Cornelius Winter (1742–1808) was an American Methodist preacher, an understudy of and assistant to George Whitefield, with whom he went to the American colony of Georgia as a catechist to Negro slaves, an educator who established two Dissenting academies for training Dissenting clergy,"Dissenter Academies". and "a very influential pastor".The Painswick Beacon 33:4, July 2010, p. 1
Childhood Winter was born in Gray's Inn Lane, in the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, on 9 October 1742. He was the ninth and last child of John and Catherine Winter. He was baptized on 16 October 1742 in the parish church.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 3.
Winter's father was born "in, or near, Nottingham" and was a Dissenter. His father's occupation was a shoe-maker. In the latter part of his life, he became head porter of Gray's Inn, a job that paid sixty pounds per annum. This would be worth £7, 763.00. in 2014 purchasing power. His father died of consumption when Cornelius was nine months old.
Winter's mother was born in Guildford in Surrey. She was the second wife of Winter's father. She died of consumption in 1750. Cornelius with a brother and a sister were only survivors of the nine children.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 3-4.
After the death of his mother, Winter spent his "time in idleness and childish dissipation" until at eight years he was admitted into the charity school of St. Andrew's, Holborn, Holborn.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 4-5.
Education Winter's formal education was less than two years in the charity school of St. Andrew's.Johnson Grant, A Summary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which Have Departed from Its Communion, Volume 4 (J. Hatchard and Son, 1825), 60-61.
Winter's mother was unable to earn enough by her work as a cleaner and laundress in Gray's Inn to support them, so Winter had to go the workhouse. He remained there until a relative took him away as an apprentice. The relative was a Water-gilder. A water gilder "gilded metal surfaces by applying liquid amalgam, the mercury being afterwards removed by evaporation".Hall Genealogy Website: Old Occupation Names Winter worked in his relatives work-shop and performed domestic services fourteen hours a day until he was twenty-one years old.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 5, 9-10
While an apprentice to his relative, Winter was no longer in school. All told, he had been in the school less than two years. He learned to write, but had learned none of the multiplication tables. In spite of his fourteen hours a day working for his relative, Winter worked on his writing skill in combination with his study of the Bible. He once copied a chapter from the Bible as a way of accomplishing both ends.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 9-10, 13 As he wrote, Winter educated himself by studying Hebrew, Latin, and Greek grammar and by "reading good authors".William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 48.
Although Winter was almost "entirely self-educated", by his diligent study he "gathered remarkable learning". He bequeathed 850 books from his academy at Painswick, Gloucestershire to the academy of nonconformist leader David Bogue.Kenneth J Stewart, Restoring the Reformation: British Evangelicalism and the Francophone 'Reveil' 1816-1849 (Wipf and Stock, 2006), 22.
Converted by Whitefield's preaching
During his apprenticeship with his relative, Winter heard George Whitefield preach. On the 9 April 1760, a sermon by Whitefield convicted Winter of his sin and changed his life.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 14-15 So it was that Winter became Whitefield's convert.Johnson Grant, A Summary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which Have Departed from Its Communion, Volume 4 (J. Hatchard and Son, 1825), 506.
An assistant to Whitefield held meetings of converts at which they could speak.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 34-35. Winter spoke at one meeting and what he said was "kindly received". After that he spoke at every opportunity.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 35-36. A Dissenting preacher offered Winter an opportunity to preach occasionally at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 37. Thus, Winter became an itinerant preacher who preached as opportunities presented themselves.Kenneth J Stewart, Restoring the Reformation: British Evangelicalism and the Francophone 'Reveil' 1816-1849 (Wipf and Stock, 2006), 21.
Whitefield's assistant John Berridge commended Winter to Whitefield who kept Winter as his "secretary and ministerial understudy".Kenneth J Stewart, Restoring the Reformation: British Evangelicalism and the Francophone 'Reveil' 1816-1849 (Wipf and Stock, 2006), 21.
In 1769, Winter accompanied Whitefield to America to be a catechist to Negro slaves in Georgia.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town (otherwise Called the City of Marlborough), Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 486. The party arrived at Savannah on 14 December 1769. The next Sunday, Winter introduced worship to some Negroes. However, most of the congregation were asleep or playing with their fingers, or talking with each other.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 71, 76.
On the death of Whitefield 1770, the trustees of the Bethesda Orphanage sent Winter to receive ordination from the Bishop of London.Johnson Grant, A Summary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which Have Departed from Its Communion, Volume 4 (J. Hatchard and Son, 1825), 61. Winter carried many recommendations from leaders in Georgia, but Episcopal ordination was denied him.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town (otherwise Called the City of Marlborough), Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 486.
Itinerant preaching Without Episcopal ordination, Winter's return to America was precluded. Therefore, he resumed his itinerant preaching in England, as he had done before going to America.Ralph Griffiths, George Edward Griffiths, editors, The Monthly Review, 200. He preached wherever he could find a congregation.Johnson Grant, A Summary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which Have Departed from Its Communion, Volume 4 (J. Hatchard and Son, 1825), 61.
With the support of Rowland Hill, Winter did itinerant preaching in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. His home was a small house at Christian Malford where he lived a "semi-monastic" until the age of thirty-five in 1777.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town (otherwise Called the City of Marlborough), Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 487. On 2 October 1777, Winter was ordained as a Dissenting minister.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 122.
Shortly after Winter was ordained, the Reverend Robert Sloper of Devizes referred Winter to the Dissenting congregation in Marlborough, Wiltshire. There, Winter met the people, preached sermons, and was accepted as their pastor, officially beginning 2 February 1778.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town (otherwise Called the City of Marlborough), Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 487.
Marlborough, Wiltshire, 1778–1788 After eight years of itinerant preaching, Winter settled in Marlborough, Wiltshire for the next decade.Johnson Grant, A Summary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which Have Departed from Its Communion, Volume 4 (J. Hatchard and Son, 1825), 61.
In 1779, Winter married Miss Brown, who with a sister occupied a farm in the neighbourhood.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town of Marlborough, Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 489. The couple had no children.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 233.
Winter increased the meager income from his congregation by establishing an Academy in 1783 and charging tuition. One of his pupils was William Jay.Johnson Grant, A Summary of the History of the English Church, and of the Sects which Have Departed from Its Communion, Volume 4 (J. Hatchard and Son, 1825), 61. At most the Academy had twelve students William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 135, 137, 139. Winter's Academy in Marlborough, in operation 1783-1788, was one of England's Dissenting academies for training Dissenting clergy."Dissenter Academies". Cambridge and Oxford were closed to Dissenters by the Act of Uniformity of 1662.Kenneth J Stewart, Restoring the Reformation: British Evangelicalism and the Francophone 'Reveil' 1816-1849 (Wipf and Stock, 2006), 22.
Winter used an "informal manner" of teaching. Lectures were replaced by "reading and a tutorial or seminar". The Academy had a balance between "practical and theoretical elements of training".Deryck W. Lovegrove, Established Church, Sectarian People: Itinerancy and the Transformation of English Dissent, 1780-1830 (Cambridge University Press, 2004), 73, 76, 83. As part of the practical training, Winter had his students preach in area churches very early in their course.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town (otherwise Called the City of Marlborough), Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 490.
After a decade at Marlborough, chronic illness forced Winter to close his Academy and lose that income. Furthermore, his major benefactor was in "declining health" and his sons were hostile toward Winter. Thus, when a congregation at Painswick in Gloucestershire requested his services, he accepted.James Waylen, A History, Military and Municipal, of the Town (otherwise Called the City of Marlborough), Volume 1 (John Russell Smith, 1854), 490.
Painswick, Gloucestershire, 1788–1808 The congregation of Christ Church nonconformist chapel at Painswick already knew Winter and his preaching. He and his wife moved there on 2 August 1788.William Jay, compiler and composer, Memoirs of the life and character of the late Rev. Cornelius Winter, First American Edition (Samuel Whiting & Co., 1811), 147-148, 150. During his tenure in Painswick, Winter rebuilt the chapel in 1803 and established a Sunday school. He also bequeathed two cottages to the congregation that were later used as the site of a school""Painswick: Protestant nonconformity"