Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 36.djvu/219

Marsh by successive courses on 'The Criticism of the Greek Testament,' 1810, 'The Interpretation of the Bible,' 1813, and 'The Interpretation of Prophecy,' 1816, which were published as they were delivered, and subsequently republished in one volume in 1828, and again in 1838, with the addition of two lectures, bringing the history of biblical interpretation down to modern times. Marsh showed a strong prejudice against the allegorical system of the fathers, and that of the middle ages generally, and maintained that scripture has but one sense, the grammatical. Subsequently he continued the publication of his professorial lectures, those on 'The Authenticity of the New Testament' appearing in 1820, those on its 'Credibility' in 1822, and, finally, those on 'The Authority of the Old Testament' in 1823.

Meanwhile Marsh had engaged in another controversy. In 1805 he preached a course of sermons before the university, of a strongly anti-Calvinistic tone, in which he denounced the doctrines of justification by faith without works, and of the impossibility of falling from grace, as giving a license to immoral living. These sermons were withheld from publication, in spite of the protests of Charles Simeon [q. v.], Isaac Milner [q. v.], and the other evangelical leaders, against whom they were aimed. They were answered by Simeon in sermons, also preached before the university, repudiating the obnoxious opinions he and his friends had been charged with holding, and vindicating their fidelity to the church of England. In 1811 the dispute, already heated, was fanned into flame by the proposal to establish an auxiliary Bible Society in Cambridge. This was vehemently opposed by Marsh and the senior members of the university. In an 'Address to the Members of the Senate' (1812), which, 'with incredible industry,' he put into the hands, not of the members of the university only, but of the leading personages in the county, Marsh denounced the scheme because it sanctioned a union with dissenters and the circulation of the Bible unaccompanied with the liturgy. Polemical pamphlets abounded. But Marsh's violent language aroused a strong feeling in favour of the Bible Society, and after an enthusiastic meeting in the town-hall the auxiliary was established (, Reminiscences, ii. 277;, Life, pp. 287, 294, 373). Peace, however, was not restored. Marsh's pugnacity was stimulated by his defeat, and he speedily produced one of his most powerful and stinging pamphlets, entitled 'An Inquiry into the consequences of neglecting to give the Prayer Book with the Bible' (1812), to which was subsequently added as an appendix 'A History of the Translations of the Scriptures from the Earliest Ages.' This called forth rejoinders from Dr. E. D. Clarke [q. v.], the Rev. W. Otter [q. v.] (subsequently bishop of Chichester), Rev. W. Dealtry, Nicholas Vansittart [q. v.] (afterwards Ford Bexley), and others, as well as two covertly satirical 'Congratulatory Letters' from Peter Gandolphy, a priest of the Roman catholic church. The most notorious of the attacks was Dean Milner's 'Strictures' (1813) on Marsh's writings generally, including his biblical criticism. Marsh issued a forcible 'Reply' (1813). Simeon himself once more joined the fray in a 'Congratulatory Address' on the 'Close of the Marshian Controversy,' and Marsh published 'An Answer to his Pretended Congratulatory Address, and a Confutation of his various Mis-statements.' Simeon reissued his 'Address,' with an appendix, defending his views on baptism, which Marsh had assailed. This, of course, called forth 'A Second Letter' from Marsh, in which he took his 'final leave ' of the whole controversy.

Marsh thus obtained leisure to use his great powers against more legitimate foes, in a 'Comparative View of the Churches of England and Rome,' which was published in 1814, and went through three editions. A separately issued appendix followed in 1816. At the same tune he displayed his classical learning and powers of research in an inquiry into the origin and language of the Pelasgi, under the title of 'Horæ Pelasgicæ' (1815), of which only the first part was published. The discourtesy with which, according to his wont, Marsh, even in these works, treated those who differed from him, called forth a sensible and temperate answer from one of them, Dr. Thomas Burgess [q. v.], then bishop of St. Davids.

In 1816 the long-expected mitre was bestowed on Marsh by Lord Liverpool, and he was consecrated to the see of Llandaff 25 Aug. 1816. In 1819 he was translated to Peterborough, and he held that see, while still retaining the Margaret professorship, with the professor's house at Cambridge, till his death. But he did not perform any duties of the chair, and only twice again visited Cambridge, in the winters of 1827 and 1828. As a bishop he proved himself an active and courageous administrator, with a clear sense of what he deemed beneficial to the church, and undeterred from its pursuit by obloquy or misrepresentation. At Llandaff, as well as at Peterborough, he promoted the rebuilding and repair of churches and parson-