Charles Richard Elrington
Encyclopedia
Charles Richard Elrington (born 1787 died 1850) was an Irish Protestant churchman and academic, regius professor
of divinity in the University of Dublin
.
, bishop of Leighlin and Ferns, he was born in Dublin on 25 March 1787, and was educated at home by a private tutor. Having entered Trinity College, Dublin
, 3 November 1800, under the tutorship of the Rev. Dr. Davenport, and having gained all the honours of his class, he was awarded the gold medal in 1806 for his term examinations. In the same year he gained Bishop Law's mathematical premium, and in 1806 the primate's Hebrew prize. He graduated B.A. in 1805, M.A. 1811, B.D. 1816, and D.D. 1820. In 1810 he was elected a fellow of his college, having obtained the Madden premium in the three preceding years.
He was ordained a deacon
on 28 October 1810, and on 23 February 1812 was admitted to priest's orders. In December 1814, he married Letitia, daughter of David Babington, esq., of Rutland Square, Dublin; she died in 1827. They had two sons and other issue. In 1819, he was elected Donnellan lecturer in the university, but his lectures were not published. In 1825, he was appointed by the Irish lord chancellor and other joint-patrons to the vicarage of St. Mark's, Dublin, and held that benefice until 1831. On 31 January 1832, he was collated to the rectory and prebend of Edermine in the diocese of Ferns, which three months later he exchanged for the chancellorship.
In 1829, he had resigned his fellowship, and was elected regius professor of divinity. In 1840, he resigned the chancellorship of Ferns on his collation by the lord primate, on 14 December, to the rectory of Loughgilly
, in the diocese of Armagh; and on 22 September in the following year, at the desire of the same patron, he moved to the rectory of the union of Armagh. He effected improvements in the divinity school, over which he presided for twenty years. He died at Armagh on 18 January 1850, and was buried in St. Mark's churchyard there, where there is a brief Latin inscription to his memory.
Elrington took a very active and prominent part in the formation and management of the Church Education Society for Ireland, founded to provide funds to support the parochial schools connected with the church, on the withdrawal of the parliamentary grant. Modifications were afterwards introduced into the management of the national schools, which removed, in Elrington's judgement, many of the difficulties which had induced the clergy to stand aloof from the system. In 1847 he retired from his official position in the Church Education Society, and publicly declared that the clergy ought to accept the amended terms offered by the board of national education.
, to which he prefixed a full biography. He did not live to complete it, and the last two volumes were published by William Reeves
. His plan, formed with Henry Cotton
and James Henthorn Todd
, of bringing out an improved edition of James Ware's History of the Irish Bishops, was not carried into effect before his death.
He published sermons, and pamphlets on the education question, besides theological contributions to periodicals.
Regius Professor
Regius Professorships are "royal" professorships at the ancient universities of the United Kingdom and Ireland - namely Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dublin. Each of the chairs was created by a monarch, and each appointment, save those at Dublin, is approved by the...
of divinity in the University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
.
Life
The elder son of Thomas ElringtonThomas Elrington
Thomas Elrington was Provost of Trinity College, Dublin from 1811 to 1820, Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe from 1820 to 1822, and Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin from then until his death in Liverpool on 12 July 1835.-Notes:...
, bishop of Leighlin and Ferns, he was born in Dublin on 25 March 1787, and was educated at home by a private tutor. Having entered Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, 3 November 1800, under the tutorship of the Rev. Dr. Davenport, and having gained all the honours of his class, he was awarded the gold medal in 1806 for his term examinations. In the same year he gained Bishop Law's mathematical premium, and in 1806 the primate's Hebrew prize. He graduated B.A. in 1805, M.A. 1811, B.D. 1816, and D.D. 1820. In 1810 he was elected a fellow of his college, having obtained the Madden premium in the three preceding years.
He was ordained a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on 28 October 1810, and on 23 February 1812 was admitted to priest's orders. In December 1814, he married Letitia, daughter of David Babington, esq., of Rutland Square, Dublin; she died in 1827. They had two sons and other issue. In 1819, he was elected Donnellan lecturer in the university, but his lectures were not published. In 1825, he was appointed by the Irish lord chancellor and other joint-patrons to the vicarage of St. Mark's, Dublin, and held that benefice until 1831. On 31 January 1832, he was collated to the rectory and prebend of Edermine in the diocese of Ferns, which three months later he exchanged for the chancellorship.
In 1829, he had resigned his fellowship, and was elected regius professor of divinity. In 1840, he resigned the chancellorship of Ferns on his collation by the lord primate, on 14 December, to the rectory of Loughgilly
Loughgilly
Loughgilly is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is on the main Armagh to Newry road, about halfway between the two. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 69 people. It is within the Armagh City and District Council area....
, in the diocese of Armagh; and on 22 September in the following year, at the desire of the same patron, he moved to the rectory of the union of Armagh. He effected improvements in the divinity school, over which he presided for twenty years. He died at Armagh on 18 January 1850, and was buried in St. Mark's churchyard there, where there is a brief Latin inscription to his memory.
Elrington took a very active and prominent part in the formation and management of the Church Education Society for Ireland, founded to provide funds to support the parochial schools connected with the church, on the withdrawal of the parliamentary grant. Modifications were afterwards introduced into the management of the national schools, which removed, in Elrington's judgement, many of the difficulties which had induced the clergy to stand aloof from the system. In 1847 he retired from his official position in the Church Education Society, and publicly declared that the clergy ought to accept the amended terms offered by the board of national education.
Works
In 1847 Elrington began the publication of a collected edition of the works of Archbishop James UssherJames Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
, to which he prefixed a full biography. He did not live to complete it, and the last two volumes were published by William Reeves
William Reeves (bishop)
William Reeves was an Irish antiquarian and the Church of Ireland Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore from 1886 until his death...
. His plan, formed with Henry Cotton
Henry Cotton (divine)
Henry Cotton was an Anglo-Irish churchman, ecclesiastical historian and author.-Life:He was a native of Buckinghamshire. Beginning in 1803, he spent four years at Westminster School and then in 1807 he entered Christ Church, Oxford. He obtained a B.A. in classics in 1811 and a M.A. in 1813...
and James Henthorn Todd
James Henthorn Todd
James Henthorn Todd was a biblical scholar, educator, and Irish historian. He is noted for his efforts to place religious disagreements on a rational historical footing, for his advocacy of a liberal form of Protestantism, and for his endeavours as an educator, librarian, and scholar in Irish...
, of bringing out an improved edition of James Ware's History of the Irish Bishops, was not carried into effect before his death.
He published sermons, and pamphlets on the education question, besides theological contributions to periodicals.