Joseph Barclay facts for kids

Joseph Barclay (1831–1881) was an Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem. He was an important religious leader who worked to spread Christianity and was known for his knowledge of many languages.

Early Life and Missionary Work

Joseph Barclay was born in 1831 near Strabane in County Tyrone, Ireland. His family had Scottish roots. He went to Trinity College Dublin, where he earned his first degree in 1854 and a master's degree in 1857.

In 1854, he became a curacy (a type of assistant priest) in Bagnelstown, County Carlow. While there, he became very interested in the work of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews. This group worked to share Christian beliefs with Jewish people.

In 1858, Joseph Barclay decided to become a missionary for this society. He moved from Ireland to London for a short time to study. After that, he was sent to Constantinople (which is now Istanbul, Turkey). The mission in Constantinople had started in 1835, but it hadn't made much progress. Joseph Barclay stayed there until 1861. During this time, he traveled to different areas, including the Danubian provinces and Rhodes, to continue his missionary work.

He married Lucy Agnes Tryphosa Andrew, who passed away in 1882.

Career in the Anglican Church

In 1861, Joseph Barclay was chosen to lead Christ Church, Jerusalem. This job needed a lot of energy and skill. He had to deal with disagreements between different groups, which he described as a "fretting leprosy" that made his efforts difficult.

In 1865, he visited England and Ireland for personal reasons. His university gave him another degree, LL.D., which is a Doctor of Laws. When he returned to Jerusalem, he found he couldn't continue his work unless his salary was increased. The London Society refused, so he had to resign in 1870.

After leaving Jerusalem, he went back to England. For a while, he worked as a curacy in places like Howe, Lincolnshire and St. Margaret's, Westminster. In 1873, he became the priest for the church in Stapleford. This new role gave him more free time.

In 1877, he used this time to publish translations of some important Jewish texts called the Talmud. He also added his own introductions and notes. People had different opinions about his work. Some Jewish critics felt that his writings showed an unfair bias against their nation and literature.

Later Life and Bishopric

In 1880, Joseph Barclay received another degree, D.D., from Trinity College Dublin. In 1879, the position of Bishop of Jerusalem became open. Because of his experience and knowledge, Joseph Barclay was seen as the best person for the job.

He was made a bishop on July 25, 1880, by Archibald Campbell Tait, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury. This special ceremony took place at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

When he arrived in Jerusalem, he was welcomed with great excitement. He started his new duties with his usual energy. However, he became ill suddenly and passed away in October 1881. His death was a great loss for those who hoped he would help achieve the goals of the original founders of the Anglican-German Bishopric in Jerusalem.

Bishop Barclay was very talented and knew many things. He could preach in Spanish, French, and German. He was also very familiar with different forms of Hebrew, including Biblical Hebrew and Mishnaic Hebrew, as well as Judaeo-Spanish, a language spoken by Sephardic Jews. He studied Hebrew diligently and was improving his knowledge of Arabic when he died. He had also learned some Turkish during his time in Constantinople.

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