Francis Augustus Cox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Augustus Cox
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| Born | 1783 |
| Died | 1853 |
| Occupation | Baptist Preacher, Writer |
| Known for | History of the Baptists |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth King of Watford in 1809 Sarah Savery in 1821 Hephzibah Hannah Finch Jones in 1847. |
| Children | seven |
Francis Augustus Cox (born 1783, died 1853) was an important English Baptist minister. He started preaching when he was still a teenager. Later, he became a minister in Hackney for more than 40 years.
Cox also strongly supported the creation of the University of London. He wrote many articles and books. These included biographies of women and a history of the Baptist Missionary Society.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Augustus Cox was born in Leighton Buzzard in 1783. He was baptised into the Baptist faith when he was twelve years old. As a teenager, he began preaching.
He went to school in Northampton. After receiving money from his grandfather, he attended the Baptist College in Bristol. Cox later earned a master's degree from the University of Edinburgh. This helped him become a Baptist minister.
A Long Career as a Minister
In 1805, Cox became a minister in Clipston. He then moved to the St Andrew's Street Church in Cambridge. This church was very old, dating back to 1764. However, Cox left Cambridge in 1808 and returned to Clipston.
Cox spent 42 years as a minister in Hackney. His church was located on Mare Street. He had only planned to preach there for a short time. But both he and the church were very happy with his work. The number of people attending his church grew six times larger during his time there. Many important people also attended his services.
Supporting Education and Rights
When the University of London was started in 1828, Cox wanted to be on its committee. However, he was not allowed because he was a minister. Instead, he worked as the university's librarian for a short period.
Cox also served as secretary for the Protestant Society for three years. He was part of a group of Protestant Dissenting Ministers. These groups worked to support the rights of Protestants who were not part of the main Church of England.
He helped with the effort to repeal the Test and Corporation Acts. These laws had placed restrictions on non-conformist Protestants. Their removal in 1828 was a big step for religious freedom. This was followed by the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. This act allowed Catholics to serve in parliament.
In 1832, Cox tried to help the British and Foreign Seaman and Soldiers' Friend Society. This group faced a public problem. But he resigned from it soon after joining.
Travels and Anti-Slavery Work
Cox received an LLD degree from the University of Glasgow. This was thanks to his friend, Lord Brougham. Later, he was given a Doctor of Divinity degree by the "University of Waterville". He received this honor during a visit to America in 1838. He was there on behalf of the Baptists.
In the same year, he attended the opening of a new school. This school was started by Dorothea Foulger. It was created to educate the daughters of missionaries.
Two years later, in 1840, Cox attended an important meeting. This was the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London. This convention brought together people who wanted to end slavery. Cox was even included in a famous painting of the event. This painting is now in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Later Life and Writings
Francis Cox passed away in 1853 in Hackney. He had been married three times and had seven children. He wrote a huge amount of material during his life.
In 1809, he started the Baptist Magazine. He wrote many articles for this magazine. As late as 1852, he wrote an article about ancient Palestinian Biblical items. This article appeared in the Encyclopædia Metropolitana.
Some of his most important books include:
- Two books with biographies of women from the Bible.
- A history of the Baptist Missionary Society.
- A book about the life of Philip Melanchthon.
Images for kids
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Clipston Chapel where Cox returned to in April 1808
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Francis Augustus Cox in 1840 at the anti-slavery convention
