Ofspring Blackall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Right Reverend Ofspring Blackall |
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|---|---|
| Bishop of Exeter | |
 |
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| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Exeter |
| Enthroned | 1708 |
| Reign ended | 1716 |
| Predecessor | Jonathan Trelawny |
| Successor | Lancelot Blackburne |
| Other posts | Rector of St Antholin's, London Rector of South Ockendon, Essex Rector of St Mary Aldermary |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 11 March 1676-7 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 April 1655 London, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 29 November 1716 (aged 61) Exeter, Devon, England |
| Buried | Exeter Cathedral |
| Nationality | English |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Residence | Exeter |
| Parents | Thomas Blackall, Martha Ofspring |
| Spouse | Anne Dillingham |
| Children | Theophilus, John, Charles Ofspring, Elizabeth, Ann, Mary, and Jane |
| Alma mater | St Catharine's College, Cambridge |
Ofspring Blackall (born April 26, 1655 – died November 29, 1716) was an important English religious leader. He became the Bishop of Exeter and was known for his strong opinions on religious topics. He was born in London, England.
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Ofspring Blackall was baptized on April 26, 1655. His father, Thomas Blackall, was a successful businessman and later a city leader in London. His mother, Martha, was the daughter of a church rector. Ofspring's family owned land and property, and they followed the main church, though they might have had some Puritan beliefs.
During his childhood, Ofspring lived with his parents in a historic house in Dalston, Middlesex. He went to school in nearby Hackney. On April 26, 1671, he started studying at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1675 and a master's degree in 1678. In 1679, he became a fellow at the college, which meant he was a senior member of the university. He left this position in 1687.
Ofspring Blackall became a deacon in the church on March 11, 1677, and a priest on December 19, 1680. The university later gave him a special Doctor of Divinity degree in 1700.
Church Career
In 1690, Blackall became the rector (head priest) of a church in South Ockendon, Essex. He later moved to lead another church, St Mary Aldermary, in London in 1694. He also gave lectures at other churches in London.
He was chosen to be a chaplain to King William and Queen Mary. However, some people later claimed he had refused to swear loyalty to the new monarchs for two years.
Becoming Bishop of Exeter
Queen Anne personally chose Ofspring Blackall to become the Bishop of Exeter. She did this based on a recommendation from the Archbishop of York, John Sharp. The Queen wanted someone who was very traditional in their religious views, even if her own government ministers had other ideas. Because of this, people jokingly called him "the queen's bishop."
He officially became a bishop on February 8, 1708. To help with his income, he was allowed to keep other church positions. These included leading a church in Cornwall and holding other roles in Exeter.
Bishop Blackall was very dedicated to his work in the Exeter area. He played a big part in starting charity schools there. These schools helped poor children get an education. He saw two schools for boys and two for girls, each teaching fifty students, open during his time as bishop.
Public Debates and Writings
Ofspring Blackall became well-known in 1699 because of a disagreement with a writer named John Toland. Toland had suggested that some old Christian writings might not be real. Blackall believed Toland was questioning the truth of the New Testament, which is a core part of Christian belief.
In a sermon, Blackall urged the government to act against Toland's ideas, saying they could harm public morals. Toland responded by attacking Blackall personally. Blackall then clearly showed that Toland's words could easily be understood as questioning the New Testament. This debate made Blackall famous as someone who defended religious truth. Because of this, he was chosen to give a series of important lectures in 1700, where he spoke about the importance of God's revealed word.
Debates on Government
Ten years later, Blackall was involved in another debate, this time with a fellow clergyman named Benjamin Hoadly. In 1709, Blackall gave a sermon to Queen Anne about the authority of rulers. He argued that a ruler's power comes directly from God. He also said that church leaders have their own God-given authority in spiritual matters.
Hoadly disagreed, saying that Blackall's ideas seemed to criticize the Glorious Revolution of 1688–89. This revolution involved people resisting King James II, which Hoadly said was necessary for self-preservation. Blackall argued back, saying that civil authority doesn't come from an agreement between people, but from God. This led to many pamphlets being published by both sides.
Interestingly, Blackall's earlier sermon on the same topic in 1705 had also been criticized. Some writers accused him of being a republican, meaning they thought he supported a government without a king. They linked his name with John Locke, a famous philosopher.
Despite being attacked from different sides, Blackall was seen as a "high church" supporter. This meant he believed in strong church authority and traditional views. He believed that rulers had absolute power, but that in England, this power was shared between the monarch and Parliament. This idea helped many traditional thinkers accept the changes brought by the Glorious Revolution.
Blackall's Sermons
During his life, Ofspring Blackall was known as a great speaker. After he died, his friend William Dawes collected and published his writings in two volumes in 1723. His most important work was a series of 87 sermons called Discourses on the Sermon on the Mount. These sermons explained religious teachings in a clear and simple way, but over time, they became less well-known.
- 1708. Blackall, Offspring. The rules and measures of alms-giving, and the manifold advantages of charity schools. A sermon preach'd at St. Peter's in Exeter, 26 September 1708. First preach'd, and now printed, to promote the setting up of charity schools, for the instruction and education of the children of the poor in that city, and other paces in the diocess. By Offspring, Lord Bishop of Exon. To which is added, his letter to the clergy of his diocess, upon the same subject. – Exon : printed by Sam. Farley, for Phil. Bishop, 1708. – 32p; 4°. – *WSL; Dredge p. 42; Plymouth Athenaeum p. 50; Plymouth Public Library L2897; DUL 4764; Devon & Exeter Institution, appendix, p. 127.
- The divine institution of magistracy, and the gracious design of its institution. A sermon preach'd before the Queen, at St. James's, on Tuesday, 8 March. 1708. … By Ofspring Lord Bishop of Exon. … – London: printed by J. R. for W. Rogers, 1709.. – 24p.; 8+.
Family Life and Legacy
Ofspring Blackall married Anne Dillingham, who was from London. They had seven children who survived him: Theophilus, John, Charles Ofspring, Elizabeth, Ann, Mary, and Jane.
Blackall passed away on November 29, 1716, in Exeter. Earlier that year, he had fallen from a horse and suffered a long, painful illness. He was buried on December 2 in Exeter Cathedral. As he wished in his will, there was no special funeral speech, and his grave was not marked with a monument.
His grandson, John Blackall, became a well-known doctor and Mayor of Exeter. John's son, Thomas Blackall, was Ofspring's great-grandson. He owned a large estate called Spitchwick and built a famous road known as Dr Blackall's Drive.
