John Hulse
Encyclopedia
John Hulse was an English
clergyman. He is now known mainly as the founder of the series of Hulsean Lectures
at the University of Cambridge
.
, the eldest of nineteen children from Thomas Hulse of Elworth
Hall, Sandbach
and Anne Webb of Middlewich
. After attending Congleton
grammar school, he entered St John's College, Cambridge
in 1724 at the age of sixteen and graduated B.A. in 1728. In 1732 he was ordained and served small cures, first at Yoxall
, Staffordshire
, and afterwords at Goostrey
, a chapel under Sandbach
. In 1733 he married Mary Hall of Hermitage and they had one son Edward, who died at age 22. On the death of his father in 1753 he inherited Elworth, and due to delicate health, resigned his clerical duties and lived there in seclusion until his death. He was buried in the parish church of Middlewich. The fullest account of his life appears to be the memoir prefixed to Richard Parkinson's 1837 Hulsean lectures, Rationalism and Revelation.
; secondly, to found a prize for a dissertation; thirdly, to found and support the office of Christian
advocate; and fourthly, that of the Hulsean lecturer or Christian preacher. Later editions of the endowments detail changes made in 1830 and 1860.
The latest version of the statutes and ordinances are now available online at the Cambridge University web site. The Hulsean Fund is Statute E, Chapter VI and is discussed in the Ordinances Chapter 12, Trust Emoluments, Section 2.
was substituted for the office of Christian-advocate
were originally to be given by a clergyman in the University, holding the degree of Master of Arts, who was under the age of forty years.
Though the will made provisions for the lectureship, the funds were not sufficient to begin the lectures until 1820. In 1830 the number of annual lectures or sermons was reduced from twenty to eight; after 1861 they were further reduced to a minimum of four.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman. He is now known mainly as the founder of the series of Hulsean Lectures
Hulsean Lectures
The Hulsean Lectures were established from an endowment made by John Hulse to Cambridge University in 1777.The subject of the lectures was originally to be 'The evidence of revealed religion; the truth and excellence of Christianity; the prophesies and miracles; direct or collateral arguments; the...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Life
John Hulse was born at Middlewich, in CheshireMiddlewich
Middlewich is a market town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is east of the city of Chester, east of Winsford, southeast of Northwich and northwest of Sandbach....
, the eldest of nineteen children from Thomas Hulse of Elworth
Elworth
Elworth is a village and a suburb of Sandbach, Cheshire, England approximately one mile to the east. Elworth has a church, several pubs and a few shops. It also has the railway station serving Sandbach and is on the railway line between Crewe and Manchester. There is a canal running to the...
Hall, Sandbach
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
and Anne Webb of Middlewich
Middlewich
Middlewich is a market town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is east of the city of Chester, east of Winsford, southeast of Northwich and northwest of Sandbach....
. After attending Congleton
Congleton
Congleton is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Dane, to the west of the Macclesfield Canal and 21 miles south of Manchester. It has a population of 25,750.-History:The first settlements in...
grammar school, he entered St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
in 1724 at the age of sixteen and graduated B.A. in 1728. In 1732 he was ordained and served small cures, first at Yoxall
Yoxall
Yoxall is a large village in Staffordshire, England. It is on the banks of the River Swarbourn on the A515 road north of Lichfield and south west of Burton upon Trent...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, and afterwords at Goostrey
Goostrey
Goostrey is an old farming village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is located off Junction 18 of the M6 motorway, near Jodrell Bank Observatory. According to the 2001 Census, the civil parish had a total population of...
, a chapel under Sandbach
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
. In 1733 he married Mary Hall of Hermitage and they had one son Edward, who died at age 22. On the death of his father in 1753 he inherited Elworth, and due to delicate health, resigned his clerical duties and lived there in seclusion until his death. He was buried in the parish church of Middlewich. The fullest account of his life appears to be the memoir prefixed to Richard Parkinson's 1837 Hulsean lectures, Rationalism and Revelation.
Will
Hulse's will, dated 21 July 1777, is a curious and very lengthy document. It may be read in full in Cambridge University statutes. He bequeathed his estates to Cambridge University for the advancement and reward of religious learning, to be applied, first, to maintain two divinity scholars at St John's College, CambridgeSt John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
; secondly, to found a prize for a dissertation; thirdly, to found and support the office of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
advocate; and fourthly, that of the Hulsean lecturer or Christian preacher. Later editions of the endowments detail changes made in 1830 and 1860.
The latest version of the statutes and ordinances are now available online at the Cambridge University web site. The Hulsean Fund is Statute E, Chapter VI and is discussed in the Ordinances Chapter 12, Trust Emoluments, Section 2.
Christian Advocate
By a statute in 1860 the Hulsean professorship of divinityNorris-Hulse Professor of Divinity
The Norris-Hulse Professorship of Divinity is one of the senior professorships in divinity at the University of Cambridge.The Norrisian chair was founded in 1777 by a bequest from John Norris...
was substituted for the office of Christian-advocate
Hulsean Lectures
The Hulsean LecturesHulsean Lectures
The Hulsean Lectures were established from an endowment made by John Hulse to Cambridge University in 1777.The subject of the lectures was originally to be 'The evidence of revealed religion; the truth and excellence of Christianity; the prophesies and miracles; direct or collateral arguments; the...
were originally to be given by a clergyman in the University, holding the degree of Master of Arts, who was under the age of forty years.
Though the will made provisions for the lectureship, the funds were not sufficient to begin the lectures until 1820. In 1830 the number of annual lectures or sermons was reduced from twenty to eight; after 1861 they were further reduced to a minimum of four.