John Berridge

John Berridge (February 1716 − 22 January 1793) was an Anglican evangelical revivalist and hymnist.

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Rev. John Berridge

Life

He was born in Kingston, Nottinghamshire, and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. He was the son of a wealthy grazier in Nottinghamshire. In 1749, he was ordained to the parish of Stapleford, near Cambridge. In 1755 he became Vicar of Everton. He never married.

By 1758 he would ride on horseback far and wide across the whole of Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. He preached up to twelve open-air sermons and travelled over 100 miles each week.

Berridge, the vicar of Everton, was commended by John Wesley as one of the most simple as well as most sensible of all whom it pleased God to employ in reviving primitive Christianity. C.H. Spurgeon included John Berridge on his list of Eccentric Preachers along with Hugh Latimer, Hugh Peters, Daniel Burgess, Rowland Hill, Matthew Wilks, William Dawson, Jacob Gruber, Edward Taylor, Edward Brooke, and Billy Bray.

Take for instance John Berridge. Berridge was quaint by nature. In the former lecture I quoted purposely from his letters rather than from any of his sermons or didactic works, because in a letter you see a man at ease. Berridge could not help being singular, for the form of his mind led him in that direction, and his bachelor life helped to develop his idiosyncrasies. His quaintness was all his own, and you see it in his household arrangements, as, for instance, when he says to a friend: "I am glad to see you write of a visit to Everton; we have always plenty of horse provender at hand; but unless you send me notice beforehand of your coming, you will have a cold and scanty meal; for we roast only twice in the week. Let me have a line, and I will give you the same treat I always gave to Mr. Whitefield, an eighteen-penny barn-door fowl; this will neither burst you nor ruin me; half you shall have at noon with a pudding, and the rest at night. Much grace and sweet peace be with yourself and partner; and the blessing of a new heart be with your children. With many thanks, I remain your affectionate servant, J.B."

His first collection of hymns was published as A Collection of Divine Songs in the 1760s. In 1785, a collection of 342 hymns were published.

He died at the age of 77 and thousands attended his funeral. At his own request John Berridge was buried on the north-east side of Everton churchyard as "a means of consecrating it". This piece of ground had previously been reserved for those who had come to a dishonourable end. His gravestone is a testament to his humble faith.