Charles Vince (1823–1874) was a noted and popular Baptist minister in Birmingham, England, at the Graham Street chapel from 1852 to 1874. He was one of the religious leaders developing Birmingham's

Civic Gospel The Civic Gospel was a philosophy of municipal activism and improvement that emerged in Birmingham, England, in the mid-19th century. Tracing its origins to the teaching of independent nonconformist preacher George Dawson, who declared that "a to ...

, with his predecessor at the chapel

George Dawson George Dawson may refer to: Politicians * George Dawson (Northern Ireland politician) (1961–2007), Northern Ireland politician * George Walker Wesley Dawson (1858–1936), Canadian politician * George Oscar Dawson (1825–1865), Georgia politic ...

, and

Henry William Crosskey Henry William Crosskey (7 December 1826 – 1 October 1893) was an English Unitarian minister and geologist. Crosskey was born at Lewes, Sussex. After being trained for the ministry at Manchester New College (1843–1848), he became pastor of F ...

Life

Vince was born in Farnham, Surrey, into a Congregationalist background: his father was a carpenter and builder. He attended a local school, run by a nephew of William Cobbett, became an apprentice to Mason & Jackson, the firm for which his father worked, and joined the local Mechanics' Institute. After a Baptist conversion, he entered

Stepney College The Baptist College, Stepney, was opened in Stepney in the East End of London in 1810 by the Particular Baptists. Its buildings included rooms for tutors and students, a refectory, a library and a chapel. The college relocated to larger premises ...

in 1848. He was then assigned to the Mount Zion Chapel, in Graham Street, Birmingham. He has been described as a "charismatic preacher". As a figure of the Birmingham "civic renaissance" (or "

civic gospel The Civic Gospel was a philosophy of municipal activism and improvement that emerged in Birmingham, England, in the mid-19th century. Tracing its origins to the teaching of independent nonconformist preacher George Dawson, who declared that "a to ...

"), a movement promoted by Dawson's supporters, Vince spoke for causes including the Reform League, the

National Education League The National Education League was a political movement in England and Wales which promoted elementary education for all children, free from religious control. The National Education League, founded 1869, developed from the Birmingham Education L ...

, and the Liberal Association. He was also personally popular as a minister. He defended the radicalism of George Edmonds in an 1868 funeral sermon for him. Key Hill Charles Vince monument

Vince was an influential participant in Birmingham's social institutions, and a member of Birmingham's first school board. He died on 22 October 1874, at age 51, and was buried at Key Hill Cemetery, Hockley.

Works

*''Lessons for Christian labourers from the lives of the Jesuits'' (1861) *''The Child's Book of Praise'' (1863) *''Lights and Shadows in the Life of King David'' (1870) *''The Unchanging Saviour, and other sermons'' (1875) *''Christian Hymns for Public Worship'' (1876), with Henry Platten

Family

Vince left a widow and seven children. They included Charles Anthony Vince (born 1855), an academic, head of Mill Hill School, Liberal Unionist and local historian of Birmingham; and James Herbert Vince. The fourth son, W. B. Vince, was a solicitor and worked for the ''

Birmingham Post The ''Birmingham Post'' is a weekly printed newspaper based in Birmingham, England, with a circulation of 2,545 and distribution throughout the West Midlands. First published under the name the ''Birmingham Daily Post'' in 1857, it has had a s ...

'' before dying young.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vince, Charles 1823 births 1874 deaths English Baptist ministers People from Farnham People from Birmingham, West Midlands Burials at Key Hill Cemetery