Henry Bellenden Bulteel (14 September 1800 – 28 December 1866) was an English priest with radical opinions. He studied at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

and became an Anglican curate in Oxford. He adopted High Calvinist opinions, and in 1831 gave a polemic sermon before the university in which he questioned received opinions on free will and salvation, and criticised the university and the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

for ignoring the principles of their faith and appointing unsuitable clergy in response to political influence. He then went on an outdoor preaching tour, and as a result was ejected from the Church of England. He formed his own nonconformist church and flirted with Irving's

Catholic Apostolic Church The Catholic Apostolic Church (CAC), also known as the Irvingian Church, is a Christian denomination and Protestant sect which originated in Scotland around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States.Strict Baptist Reformed Baptists (sometimes known as Particular Baptists or Calvinistic Baptists) are Baptists that hold to a Calvinist soteriology (salvation). The first Calvinist Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith ...

chapel.

Origins

Henry Bellenden Bulteel was born at

Plymstock Plymstock is a commuter suburb of Plymouth and former civil parish in the English county of Devon. Geography Situated on the east bank of the River Plym, Plymstock is geographically and historically part of the South Hams. It comprises the vil ...

in Devon on 14 September 1800, the fourth of ten children of Thomas Hillersdon Bulteel of Bellevue House in the parish of

in Devon, by his wife Anne Harris, a daughter and co-heiress of Christopher Harris of Bellevue (3rd son of John Harris of Radford in the parish of Plymstock). Bulteel's ancestors had

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

origins and had founded the Naval Bank in nearby Plymouth, Devon, in 1774. His brothers went into the navy.

Early years

He attended

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

, where one of his eyes was knocked out by a cricket ball. He matriculated at

Brasenose College, Oxford Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The library and chapel were added in the mi ...

, on 1 April 1818. As an undergraduate he gained a reputation for rowdiness, and once started a riot between "town and gown" (paying pupils and King's Scholars) during the disturbances over the attempted divorce of Queen Caroline. In 1822 he was stroke of the winning Brasenose boat in the race on

the Isis "The Isis" () is an alternative name for the River Thames, used from its source in the Cotswolds until it is joined by the Thame at Dorchester in Oxfordshire. It derives from the ancient name for the Thames, ''Tamesis'', which in the Middle ...

Oxford fellow and curate

Bulteel obtained a bachelor's degree in 1822. and was elected fellow of Exeter College on 30 June 1823. In 1824 he rowed for his college as a Fellow of Exeter. He took his master's degree in 1824 and became curate of

St Ebbe's Church, Oxford St Ebbe's is a Church of England parish church in central Oxford. The church is within the conservative evangelical tradition and participates in the Anglican Reform movement. It has members from many nations, many of whom are students at Oxford U ...

, in 1826. Bulteel was a member of the Oxford Auxiliary of the

Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...

, as was

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican ministry, Anglican priest and later as a Catholi ...

, who would later also leave the Church of England. He adopted high Calvinist and

antinomian Antinomianism (Ancient Greek: ἀντί 'anti''"against" and νόμος 'nomos''"law") is any view which rejects laws or Legalism (theology), legalism and argues against moral, religious or social norms (Latin: mores), or is at least consid ...

views. Bulteel's passion and intensity had great impact on his contemporaries at Oxford. For a short period

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

fell under Bulteel's influence. On 5 February 1827 Thomas Byrth (1793–1849), then curate at

St Clement's Church, Oxford St Clement's Church is an evangelical Church of England parish church situated just to the east of central Oxford, England. History The present church dates from the 1820s, but replaced a much older building, which was demolished in 1829. Th ...

, wrote that Bulteel "has created a most powerful sensation here, by preaching ultra-Calvinism, and circulating Dr Hawker's tracts." Bulteel's evangelical views became so extreme that the university authorities banned students from attending his sermons. Joseph Charles Philpot, a high Calvinist and fellow of

Worcester College Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in 1714 by the benefaction of Sir Thomas Cookes, 2nd Baronet (1648–1701) of Norgrove, Worcestershire, whose coat of arms w ...

, wrote, On 6 October 1829 Bulteel scandalized genteel Oxford by marrying Eleanor Sadler, a pastry cook and sister of Alderman C. J. Sadler, of High Street, Oxford. As was the custom, he then had to vacate his fellowship at Exeter. On 6 February 1831 Bulteel preached a ''Sermon on 1 Corinthians ii. 12'' at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University of Oxford. The sermon discussed predestination, free will, justification, and salvation. It included outspoken views on the state of the universities and the

, and caused great excitement. William Gladstone wrote that he "always remembered among the wonderful sights of his life St Mary's 'crammed in all parts by all orders when Mr Bulteel, an outlying calvinist, preached his accusatory sermon (some of it too true) against the university. The sermon was printed and ran to six editions. Many replies and comments were published. In his sermon Bulteel said God "doth but reckon that such and such sinners shall become righteous, and, lo! they become righteous instantly, God bestowing upon them faith to lay hold on the robe of Christ's everlasting righteousness, and clothe themselves with these garments of salvation." Righteousness was thus a gift of God rather than the result of a person's deliberate choice. He said that the

thirty-nine Articles The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (commonly abbreviated as the Thirty-nine Articles or the XXXIX Articles) are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Church of England with respect to the controversies of the ...

of the Church of England, which were meant to ensure that only spiritual men joined the ministry, were being ignored. Worldly sinners were allowed to enter the church as a result of political influence. He complained that the college and university authorities would not give proper recommendations to strong Calvinist graduates, but gave good recommendations to "men notorious for nothing so much in their day as profaneness, debauchery, and all kind of riotous living." This could clearly be taken as a reference to his own appointment. He argued that the Church of England needed reform as much as the Church of Rome. In the summer of 1831 Bulteel toured the west of England. His friend William Tiptaft wrote, "We shall preach in churches, chapels, barns, rooms, or in the open air. We shall, if the Lord strengthens us for the work, give great offence. But it is a glorious work to preach the everlasting gospel. It is the very purpose for which I was ordained. Christ will not turn us out of His Church for following His steps in preaching the gospel in every city and village. I should not be surprised if the Bishop withdraw Bulteel's license as he is only a curate." This last prediction proved accurate. Richard Bagot, Bishop of Oxford, revoked Bulteel's license on 10 August 1831. The churchwardens refused Bulteel access to his church. Bulteel accused the bishop of being "an officer of the Church of Antichrist" and said he could preach where he wanted without the bishop's permission. He continued to preach in Oxford outdoors, drawing large crowds.

Later years

Friends of Bulteel raised money and built a chapel for him at the back of

Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located at Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale, and was named after ...

. The chapel was named St. Ebbe's Chapel, but was often called Bulteel's Chapel. He preached there based on the teachings of the

Plymouth Brethren The Plymouth Brethren or Assemblies of Brethren are a low church and non-conformist Christian movement whose history can be traced back to Dublin, Ireland, in the mid to late 1820s, where they originated from Anglicanism. The group emphasizes ...

. The members of the congregation were called Bulteelers. St. Ebbe's Chapel later became the Commercial Road Baptist Chapel. In 1832 Bulteel visited London and attended the Rev.

Edward Irving Edward Irving (4 August 17927 December 1834) was a Scottish clergyman, generally regarded as the main figure behind the foundation of the Catholic Apostolic Church. Early life Edward Irving was born at Annan, Annandale the second son of Ga ...

's chapel. He adopted some of Irving's ideas, and published a book that told how he had cured the illnesses of three women through prayers and intercession, and restored them to health. Bulteel was one of a small number of Evangelical clergymen who joined Irving's

Catholic Apostolic Church The Catholic Apostolic Church (CAC), also known as the Irvingian Church, is a Christian denomination and Protestant sect which originated in Scotland around 1831 and later spread to Germany and the United States.Benjamin Wills Newton, an early member of the Plymouth Brethren, was a friend of Bulteel, but turned against the Irvingites when Bulteel began to "heal" members of his congregation and to make bizarre theological speculations based on his religious experience. In May 1833 Bulteel became disillusioned with Irvine's teachings, and told John Hill of "his gracious deliverance from the awful delusions concerning supernatural gifts". He had come to consider that the gifts were false and that Irving's views on the human nature of Christ was incorrect. After leaving the Irvingites Bulteel set up a

Strict Baptist Reformed Baptists (sometimes known as Particular Baptists or Calvinistic Baptists) are Baptists that hold to a Calvinist soteriology (salvation). The first Calvinist Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith ...

chapel in Oxford. A well-written anonymous poem published in 1845 that denounced the

Oxford Movement The Oxford Movement was a movement of high church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the University of O ...

and John Henry Newman was attributed to him but is likely to be by Richard Burdon. Around 1846 Bulteel left Oxford, and seems to have joined the Plymouth Brethren. Henry Bellenden Bulteel died on 28 December 1866 in Plymouth at the age of 66.

Publications

* * * * *. Anonymous

Notes

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulteel, Henry 1800 births 1866 deaths 19th-century English Anglican priests People from Plymstock Clergy from Devon