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 owned there. His mother was a daughter of George Brough, a gentleman-farmer at Shelton, also a village in Nottinghamshire. Having been educated at the dissenting academy of [q. v.] at Attercliffe, the son was sent in 1710, partly, it would seem, at the expense of Dr. Isaac Watts, to study divinity, with a view to entering the dissenting ministry, under (1680?–1719) [q. v.], who kept an academy, first at Gloucester, and then at Tewkesbury. Here he met some fellow-students who distinguished themselves in after life, notably Joseph Butler, afterwards bishop of Durham; Isaac Maddox, who became bishop of Worcester; and [q. v.], the nonconformist writer. There were sixteen pupils, and Secker, in a letter to Dr. Watts, gives an interesting account of their studies. Unable to make up his mind to which religious community to attach himself, he abandoned for the time the intention of entering the ministry, and in 1716 began to study medicine. He went to London and attended the best lectures there, and went over in 1718–19 to Paris, where he first met his lifelong friend and future brother-in-law, [q. v.], afterwards bishop of Gloucester. He kept up a correspondence with Butler, who extracted from his powerful friend, the Rev. Edward Talbot, a promise that he would persuade his father, William Talbot, bishop of Salisbury, to provide for Secker, if the latter would take orders in the church of England. Secker had already written to a friend intimating that he was not satisfied with the dissenters. In the summer of 1720 he returned to England, and was introduced to Talbot, who died of small-pox in the following December, having recommended Secker, Butler, and Benson to the notice of his father. The bishop attended to the wishes of his dying son, and provided for all three. Secker, under the influence of Butler, Benson, and S. Clarke, was won over to the church. He had no university degree, but at Leyden, on 7 March 1720–1, he received his M.D. degree, having written for the occasion a theme of unusual excellence, ‘De Medicinâ Staticâ’ (Leyden, 1721). He then entered as a gentleman-commoner at Exeter College, Oxford, and graduated by virtue of special letters from the chancellor. In December 1722 he was ordained deacon, and on 28 March 1723 was ordained priest by Dr. Talbot, now bishop of Durham, at St. James's, Westminster, where he preached his first sermon. He was in high favour with the bishop, who in 1724 gave him the valuable living of Houghton-le-Spring. On 28 Oct. 1725 he married Catharine, the sister of his friend Benson. She had been living since Edward Talbot's death with his widow and daughter, and Mrs. and Miss Talbot continued to live with the Seckers after the marriage. Secker was an active parish priest at Houghton, where his knowledge of medicine was of great service to his poorer parishioners. But, for the benefit of Mrs. Secker's health, a sort of exchange was effected with Dr. Finney, rector of Ryton and prebendary of Durham, to both of which posts Secker, having resigned Houghton, was instituted in London on 3 June 1727. In July 1732 he was appointed chaplain to the king at the instance of Bishop Sherlock, who was much struck with a sermon he heard Secker preach at Bath. In August he preached before Queen Caroline (the king being abroad) at St. James's Chapel Royal, and from that time became an attendant at the queen's philosophical parties.

In May 1733 Secker, on the recommendation of Bishop Gibson, was appointed to the rectory of St. James's, Westminster. He proceeded D.C.L. at Oxford, not being of sufficient standing for the D.D. degree; and he preached on the occasion the Act sermon ‘On the Advantages and Duties of an Academical Education,’ which pleased the queen and contributed to his further advancement. In December 1734 he was nominated bishop of Bristol, and on 19 Jan. following was consecrated to that see in Lambeth chapel. He still retained both the rectory of St. James's and the prebend of Durham, for which, however, there was some excuse, as Bristol was the poorest bishopric in England. It was at this time that he drew up his ‘Lectures on the Church Catechism’ for the use of his parishioners at St. James's. Among the regular worshippers at his church was Frederick, prince of Wales, who now resided at Norfolk House, and Secker baptised many of the prince's children. George II had been impressed by Secker's sermon on the death of Queen Caroline, and he charged the bishop to try and bring about a reconciliation between him and his son; but the attempt proved abortive, and Secker incurred for a time the royal displeasure.

In 1737 he succeeded Dr. Potter as bishop of Oxford, and in this capacity his moderation and judgment stood him in good stead. Oxford was a stronghold of Jacobitism, and the bishop was a staunch supporter of the Hanoverian government; but, though he never concealed his opinions, Secker contrived to avoid collision with those with whom he disagreed. As bishop of Oxford he was brought into contact with Sarah, duchess