Simpson, Charles (1823-1853)

Ministry

A transcription of obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by Colin C McKecknie is attached. He writes about his preaching as follows.

“As a preacher, he was thought by many to be wanting in constitutional energy; but this was compensated in great measure by a constant flow of emotion. When excited by his theme, he did not yield to an excess of shouting or gesticulation—that was not the natural outlet of his emotion; but his large dark eye would melt in liquid tenderness, his usually pallid face, would become flushed, and his somewhat monotonous voice thrill with tremulous intonations. He could not cleave the heart with the linked thunderbolt; he could not overpower his hearers by electrical outbursts of eloquence; but he melted and won them by the sunshine of sympathy, the gentler electricity of the heart. His sermons were not remarkable for originality or brilliance; but they were sober, solid compositions, well calculated to inform the judgment and amend the heart.”

Family

Charles was born in 1823 at Durham, Co. Durham, to parents Edward, an inn keeper, and Mary. He was baptised on 17 August 1823 at St Nicholas, Durham.

Charles died on 8 July 1853. He was buried on 9 July 1853 at Witton le Wear, Co. Durham.

Circuits

• 1848 Barnard Castle
• 1849 Whitehaven
• 1851 Wolsingham

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1854/129

PM Minutes 1854/5

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers