Samuel Clark (1684–1750), usually known as Samuel Clarke of St Albans, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Nonconformist Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...

pastor and theological writer, known for his ''Collection of the Promises of Scripture''. He is not to be confused with his near-contemporary

Samuel Clarke Samuel Clarke (11 October 1675 – 17 May 1729) was an English philosopher and Anglican cleric. He is considered the major British figure in philosophy between John Locke and George Berkeley. Early life and studies Clarke was born in Norwich, ...

(1675–1729), philosopher and

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

clergyman.

Life

Samuel Clarke was born on 16 December 1684 at

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

, into an extended family of clergy. His father Benjamin Clarke (1653–1722) was the youngest son of Daniel Clarke (1609–1654), vicar of

Kirkburton Kirkburton is a village, civil parishes in England, civil parish and ward in Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It is south-east of Huddersfield. Historic counties of England, Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the township ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, brother of Samuel Clarke (1599–1683), the Puritan biographer. Benjamin had married Elizabeth (1656–1736), daughter of his first cousin Samuel Clarke (1626–1701), annotator of the Bible. After reading the works of the elder Samuel Clark, who was both his paternal great-uncle and maternal great-grandfather, he went through a course of preparation for the ministry. Clarke declined preferment in 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 ...

, on grounds of conscience, as a Dissenter. He became the pastor of a

congregation in Dagnall Lane,

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman r ...

(now Lower Dagnall Street). The first

charity school Charity schools, sometimes called blue coat schools, or simply the Blue School, were significant in the history of education in England. They were built and maintained in various parishes by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants to ...

outside London, in connection with a dissenting congregation, was instituted by Clarke about 1715, giving free education in reading, writing, and arithmetic to thirty boys and ten girls (see

Dissenting academies The dissenting academies were schools, colleges and seminaries (often institutions with aspects of all three) run by English Dissenters, that is, those who Nonconformist (Protestantism), did not conform to the Church of England. They formed a sign ...

). Clarke was on intimate terms with

Isaac Watts Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. His works include "When I Survey the ...

Job Orton Job Orton (4 September 1717 – 1783) was an English dissenting minister. Life He was born at Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He entered the academy of Dr Philip Doddridge at Northampton, became minister of a congregation formed by a fusion of Presbyteri ...

, and

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 ...

, the last of whom he had informally adopted as a recently orphaned thirteen-year-old. The four men were of the same theological school. It was in going to preach Clarke's funeral sermon that Doddridge is said to have caught the illness which caused his death. Clarke is thought to have suggested to Doddridge some of the books which he published; in particular, his ''Principles of the Christian Religion''. Clarke was awarded the degree of

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...

by the University of Glasgow in March 1744, 'on the united testimony of Dr Watts, Dr Guise,' and Dr Doddridge. On Sunday 2 December 1750, whilst administering the Lord's Supper in his Dagnall Street chapel, Clarke suffered a stroke. He died two days later.

Works

Clarke published some sermons, but is remembered for his ''Collection of the Promises of Scripture'', arranged systematically.Other titles: ''The Scripture Promises'', ''A Collection of the Promises of Scripture'', ''Clark's Scripture Promises'', ''Clark's Bible Promises'', ''Book of Promises'', ''Precious Bible Promises''
PreciousBiblePromises.com.
http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Promises/Clarkes_Bible_Promises.html Online text.] It is a compilation, often reprinted, and was an enduring popular religious volume.

Family

Clarke married Sarah Jones, of St Albans (1701–1757), by whom he had sons Samuel Clark (tutor and minister), Samuel (1727–1769) and Thomas (1730–1742), and daughters Ann (1733–1804), who married Rev Jabez Hirons (1727–1812), who succeeded Clark as minister at Dagnall Lane; Elizabeth, who married

Ralph Griffiths Ralph Griffiths (c.1720 – 28 September 1803) was an English journal editor and publisher of Welsh extraction. In 1749, he founded London's first successful literary magazine, the ''Monthly Review'' (1749–1845), and remained its editor un ...

, editor of the ''

Monthly Review The ''Monthly Review'', established in 1949, is an independent socialist magazine published monthly in New York City. The publication is the longest continuously published socialist magazine in the United States. History Establishment Following ...

''; and Sarah, who married Dr William Rose, schoolmaster of Chiswick.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Samuel 1684 births 1750 deaths English Congregationalist ministers English theologians