William Tong (minister)
Encyclopedia
William Tong was an English Presbyterian minister, at the heart of the subscription debate of 1718.
near Manchester
, where his father (a relative of Robert Warton Hall) was buried. His mother was early left a widow with three children. Tong began his education with a view to the law, but his mother's influence turned him to the ministry. He entered the Rathmell Academy
of Richard Frankland
, then at Natland
, on 2 March 1681, and was Frankland's most distinguished student.
Early in 1685 he was licensed to preach. For two years he acted as chaplain in Shropshire
to Thomas Corbet of Stanwardine and Rowland Hunt of Boreatton, becoming acquainted with Philip Henry
. Until threatened with prosecution, he preached occasionally at the chapel of Cockshut, in the parish of Ellesmere
. At the beginning of March 1687 he took a three months' engagement at Chester
, pending the arrival of Matthew Henry
. His services were conducted, noon and night, in the house of Anthony Henthorn; and were so successful that they were then transferred to a large outbuilding.
From Chester he was called to be the first pastor of a newly formed dissenting congregation at Knutsford
, Cheshire
. He was ordained on 4 November 1687, and procured the building of the existing meeting-house in Brook Street (opened 1688–9). On the deaths (22 October 1689) of Obadiah Grew
, and Jarvis Bryan (27 December 1689), he was called to be co-pastor with Thomas Shewell (died 19 Jan. 1693) at the Great Meeting-house, Coventry
. Here he ministered for nearly thirteen years from 1690. He had as colleagues, after Shewell, Joshua Oldfield
and John Warren (died 15 September 1742). He escaped the prosecutions which were brought against Oldfield, though he assisted him in academy teaching, and the bursaries from the presbyterian fund were paid through him.
On the death of Nathaniel Taylor (April 1702), after overtures had been made to Josiah Chorley and Matthew Henry, Tong was elected pastor of the presbyterian congregation in Salters' Hall Court, Cannon Street, London, John Newman (1677?–1741) being retained as his assistant. The congregation was large, and the most wealthy among London dissenters. The central position of its meeting-house made it convenient for lectures and for joint meetings of dissenters. Tong was soon elected to succeed John Howe as one of the four preachers of the ‘merchants' lecture’ on Tuesday mornings at Salters' Hall.
He took a prominent part in the controversy arising out of the alleged heresies of James Peirce
of Exeter
. His steps were cautious. An undated letter of March or April 1718 by Thomas Secker
mentions that on a proposal in the presbyterian fund to increase the grant to Hubert Stogdon, Tong ‘was silent for some time and then went out’. On 25 August 1718 a conference of twenty-five presbyterian and independent ministers, with Benjamin Robinson
as moderator, was held at Salters' Hall. They endorsed a letter (drafted by Tong) to John Walrond (died 1755), minister of Ottery St Mary
, Devon
, affirming that they would not ordain any candidates unsound on the Trinity. In the conferences of the following year, ending in a rupture, Tong was a leader of the subscribing party . His introduction to ‘The Doctrine of the … Trinity stated and defended … by four subscribing Ministers,’ 1719, puts his case.
As one of the original trustees of the foundations of Daniel Williams
, Tong had, from 1721, a share in the task of carrying these benefactions into effect. He was also one of the first distributors (1723) of the English regium donum
, and a trustee (1726) of the Barnes bequest. In his last years his powers declined. His end was rather sudden. He died on 21 March 1727.
His published sermons include funeral sermons for Samuel Slater and Elizabeth Bury
. He revised Matthew Henry's ‘Memoirs’ of Philip Henry
, 1698, and prepared the expositions of Hebrews and Revelation for Matthew Henry's ‘Commentary.’
Life
He was born on 24 June 1662, probably at EcclesEccles, Greater Manchester
Eccles is a town in the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England, west of Salford and west of Manchester city centre...
near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, where his father (a relative of Robert Warton Hall) was buried. His mother was early left a widow with three children. Tong began his education with a view to the law, but his mother's influence turned him to the ministry. He entered the Rathmell Academy
Rathmell Academy
Rathmell Academy was a Dissenting academy set up at Rathmell, North Yorkshire, in the north of England by Richard Frankland from 1670.-Preparations:...
of Richard Frankland
Richard Frankland (tutor)
Richard Frankland was an English nonconformist, notable for founding the Rathmell Academy, a dissenting academy in the north of England.-Biography:...
, then at Natland
Natland
Natland is village and civil parish about two miles south of Kendal in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, close to the village of Oxenholme. At the time of the 2001 census the population was 747....
, on 2 March 1681, and was Frankland's most distinguished student.
Early in 1685 he was licensed to preach. For two years he acted as chaplain in Shropshire
Shropshire
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...
to Thomas Corbet of Stanwardine and Rowland Hunt of Boreatton, becoming acquainted with Philip Henry
Philip Henry
Philip Henry may refer to:*Philip Henry *Philip Henry , Jamaican artist*Philip Henry , English clergyman...
. Until threatened with prosecution, he preached occasionally at the chapel of Cockshut, in the parish of Ellesmere
Ellesmere
-Places:* Ellesmere, Shropshire, a market town in Shropshire, England** Ellesmere Castle** Ellesmere Rural, a civil parish to the west* Ellesmere Park, area of Eccles, Greater Manchester, England* Ellesmere Port, an industrial town in Cheshire, England...
. At the beginning of March 1687 he took a three months' engagement at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, pending the arrival of Matthew Henry
Matthew Henry
Matthew Henry was an English commentator on the Bible and Presbyterian minister.-Life:He was born at Broad Oak, a farmhouse on the borders of Flintshire and Shropshire. His father, Philip Henry, had just been ejected under the Act of Uniformity 1662...
. His services were conducted, noon and night, in the house of Anthony Henthorn; and were so successful that they were then transferred to a large outbuilding.
From Chester he was called to be the first pastor of a newly formed dissenting congregation at Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. He was ordained on 4 November 1687, and procured the building of the existing meeting-house in Brook Street (opened 1688–9). On the deaths (22 October 1689) of Obadiah Grew
Obadiah Grew
-Life:Grew was born at Atherstone, Warwickshire on 1 November 1607, the third son of Francis Grew and Elizabeth Denison. He was baptised the same day at the parish church of Mancetter, Warwickshire. Francis Grew was a layman, originally of good estate but impoverished by prosecutions for...
, and Jarvis Bryan (27 December 1689), he was called to be co-pastor with Thomas Shewell (died 19 Jan. 1693) at the Great Meeting-house, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. Here he ministered for nearly thirteen years from 1690. He had as colleagues, after Shewell, Joshua Oldfield
Joshua Oldfield
Joshua Oldfield , was an English presbyterian divine.-Early life:He was the second son of John Oldfield or Otefield, and was born at Carsington, Derbyshire, on 2 December 1656. His father gave him his early training; he studied philosophy at Lincoln College, Oxford, and also at Christ's College,...
and John Warren (died 15 September 1742). He escaped the prosecutions which were brought against Oldfield, though he assisted him in academy teaching, and the bursaries from the presbyterian fund were paid through him.
On the death of Nathaniel Taylor (April 1702), after overtures had been made to Josiah Chorley and Matthew Henry, Tong was elected pastor of the presbyterian congregation in Salters' Hall Court, Cannon Street, London, John Newman (1677?–1741) being retained as his assistant. The congregation was large, and the most wealthy among London dissenters. The central position of its meeting-house made it convenient for lectures and for joint meetings of dissenters. Tong was soon elected to succeed John Howe as one of the four preachers of the ‘merchants' lecture’ on Tuesday mornings at Salters' Hall.
He took a prominent part in the controversy arising out of the alleged heresies of James Peirce
James Peirce
James Peirce was an English dissenting minister, the catalyst for the Salter's Hall controversy.-Early life:The son of John Peirce, he was born at Wapping about 1674. His parents, who were in easy circumstances, were members of the congregational church at Stepney, under Matthew Mead...
of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. His steps were cautious. An undated letter of March or April 1718 by Thomas Secker
Thomas Secker
Thomas Secker , Archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Sibthorpe, Nottinghamshire.-Early life and studies:In 1699, Secker went to Richard Brown's free school in Chesterfield, staying with his half-sister and her husband, Elizabeth and Richard Milnes...
mentions that on a proposal in the presbyterian fund to increase the grant to Hubert Stogdon, Tong ‘was silent for some time and then went out’. On 25 August 1718 a conference of twenty-five presbyterian and independent ministers, with Benjamin Robinson
Benjamin Robinson
Benjamin Robinson , an English Presbyterian church minister, born at Derby in 1666, was a pupil of Samuel Ogden . He came to be a respected theologian and had his views published. He started a school in Findern in south Derbyshire.-Life:...
as moderator, was held at Salters' Hall. They endorsed a letter (drafted by Tong) to John Walrond (died 1755), minister of Ottery St Mary
Ottery St Mary
Ottery St Mary, known as "Ottery" , is a town in the East Devon district of Devon, England, on the River Otter, about ten miles east of Exeter on the B3174. It is part of a large civil parish of the same name, which also covers the villages of West Hill, Metcombe, Fairmile, Alfington, Tipton St...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, affirming that they would not ordain any candidates unsound on the Trinity. In the conferences of the following year, ending in a rupture, Tong was a leader of the subscribing party . His introduction to ‘The Doctrine of the … Trinity stated and defended … by four subscribing Ministers,’ 1719, puts his case.
As one of the original trustees of the foundations of Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams
Sir Daniel Charles Williams, GCMG was a Governor-General of Grenada, from August 8, 1996 until November 18, 2008. He was formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on August 9, 1996 after having been nominated by Prime Minister Keith Mitchell.In 1997, he was Knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth...
, Tong had, from 1721, a share in the task of carrying these benefactions into effect. He was also one of the first distributors (1723) of the English regium donum
Regium Donum
The Regium Donum was an annual grant formerly voted by Parliament to augment the stipends of the Presbyterian clergy in Ireland. The Regium Donum originally began in 1673 during the reign of Charles II. The grant was then renewed and increased by King William III in 1690 as a reward for the loyalty...
, and a trustee (1726) of the Barnes bequest. In his last years his powers declined. His end was rather sudden. He died on 21 March 1727.
Works
His major works are his contributions to nonconformist history:- ‘A Brief Historical Account of Nonconformity,’ appended to his ‘Defence,’ 1693, of Matthew Henry on Schism (1689).
- ‘An Account of the Life … of … Matthew Henry,’ 1716.
- ‘Memoirs of John Shower,’ 1716.
- ‘Dedication,’ containing a sketch of nonconformist history in Coventry, prefixed to John Warren's funeral sermon for Joshua Merrell, 1716.
His published sermons include funeral sermons for Samuel Slater and Elizabeth Bury
Elizabeth Bury
-Early Life:Bury was baptised 12 March 1644 at Clare, Suffolk, the day of her birth having probably been 2 March. Her father was Captain Adams Lawrence of Linton, Cambridgeshire; her mother was Elizabeth Cutts of Clare, and besides Elizabeth there were three other children. In 1648, when Elizabeth...
. He revised Matthew Henry's ‘Memoirs’ of Philip Henry
Philip Henry
Philip Henry may refer to:*Philip Henry *Philip Henry , Jamaican artist*Philip Henry , English clergyman...
, 1698, and prepared the expositions of Hebrews and Revelation for Matthew Henry's ‘Commentary.’