Bingham, Joseph

Bingham, Joseph one of the most learned and laborious divines the Church of England has ever produced, was born in 1668 at Wakefield, in Yorkshire. He studied at Oxford, and became a fellow of University College, where he had for his pupil Potter, who afterward was archbishop of Canterbury. When called upon to preach before the university, he chose for the subject of his sermon the mystery of the Trinity, and some expressions which were thought to be heretical raised a great storm, which eventually induced him to quit the university. He received the rectory of Havant, in Hampshire, and died Aug. 17, 1723, the victim of excessive toil in pursuing his literary labors, which, owing to his large family and narrow income, were necessary to his support. In 1708 he published the first volume of his celebrated work, Origines Ecclesiastca, or Antiquities of the Christian Church, which was completed in eight vols. 8vo, the last of which appeared in 1722. He was employed in correcting and amending this work at his death, which amended edition was afterward contained in the collection of his works published at London in two vols. fol., 1726. His Origines was translated into Latin by J. H. Grichow, with a preface and notes by J. F. Buddaeus, and printed at Halle in 1724-38, and again in 1751-61 (10 vols. 4to). This great work is a perfect repertory of facts in ecclesiastical archeology, and has not been superseded or even approached in its own line by any book since produced. Its High Church views make it very acceptable to the Romanists, who have printed a revised German translation of it for their own use (Augsburg, 1788-96, 4 vols. 8vo). A very convenient and cheap edition of Bingham for the use of students was published in London in 1852 (Bohn, 2 vols. royal 8vo). The best complete edition is that of Pitman (Lond. 1840, 9 vols. 8vo), which gives the citations in full from the originals, together with a life of the author. SEE ARCHAEOLOGY.