Simeon, Charles

(Sept. 24, 1759-Nov. 13, 1836). Leading eighteenth-century evangelical. He was born in Reading, England. Simeon was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge, where he became a fellow in 1782. He was ordained a deacon in 1782. Even before Simeon was a priest he was named the rector of Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, where he remained his entire life. While at Cambridge he was closely associated with King's College, where he lived and was very popular with undergraduate students. He was one of the founders of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1799. He supported the British and Foreign Bible Society. Simeon was a leading evangelical in the Church of England and was known as “the Evangelical of Evangelicals.” At the same time he was loyal to the Church of England. He had a high view of the ordained ministry and a deep devotion to the eucharist. Simeon's primary fame was as a preacher. His major publication was Horae Homileticae, a commentary on the entire Bible. It was first published in 1796. He described the three great aims of all his preaching: “To humble the sinner, To exalt the Saviour, To promote holiness.” Simeon died in Cambridge. He is commemorated in the Episcopal calendar of the church year on Nov. 12.