THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
commenced to preach in the village green. His powers as preacher and his genius soon became apparent and determined his future career. He attended no theological college, but read and thought by himself, seeking by every possible means to furnish his mind with all knowledge necessary to make him efficient as an expounder of the Bible. In 1852 he went to London and became assistant to John Campbell of Whitefield Tabernacle. His preaching power was soon acknowledged by persons of influence, who were charmed with his eloquence and suggestive utterances. He was much sought after, and in 1853 he received and accepted a call to a small congregation in Banbury, Oxfordshire. His success was marked. They had to enlarge the chapel, and ultimately to build a larger one, which was soon crowded. He remained in Banbury five years, when he received and accepted a call to Cavendish Street Congregational Church, Manchester, and began his ministry July 25, 1858. The church became a center of influence and the pastor was the originator of most of its institutions and movements. He started a college for the training of preachers, and did the most of the teaching himself. He edited religious periodicals, wrote some of his best books, took part in public movements, and attended to his pastoral duties punctually. His influence grew apace, and his power was felt far and wide in his denomination. In 1868 Parker received a pressing invitation to become the pastor of the Poultry Chapel, London, which was then in a moribund condition, but did not accept till the next year, beginning his pastorate Sept. 19, 1869. The old building soon became too small for the crowds which attended the services, and steps were taken to build a house of size and prominence, resulting in the erection of the City Temple, Holburn Viaduct, which holds upwards of 3,000 people. Dr. Parker commenced Thursday Noon Services in the Poultry Chapel and continued them in the City Temple till his death in 1902. These gatherings were unique, and no other single person ever sustained such a series of meetings for thirty-three years. They were held for one hour, and at every meeting ministers, students, professional and business men, workmen and women of all ages could be seen. Under his care the church grew as a power and his influence increased. He preached his last sermon Oct. 2, 1902.
Dr. Parker was a voluminous writer, his pen was never idle. His principal works are Ecce Deus (Edinburgh, 1867); Springdale Abbey (Manchester, 1868); Hidden Springs (London, 1864); Ad Clerum (1868); Paraclete (1874); The Priesthood of Christ (1876); Tyne Chylde (1880); The People's Bible (25 vols., 1884); Family Prayer Book (1889); Some One and None Like It (1894); Paterson's Parish (1898); Preacher's Life (1899; autobiographical); Studies in Texts (6 vols., 1901); Pulpit Bible (1901). Besides editing several periodicals he published in all over sixty volumes.
William Adamson.
Bibliography: W. Adamaon, Life of the Rev. Joseph Parker, London, 1902; A. Dawson, Joseph Parker, His Life and Ministry, ib. 1901; G. H. Pike, Dr. Parker and his Friends, ib. 1904.
PARKER, MATTHEW: First Protestant archbishop of Canterbury; b. at Norwich, England, Aug. 6, 1504; d. in London May 17, 1575. He graduated from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (B.A., 1525; M.A., 1528); and was ordained priest in 1527. Already strongly influenced by the teachings of the German Reformers, he devoted himself at Cambridge to the study of the writings of Luther, qualifying them by a thorough knowledge of patristic literature, which was probably responsible for the comparative moderation which he showed in later life. In 1535 he was named chaplain to the new queen, Anne Boleyn, and to the king two years later, receiving also several rich benefices; in 1544 he became head of his old college, which had become the home of the new doctrines. As vicechancellor of the university, he defended its revenues manfully against the king, who was tempted to extend to it his pillage of the monasteries. This danger past, he devoted himself to the promotion of the internal welfare of the university, for which his retiring and contemplative nature eminentlyfitted him. Even under Edward VI., he still sought to remain in his studious calm, and exchanged his university position only for the quiet deanery of Lincoln in 1552. Under Mary, he fell into disfavor by his support of Lady Jane Grey and by his marriage in 1547. Deprived of his offices, he remained in concealment until the accession of Elizabeth; he was then summoned, much against his will, to take part in public life, and was consecrated archbishop of Canterbury in 1559. The validity of his consecration has been disputed, the Roman Catholics regarding it as defective in both form and matter, Anglicans exerting themselves equally strenuously to demonstrate that every essential was scrupulously observed. The importance of the question lies in the fact that the new bishops chosen by Elizabeth, and thus the Anglican succession, derived their consecration from him.
Parker, at once Evangelical and conservative, was a fitting instrument for the carrying out of the queen's plans of compromise between the extreme parties whose strife threatened the peace of her realm. The situation was a difficult one. Bishoprics and parochial cures were either vacant or unworthily filled; great diversity prevailed in the conduct of divine worship; and ecclesiastical property had been in many cases diverted from its proper use. The kingdom was divided into three hostile parties; the Roman Catholic, with strong support at Oxford, among the lawyers, and to some extent at court; the Puritans, with their mainstay in the citizens of London, supported by the Cambridge divines, striving to enforce the Calvinistic ideals; and, between the two, the new primate with a feeble moderate conservative minority. In this passionate struggle, rendered more difficult by the uncertain and capricious attitude of Elizabeth, Parker stood for conciliation, and for the striking out of a distinctly Anglican line, a via media between Rome and extreme Protestantism. His hands were full; he had to train the new bishops in the system, to keep a watchful eye on the courts of justice and the universities (the Cambridge statutes of 1570 betoken a complete reconstruction of the academic