Bickersteth

Bickersteth, EDWARD, evangelical clergyman, was born at Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmoreland, in 1786, and after fifteen years in the General Post-office and in a solicitor's office, was in 1815 admitted to orders, and sent the next year by the Church Missionary Society to reorganise their mission stations in Africa. Having accomplished his mission, he was in 1816 appointed secretary to the Society, a post he filled with great success until 1830, when he became rector of Watton, Hertfordshire. Here, until his death on February 24, 1850, he took an active part in promoting, both by tongue and pen, almost every work having for its object the spread of religious truth whether at home or abroad. He was one of the founders of the Evangelical Alliance. Of his religious writings, which were collected in 16 vols. (1853), the most popular are: A Help to the Study of the Scriptures, The Christian Student, and A Treatise on the Lord's Supper. He also edited The Christian's Family Library, a work consisting of 40 vols. His Christian Psalmody went through 59 editions in seven years. It formed the basis of the well-known Hymnal Companion, now in use in more than 2000 churches, prepared by his son, EDWARD HENRY BICKERSTETH (born 1825), who, vicar of Christ Church, Hampstead, from 1855, was in 1885 appointed Bishop of Exeter, and who is author of Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever, and other poems.—HENRY BICKERSTETH (1783-1851) in 1836 became Master of the Rolls, and was raised to the peerage as Baron Langdale; and ROBERT BICKERSTETH (1816-84) was Bishop of Ripon from 1857.