James Allanson Picton (8 August 1832 – 4 February 1910) was a British independent minister, author, philosopher and Liberal politician. Picton promoted a philosophy known as Christian pantheism.[1]
Picton was born at Liverpool, the eldest son of Sir James Allanson Picton and his wife Sarah Pooley. His father was an architect and supporter of the Liverpool Free Library. He was educated at the High School, and at the Mechanics' Institute and joined his father's architectural practice at the age of 16. Three years later he decided to study for the ministry and joined the Lancashire Independent College and Owens College, Manchester. He achieved a first in classics and in 1855 was awarded MA at the University of London.[2]
In spite of allegations of heresy, in 1856, he was appointed to Cheetham Hillcongregational church at Manchester. There he gave a course of popular lectures to the working classes, but one of his sermons revived the allegation of heresy and in 1862 he went to Gallowtree Gate chapel, Leicester. In 1869 he became pastor of St. Thomas's Square chapel, Hackney where he upset orthodox members by delivering lectures on secular themes such as English history and the principles of radical and conservative politics on Sunday afternoons to the working classes. He remained at Hackney until 1879. He wrote much in the press and published many sermons, pamphlets, and volumes on religion and politics.[3]
Picton started to take an active part in public life as an uncompromising radical. He represented Hackney on the London School Board from 1870 to 1879 and was chairman of the school management committee for three years. In 1883 he was chosen as a radical candidate for Tower Hamlets but in June 1884 he stood instead at a by-election for Leicester. He was elected Member of Parliament to succeed Peter Alfred Taylor, most of whose opinions he shared. He retained the seat in the following elections and resigned from the House of Commons in 1894. He was very small in stature, but possessing good oratorical powers, and retaining the manner of the pulpit, he always won the ear of the House of Commons, where he was known as a sincere advocate of extreme views.
After his retirement, Picton built Caerlyr Hall at Penmaenmawr, North Wales in about 1896 (the name Caerlyr means City of Leicester in Welsh). William Ewart Gladstone was said to have been a friend of Picton and visited the area frequently.[4] Picton died at Caerlyr Hall aged 77.
Picton married firstly Margaret Beauont, daughter of John Beaumont of Manchester; and secondly Jessie Carr Williams, daughter of Sydney Williams a publisher. He had four sons.
Pantheismedit
Picton was a disciple of Spinoza and authored Pantheism: Its Story and Significance, in 1905.[5] Picton was a proponent of Christian pantheism which was termed "the religion of the universe".[6] In his book The Mystery of Matter, Picton considered the universe as a manifestation of an infinite energy with the God of Christianity as substantially identical.[7]
james, allanson, picton, august, 1832, february, 1910, british, independent, minister, author, philosopher, liberal, politician, picton, promoted, philosophy, known, christian, pantheism, born8, august, 1832liverpooldied4, february, 1910penmaenmawroccupation, . James Allanson Picton 8 August 1832 4 February 1910 was a British independent minister author philosopher and Liberal politician Picton promoted a philosophy known as Christian pantheism 1 James Allanson PictonBorn8 August 1832LiverpoolDied4 February 1910PenmaenmawrOccupation s Independent minister liberal politician Contents 1 Life 2 Pantheism 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksLife editPicton was born at Liverpool the eldest son of Sir James Allanson Picton and his wife Sarah Pooley His father was an architect and supporter of the Liverpool Free Library He was educated at the High School and at the Mechanics Institute and joined his father s architectural practice at the age of 16 Three years later he decided to study for the ministry and joined the Lancashire Independent College and Owens College Manchester He achieved a first in classics and in 1855 was awarded MA at the University of London 2 In spite of allegations of heresy in 1856 he was appointed to Cheetham Hill congregational church at Manchester There he gave a course of popular lectures to the working classes but one of his sermons revived the allegation of heresy and in 1862 he went to Gallowtree Gate chapel Leicester In 1869 he became pastor of St Thomas s Square chapel Hackney where he upset orthodox members by delivering lectures on secular themes such as English history and the principles of radical and conservative politics on Sunday afternoons to the working classes He remained at Hackney until 1879 He wrote much in the press and published many sermons pamphlets and volumes on religion and politics 3 Picton started to take an active part in public life as an uncompromising radical He represented Hackney on the London School Board from 1870 to 1879 and was chairman of the school management committee for three years In 1883 he was chosen as a radical candidate for Tower Hamlets but in June 1884 he stood instead at a by election for Leicester He was elected Member of Parliament to succeed Peter Alfred Taylor most of whose opinions he shared He retained the seat in the following elections and resigned from the House of Commons in 1894 He was very small in stature but possessing good oratorical powers and retaining the manner of the pulpit he always won the ear of the House of Commons where he was known as a sincere advocate of extreme views After his retirement Picton built Caerlyr Hall at Penmaenmawr North Wales in about 1896 the name Caerlyr means City of Leicester in Welsh William Ewart Gladstone was said to have been a friend of Picton and visited the area frequently 4 Picton died at Caerlyr Hall aged 77 Picton married firstly Margaret Beauont daughter of John Beaumont of Manchester and secondly Jessie Carr Williams daughter of Sydney Williams a publisher He had four sons Pantheism editPicton was a disciple of Spinoza and authored Pantheism Its Story and Significance in 1905 5 Picton was a proponent of Christian pantheism which was termed the religion of the universe 6 In his book The Mystery of Matter Picton considered the universe as a manifestation of an infinite energy with the God of Christianity as substantially identical 7 Publications editFrom 1879 to 1884 he wrote leaders in the Weekly Dispatch then an advanced radical organ and contributed to the Christian World The Theological Review the Contemporary Review Macmillan s Magazine the Examiner and other periodicals His books included A Catechism of the Gospels 1866 New Theories and the Old Faith 1870 The Mystery of Matter 1873 The Religion of Jesus 1876 Pulpit Discourses 1879 Oliver Cromwell the Man and his Mission 1882 Lessons from the English Commonwealth 1884 The Conflict of Oligarchy and Democracy 1885 James Allanson Picton The Conflict of Oligarchy and Democracy Sir James A Picton a Biography 1891 The Bible in School 1901 The Religion of the Universe 1904 Pantheism Its Story and Significance 1905 Spinoza A Handbook to the Ethics 1907 Man and the Bible 1909References edit Upton C B 1873 Christian Pantheism The Theological Review 10 575 598 John Morrison Davidson Eminent English liberals in and out of Parliament John Morrison Davidson Eminent English liberals in and out of Parliament Caerlyr Hall Hotel Archived from the original on 25 July 2009 Retrieved 13 March 2009 Blackwell Kenneth 2013 The Spinozistic Ethics of Bertrand Russell Volume 1 Routledge p 59 ISBN 978 0 415 66017 4 Bouquet A C 2013 The Christian Religion and Its Competitors Today Cambridge University Press p 41 ISBN 978 1 107 62357 6 Shields Charles 1888 Philosophia Ultima Volume 1 Applewood Books p 197 Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPs Constituencies beginning with L part 2 Jincheng Shi 2018 Pantheism and Science in Victorian Britain University of Leeds External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by James Allanson Picton Works by James Allanson Picton at Project Gutenberg Works by or about James Allanson Picton at Internet Archive Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byAlexander McArthurPeter Alfred Taylor Member of Parliament for Leicester1884 1894 With Alexander McArthur 1884 1892Sir James Whitehead 1892 1894 Succeeded byHenry BroadhurstWalter Hazell Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Allanson Picton amp oldid 1192819146, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
