Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 21.djvu/111

 1874, at the Camborne conference, in compliance with the request of the trustees of the Fernley lectureship, Geden delivered the fifth of the series on that foundation. He chose as his subject ‘The Doctrine of a Future Life as contained in the Old Testament Scriptures,’ vigorously opposing the view that the doctrine is not to be found in the Old Testament. The lecture was published by the Wesleyan Conference office. In 1878 Geden published (at the same office) ‘Didsbury Sermons,’ fifteen discourses, in which great energy of thought and brilliancy of style are combined with strict orthodoxy.

In 1883 failing health compelled him to retire. In January 1885 he received the honorary degree of D.D. from the university of St. Andrews. After prolonged suffering, patiently endured, he died on Tuesday, 9 March 1886.

Geden was twice married: first, to Elizabeth, daughter of the late Solomon Mease, esq., J.P., of North Shields; and secondly, to Eliza Jane, daughter of the late Robert Hawson, esq., of Scarborough, whom he also survived. By his first wife he left two sons and a daughter. The elder son is an architect; the younger became a missionary in India, where he was in charge of Royapettah College, near Madras.

[Personal knowledge and information from the family.] 

GEDGE, SYDNEY (1802–1883), divine, the youngest son of Peter Gedge of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, was born in 1802. He was educated at Bury St. Edmunds grammar school, whence he proceeded to St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. He graduated B.A. in 1824, coming out fourteenth wrangler, and in the first class in classics. In the following year he was elected a fellow of his college. For a short time he read in chambers at Lincoln's Inn, but threw up his intention of being called to the bar, and received holy orders. For some years he was curate of North Runcton in Norfolk. In 1835 he was appointed second master of King Edward's School, Birmingham, where he remained until 1859. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Church Missionary Society, and held the post of honorary secretary in Birmingham during the whole time he was there. In 1859 he was presented by Lord Overstone to the vicarage of All Saints, Northampton, which he held, with the rural deanery, until his retirement from active parochial work in 1875. Thenceforward he chiefly occupied himself in advancing the cause of Christian missions, by speaking and preaching for the Church Missionary Society. His acute reasoning power and independence in action won him much influence in Birmingham and Northampton. His readiness, especially in later years, to believe in the purity of motive of those from whom he differed in opinion procured for him the warm regard of all with whom he came in contact. In politics he was a liberal. He died in August 1883 after a few days' illness, having enjoyed to the last full vigour of body and mind. Four of his sermons were published separately.

[Private information.] 

GEDY, JOHN (fl. 1370), abbot of Arbroath, ‘the worthy abbot of Aberbrothock’ of Southey's ‘Inchcape Bell,’ was in office in 1370 when he entered into an engagement regarding the judge or doomster of the regality. His seal is appended to the act of parliament which regulated the succession to the crown in 1371. The contract between him and the burgesses of Arbroath, dated 2 April 1394, sets forth that, on account of innumerable losses and vexations suffered for want of a port, the abbot and convent shall make and maintain at their expense, in the best situation, a safe harbour for the burgh. The burgesses engage, on the other hand, to clear away the stones and sand, to execute other parts of the work, and to provide a certain portion of the tools required. The burgesses agree to pay to the abbot yearly on the completion of the work three pennies sterling from each rood of land within the burgh in addition to three pennies then paid. The pope's bull conferring on the abbot the privilege of wearing the mitred crown and pontifical vestments was dated 6 July 1396. There is no evidence in the burgh records, or in those of the abbey or elsewhere, that makes any allusion to a bell being placed on the Bell Rock by Gedy or another abbot.

[Chartulary of the Abbey of Arbroath.] 

GEE, EDWARD, D.D. (1565–1618), divine, son of Ralph Gee of Manchester, was born in 1565. He entered as servitor of Merton College, Oxford, on 22 Feb. 1582–3, and was afterwards at Lincoln and Brasenose Colleges. He graduated B.A. in 1586, and two years after was elected fellow of Brasenose College. In 1590 he proceeded M.A., in 1598 was chosen proctor of the university, in 1600 took the degree of B.D., and in 1616 that of D.D. On 19 Sept. 1599 he was instituted rector of Tedburn St. Mary, Devonshire, on the presentation of Queen Elizabeth. He was also chaplain in ordinary to James I and a fellow of Chelsea College, appointed to the latter office by Dr. Matthew Sutcliffe, the