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Robert Spears (Newcastle upon Tyne 25 September 1825 – Highgate, London 25 February 1899) was a British Unitarian minister who was editor of the confessedly "Biblical Unitarian" ''Christian Life'' weekly.〔"Biblical Unitarianism" in ''Christian Life'' Vol.5 1880〕〔''Memorials of Robert Spears 1825–99'' Belfast Ulster Unitarian Christian Association, 1903〕〔Gordon, Alexander. "Spears, Robert (1825–1899), unitarian preacher and journalist". ''Dictionary of National Biography''〕 ==Life== He was fifth son by the second wife of John Spears, foreman of an ironworks, and was born at Lemington, parish of Newburn, Northumberland. His father was a Calvinistic Presbyterian, but the family attended the parish church. Brought up as an engineering smith, his love of reading led him to leave this calling and set up a school in his native village. He joined the New Connexion Methodists; a debate (1845) at Newcastle upon Tyne between Joseph Barker and William Cooke led him to the conviction that doctrine must be expressed in ‘the language of scripture.’ In 1846 he was master of the New Connexion school at Scotswood-on-Tyne, and was taken on trial as a local preacher. A lecture at Blaydon in 1848 by George Harris (1794–1859) brought him into relations with Harris, and was followed by an introduction to the unitarian body in 1849. Leaving the Methodists, he became Unitarian minister without salary at Sunderland (1852–8). There he conducted a very successful school, and originated (1856) a monthly religious magazine, the ''Christian Freeman'. He removed to a pastorate at Stockton-on-Tees (1858–61), where he originated (30 December 1859) the ''Stockton Gazette'' (later the ''North-Eastern Gazette''). In 1861 Spears attracted the attention of Robert Brook Aspland, was invited to London by Sir James Clarke Lawrence, and became (1862) minister of Stamford Street chapel, Blackfriars. In 1867 he was elected co-secretary of the British and Foreign Unitarian Association with Aspland, on whose death (1869) he became general secretary, reviving it and nearly quadrupling its income. In 1874 he left Stamford Street to take charge of a new congregation at College Chapel, Stepney Green. His theological conservatism was the cause of his resigning in 1876 the denominational secretaryship.〔R. K. Webb〕 He at once established (20 May 1876) a weekly paper, the ''Christian Life,'' as an organ of biblical and missionary unitarianism; in 1889 he bought up the ''Unitarian Herald,'' a Manchester organ (which he had been invited to manage at its establishment in 1861), and amalgamated it with his paper. In 1886, aided by Matilda Sharpe, younger daughter of Samuel Sharpe, he established Channing School for Girls, primarily for the daughters of Unitarian ministers. This was at Waterlow Park on Highgate Hill, north London. At this time he left Stepney to found a Unitarian chapel near the school. Among other new causes due directly to his suggestion, and largely to his aid, were those at Clerkenwell, Croydon, Forest Hill, Notting Hill, and Peckham; and outside London his influence was not felt among Unitarians as a stimulus to propagandist work. He was interested in the monotheistic movement of the Brahmo Somaj of India, and was in contact with its leaders from the visit (1870) to Britain of Keshub Chunder Sen, who was his guest. On his initiative was founded (7 June 1881) the Christian Conference, brought together representatives of all denominations, from Cardinal Manning to James Martineau. He had travelled in France, Italy, and America, and kept up a correspondence with liberal thinkers in all parts of the world. He died at his residence, Arundel House, Highgate,〔where Francis Bacon died in 1626, having caught cold by alighting from his carriage near Highgate to experiment〕 of cancer, on 25 February 1899, and was buried at Nunhead cemetery on 1 March. He married, first (1846), Margaret Kirton (died 1867), by whom he had five children, of whom the youngest daughter survived him; secondly (1869), Emily Glover, who survived him with two sons and four daughters. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Robert Spears (minister)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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