Parker, JOSEPH, a popular preacher and author, the son of a stone-cutter, was born at Hexham, 9th April 1830, and like Spurgeon began to preach in early youth. He studied at Moorfields Tabernacle and University College, London (1852), was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church, Banbury (1853), and became minister of the Cavan-dish Street Church, Manchester (1858), and of Poultry Chapel, London (1869), now City Temple (opened 1874). He visited the United States in 1888, and received the degree of D.D. from Chicago University. As a preacher he is strong and vigorous, with a splendid command of racy English; he has not infrequently posed as an oracle on political and ecclesiastical subjects.
He has published Helps to Truth-seekers (1857), controversial discourses with secularists at open-air meetings; Ecce Deus (1868; 5th ed. 1875), being a reply to Ecce Homo; Ad Clerum (1870); City Temple Sermons (1869–70); Inner Life of Christ (1881–82); Apostolic Life (3 vols. 1884); People's Prayer-book (1889); but his most ambitious work is his People's Bible, 'discourses upon Holy Scripture, forming a pastoral commentary,' of which Genesis appeared in 1885. See Tyne Chylde: My Life and Teaching (new ed. 1889), and A Preacher's Life (1899).