Charles Simeon (1759-1836)

Charles Simeon became a leader among evangelical churchmen and was one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1799. He also helped found the *London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews *
(LSPCAJ) in 1809.

He also established what is now the *Charles Simeon Trust.

Simeon was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1759 and baptized the same year. He studied at Eton College and was an undergraduate from 1779 at King’s College Cambridge.

One Easter, while at King’s, he experienced a Christian conversion

In 1782 he became a Fellow of King’s College and was ordained a deacon and graduated B.A. in 1783.

He began as a minister as deputy to Christopher Atkinson at St. Edward King and Martyr, Cambridge.

He then received the living of Holy Trinity, Cambridge in 1783. Technically it was a curacy. He was appointed, under the age of 23, as a curate-in-charge for the bishop. Initially John Hammond was preferred by the congregation. Services were disrupted and he was insulted in th e streets. But Simeon stayed (1783-1836) there for the rest of his life and eventually had a crowded church.

He gained influence among the under graduates of the university. He taught, young priests in training Theology and preaching technique, at discussion parties hosted in his College room in the Gibbs building.
They were inspired by his dynamic preaching at St. Edward’s, Great St. Mary’s and Holy Trinity churches. They used his published 100s of sermons ,or skeleton of sermons, when drafting their own- to some an invitation to clerical plagiarism!

He became a leading evangelical churchman and was one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society ( now called Church Mission Society -see notes).

He also help found LSPCAJ) (now known as the Church Ministry Among Jewish People (CMJ - see notes.)

He established the Charles Simeon Trust to encourage perpetuate evangelical clergy in the Church of England parishes. It continues to operate to this day.
( See notes- sorry about poor print).

In 1809 the British East India sought his advice of choice of Chaplains for India.

His main piece of work was a commentary on the whole Bible -Horae homileticae.

Charles died on 13th November 1836, aged 77. He was buried on the 19th in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge.

His influence and authority extended to the most remote corners of England.
His real sway over the Church was far greater than that of any Primate…
Thomas Macaulay- historian

*One of the greatest and most persuasive preachers the Church of England has ever known * John Stott- evangelist

Sources used
King’s College Cambridge
Simeon’s Trustees and Hyndman’s Trustees
Wikipedia