William Adams (master)
Encyclopedia
William Adams D.D. (Shrewsbury
, England
, 1706/07 – 13 February 1789) was Fellow and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
.
family, and at the early age of thirteen was entered of Pembroke College, where he took his master's degree, April 18, 1727, and obtained a fellowship. It has generally been reported, that he was afterwards tutor to the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson
; but Dr. Adams very handsomely contradicted this report, by saying, that had Johnson returned to College after Jordan's (his tutor's) death, he might have been his tutor: "I was his nominal tutor, but he was above my mark." A friendship, however, commenced between them, which lasted during the life of Dr. Johnson, to whose memory Dr. Adams did ample justice.
and D.D., and then went back to Shrewsbury, where he discharged the duties of his ministry with exemplary assiduity, patience, and affection; and contributed a very active part in the foundation of the Salop infirmary, and in promoting its success. The year before he went last to Oxford, he was presented to the rectory of Cound
in Shropshire, by Mrs. Elizabeth Cressett of that place, and retained it during his life.
In 1775, about 43 years after he left college, John Ratcliffe, master of Pembroke college, died; and although Dr. Adams had out-lived almost all his contemporaries, the gentlemen of the college came to a determination to elect him, a mark of respect due to his public character, and highly creditable to their discernment. He accordingly became master of Pembroke, July 26, 1775, and in consequence obtained a prebend of Gloucester
, which is attached to that office. He now resigned the living of St. Chad, to the lasting regret of his hearers, as well as of the inhabitants at large, to whom he had long been endeared by his amiable character, and pious attention to the spiritual welfare of his flock. He was soon after made archdeacon
of Llandaff
.
Over the college he presided with universal approbation, and engaged the affections of the students by his courteous demeanour and affability, mixed with the firmness necessary for the preservation of discipline. In his apartments here, he frequently cheered the latter days of his old friend Dr. Johnson, whom he survived but a few years; dying at his prebendal house at Gloucester
, Jan. 13, 1780, aged 82. He was interred in Gloucester Cathedral
, where a monument was erected, with an inscription, which celebrates his ingenuity, learning, eloquence, piety, and benevolence.
Dr. Adams married Miss Sarah Hunt, by whom he left a daughter, married, in 1788, to B. Hyatt, esq. of Painswick
, in Gloucestershire, who died July 1810.
Dr. Adams's first publications were three occasional sermons, printed 1741, 1742, 1749; but his principal work was an Essay on Hume's Essay on Miracles, 8vo, 1752; which was long considered as one of the ablest answers that appeared to David Hume
's writings, and was distinguished for acuteness, elegance, and urbanity of style. Hume, whom he once met in London, acknowledged that he had treated him much better than he deserved.
This work was followed by other occasional sermons, which the author collected into a volume, and published in 1777. Only one of these sermons involved him in a controversy. It was entitled "On true and false Doctrine," preached at St. Chad's Sept. 4, 1769, and touched upon some of the principles of the Methodists, in consequence of Dr. Adams having lent his pulpit to the Rev. William Romaine
, who had there preached a sermon, the tendency of which Adams thought it his duty to counteract. This produced a series of pamphlets between the friends of the respective parties; but it is somewhat singular that neither Adams nor Mr. Romaine took any part in the controversy, nor did Mr. Romaine publish the sermon which had occasioned it. The dispute turned principally on the degree of Calvinism
to be found in the Articles
, &c. of the Church of England
.
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, England
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...
, 1706/07 – 13 February 1789) was Fellow and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
.
Early years
He was born at Shrewsbury, of a ShropshireShropshire
Shropshire is a 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. It borders Wales to the west...
family, and at the early age of thirteen was entered of Pembroke College, where he took his master's degree, April 18, 1727, and obtained a fellowship. It has generally been reported, that he was afterwards tutor to the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
; but Dr. Adams very handsomely contradicted this report, by saying, that had Johnson returned to College after Jordan's (his tutor's) death, he might have been his tutor: "I was his nominal tutor, but he was above my mark." A friendship, however, commenced between them, which lasted during the life of Dr. Johnson, to whose memory Dr. Adams did ample justice.
Curacy
In 1732, he was presented to the curacy, or, as usually called, the vicarage of St. Chad's in Shrewsbury, and on this occasion left the college. In 1756, he visited Oxford, and took his degrees of B.D.Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
and D.D., and then went back to Shrewsbury, where he discharged the duties of his ministry with exemplary assiduity, patience, and affection; and contributed a very active part in the foundation of the Salop infirmary, and in promoting its success. The year before he went last to Oxford, he was presented to the rectory of Cound
Cound
Cound is a village and civil parish on the west bank of the River Severn in the English county of Shropshire, 6.7 miles south east of the county town Shrewsbury...
in Shropshire, by Mrs. Elizabeth Cressett of that place, and retained it during his life.
In 1775, about 43 years after he left college, John Ratcliffe, master of Pembroke college, died; and although Dr. Adams had out-lived almost all his contemporaries, the gentlemen of the college came to a determination to elect him, a mark of respect due to his public character, and highly creditable to their discernment. He accordingly became master of Pembroke, July 26, 1775, and in consequence obtained a prebend of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, which is attached to that office. He now resigned the living of St. Chad, to the lasting regret of his hearers, as well as of the inhabitants at large, to whom he had long been endeared by his amiable character, and pious attention to the spiritual welfare of his flock. He was soon after made archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Llandaff
Llandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
.
Over the college he presided with universal approbation, and engaged the affections of the students by his courteous demeanour and affability, mixed with the firmness necessary for the preservation of discipline. In his apartments here, he frequently cheered the latter days of his old friend Dr. Johnson, whom he survived but a few years; dying at his prebendal house at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, Jan. 13, 1780, aged 82. He was interred in Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
, where a monument was erected, with an inscription, which celebrates his ingenuity, learning, eloquence, piety, and benevolence.
Dr. Adams married Miss Sarah Hunt, by whom he left a daughter, married, in 1788, to B. Hyatt, esq. of Painswick
Painswick
Painswick is a small town in Gloucestershire, England. Originally the town grew on the wool trade, but it is now best known for its parish church's yew trees and the local Rococo Garden. The town is mainly constructed of locally quarried Cotswold stone...
, in Gloucestershire, who died July 1810.
Dr. Adams's first publications were three occasional sermons, printed 1741, 1742, 1749; but his principal work was an Essay on Hume's Essay on Miracles, 8vo, 1752; which was long considered as one of the ablest answers that appeared to David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
's writings, and was distinguished for acuteness, elegance, and urbanity of style. Hume, whom he once met in London, acknowledged that he had treated him much better than he deserved.
This work was followed by other occasional sermons, which the author collected into a volume, and published in 1777. Only one of these sermons involved him in a controversy. It was entitled "On true and false Doctrine," preached at St. Chad's Sept. 4, 1769, and touched upon some of the principles of the Methodists, in consequence of Dr. Adams having lent his pulpit to the Rev. William Romaine
William Romaine
William Romaine , evangelical divine of the Church of England, was author of works once held in much favour by the evangelicals, namely the trilogy The Life, the Walk, and the Triumph of Faith....
, who had there preached a sermon, the tendency of which Adams thought it his duty to counteract. This produced a series of pamphlets between the friends of the respective parties; but it is somewhat singular that neither Adams nor Mr. Romaine took any part in the controversy, nor did Mr. Romaine publish the sermon which had occasioned it. The dispute turned principally on the degree of Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
to be found in the Articles
Thirty-Nine Articles
The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are the historically defining statements of doctrines of the Anglican church with respect to the controversies of the English Reformation. First established in 1563, the articles served to define the doctrine of the nascent Church of England as it related to...
, &c. of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
Sources
- Chalmers, Alexander. Appendix to The General Biographical Dictionary. London, [c. 1820]