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Thomas Scott was born in 1747 at Braytoft inLincolnshire, the son of a grazier (cattle farmer), the tenth of thirteen children. His mother was better educated than his father and taught Thomas to read, and he went to various small local private schools before being sent at the age of ten to a school inScortoninRichmondshire, 150 miles away from home. Returning in 1762 he was apprenticed at 15 to a surgeon in nearby Alford, but was soon dismissed for bad conduct. Returning to the family farm in disgrace, he was reduced to working as a labourer for his father, enduring this for ten years before finally leaving home in 1772 to become ordained as an Anglican priest at the age of 25. As he afterwards admitted, he went into the ministry for a comfortable career, and did not believe in most of the doctrine he was required to preach.
Scott was first a curate inBuckinghamshirein 1772, and was originally appointed to the adjacent parishes ofStoke GoldingtonandWeston Underwood. In December 1774 he married Jane Kell, housekeeper to a local family. From 1775 to 1777 Scott served as curate of nearbyRavenstoneby virtue of a 'swap' with the curate there.
During this period, Scott began a friendship and correspondence with the hymnwriterJohn Newtonwho was curate of neighbouringOlney. This instigated the examination of his conscience and study of the Holy Scriptures that were to convert him into an evangelical Christian, a conversion he related in his spiritual autobiographyThe Force of Truthpublished in 1779.
In 1781, Scott transferred to the curacy of Olney, Newton having gone to London, and in 1785 Scott also moved to London to take up a post as a hospital chaplain at theLock Hospitalfor syphilis sufferers. He would walk 14 miles every Sunday, preaching and taking services at various churches, includingSt. Mildred, Bread Street, andSt. Margaret, Lothbury, in addition to his work at the hospital chapel. While in London he started publishing theCommentary On the Whole Biblethat was to make his name.
His wife died in 1790, and he remarried in 1791. During his time in London, Scott was, with Newton, one of the founders of theChurch Missionary Society, and its first secretary.
In 1803, Scott left the Lock Hospital to become Rector ofAston Sandfordin Buckinghamshire where he remained until his death in 1821. He kept up his involvement with the Church Missionary Society, taking in trainee missionaries for instruction
Bound full leather with bossing and working clasps. Pages very good and generally clean though lightly toned. Bound with Book of Common Prayer, Binding tight, text appears complete, a few tiny pinholes in exterior leather. Tables follow both Testaments, separate titles for BCP (preceding OT) and Psalms (following NT). Psalms title reads, "The Whole Book of Psalms, collected into English Metre, by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others...." Same printer on all title pages, Psalms title dated 1798. BCP dated dated 1801. Rebacked (spine). Light external wear, overall very good condition, excellent for age. Small section of pages slightly loose near end of Genesis, beginning of Exodus.
SB-3
