Worship Street,

Finsbury Finsbury is a district of Central London, forming the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Islington. It borders the City of London. The Manor of Finsbury is first recorded as ''Vinisbir'' (1231) and means "manor of a man called Finn ...

(they moved in 1878; the congregation was at

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common land, Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heat ...

at the end of the 19th century). Bulkley continued his ministry, though paralysis in 1795 broke his health and affected his speech. Bulkley died on 15 April 1797, and was buried on 25 April in the graveyard behind the meeting-house in Worship Street.

Works

Bulkley published: * ''A Vindication of my Lord Shaftesbury, on the subject of Ridicule'', 1751 (in reply to

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

) * ''A Vindication of my Lord Shaftesbury, on the subjects of Morality and Religion'', 1752, (continuation of the preceding). * ''Discourses'', 1752 (fifteen in number; reissued 1760). * ''Notes on the Philosophical Writings of Lord Bolingbroke. In Three Parts'', 1755. * ''On the Earthquake at Lisbon'', 1756. * ''The Nature and Necessity of National Repentance'', 1756. * ''Observations upon Natural Religion and Christianity'' 1757 (in reply to

Thomas Sherlock Thomas Sherlock (167818 July 1761) was a British divine who served as a Church of England bishop for 33 years. He is also noted in church history as an important contributor to Christian apologetics. Life Born in London, he was the son of the V ...

's ' Discourses'). * ''The Christian Minister'', 1758 (sermons). * ''Sermons on Public Occasions'', 1761. * ''The Oeconomy of the Gospel, in Four Books'', 1764 (intended as a complete body of divinity). * ''Discourses on the Parables ... and the Miracles'', 1770–1, 4 vols. * ''Catechetical Exercises'', 1774. * ''Preface to Notes on the Bible'', 1791, and some sermons. Posthumously published were: * ''An Apology for Human Nature'', n. d. (prefatory address to

William Wilberforce William Wilberforce (24 August 175929 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist and leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becom ...

, by John Evans, dated 2 October 1797). * ''Notes on the Bible'', 1802, 3 vols. (edited, with ''Memoir'' prefixed to vol. iii., by

Joshua Toulmin Joshua Toulmin ( – 23 July 1815) of Taunton, England was a noted theologian and a serial Dissenting minister of Presbyterian (1761–1764), Baptist (1765–1803), and then Unitarian (1804–1815) congregations. Toulmin's sympathy for bot ...

. The ''Notes'' are illustrative passages selected from classical, rabbinical, patristic, and later authors.

Family

Bulkley married in 1749 Ann Fiske, of

(died August 1783), but had no issue.

Notes and references

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulkley, Charles 1719 births 1797 deaths English Baptists Arminian writers Arminian ministers