# Alexander McCaul > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_McCaul > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_McCaul.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_McCaul > Source revision: 1355094228 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Irish Hebraist and missionary}} {{for|the Canadian timber merchant and politician|Alexander McCall}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Alexander McCaul | birth_date = 16 May 1799 | birth_place = Dublin, Ireland | death_date = {{death date and age|1863|11|13|1799|5|16|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | burial_place = City of London Cemetery | education = [Trinity College Dublin](/source/Trinity_College_Dublin) | occupation = [Hebraist](/source/Christian_Hebraist), [missionary](/source/missionary) | spouse = | children = | known_for = Missionary work among Jews, [Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language) scholarship | notable_works = ''Old Paths'' }} '''Alexander McCaul''' (16 May 1799 – 13 November 1863) was an Irish [Hebraist](/source/Christian_Hebraist) and [missionary](/source/missionary) to the Jews. McCaul studied Hebrew and German in Warsaw and later moved to St. Petersburg, where he was received by Alexander I of Russia. After returning to England and being ordained, he served as curate of Huntley, near Gloucester. He then returned to Poland in 1823 to lead the mission to the Jews in Warsaw and served as the English chaplain until 1830, despite conflicts with Lutheran congregations. In Berlin, he gained the support of the English ambassador [George Henry Rose](/source/George_Henry_Rose) and the Crown Prince of Prussia. In 1832, McCaul settled in London, supporting the London Society and founding the Jews' Operatives Converts Institution. He began publishing ''Old Paths'', a weekly pamphlet on Jewish ritual. In 1840, he was appointed principal of the Hebrew college by the London Society and later became a professor at [King's College London](/source/King's_College_London). McCaul was also rector of St James Duke's Place and [St Magnus-the-Martyr](/source/St_Magnus-the-Martyr), as well as a prebendary of [St Paul's Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral). He played a significant role in the Convocation of the English clergy, where he initially opposed, but later collaborated with, the High Church party. McCaul died on 13 November 1863 and is buried in the City of London Cemetery. ==Life== McCaul, the son of Alexander [McCaul](/source/McCaul) (a [cordwainer](/source/cordwainer))City of London freedom certificate dated 28 October 1856 was born to a Protestant family in [Dublin](/source/Dublin), 16 May 1799. He was educated at a private school, and entering [Trinity College Dublin](/source/Trinity_College_Dublin), 3 October 1814, graduated B.A. 1819, and proceeded M.A. 1831; he was created D.D. in 1837. He was for some time tutor to the [Earl of Rosse](/source/William_Parsons%2C_3rd_Earl_of_Rosse), and then, was sent in 1821 to Poland as a missionary, by the [London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews](/source/London_Society_for_Promoting_Christianity_among_the_Jews).{{cite DNB|wstitle=M'Caul, Alexander|volume=35}} McCaul studied Hebrew and German at [Warsaw](/source/Warsaw), and at the end of 1822 went to [St. Petersburg](/source/St._Petersburg), where he was received by [Alexander I of Russia](/source/Alexander_I_of_Russia). Returning to England, he was ordained and served the curacy of [Huntley](/source/Huntley%2C_Gloucestershire), near Gloucester, where he became close to [Samuel Roffey Maitland](/source/Samuel_Roffey_Maitland). In 1823 he married and returned to Poland, living at Warsaw as head of the mission to the Jews, and English chaplain, until 1830. He was supported by the Grand Duke Constantine, but had disputes with the [Lutheran](/source/Lutheran) congregations. Moving to [Berlin](/source/Berlin), where he was befriended by [George Henry Rose](/source/George_Henry_Rose), the English ambassador, and by the [Crown Prince of Prussia](/source/Frederick_William_IV_of_Prussia), who had known him at Warsaw. To improve his health McCaul visited Ireland, and returned for a short time to Poland in 1832. Deciding to settle in London, he took up residence in Palestine Place, Cambridge Road and actively supported the London Society. He assisted in founding the Jews' Operatives Converts Institution, and in 1837 started the publication of ''Old Paths'', a weekly pamphlet on Jewish ritual, which continued for sixty weeks. In 1840, McCaul was appointed principal of the Hebrew college founded by the London Society; and in the summer of 1841, through Frederick William IV of Prussia, he was offered the [bishopric of Jerusalem](/source/Anglican_Bishop_in_Jerusalem), but declined it because he thought it would be better held by one who had been a Jew. His friend [Michael Solomon Alexander](/source/Michael_Solomon_Alexander) was appointed, and McCaul succeeded Alexander as professor of Hebrew and rabbinical literature at [King's College, London](/source/King's_College%2C_London). In 1846 he was also elected to the chair of divinity. In 1843, McCaul was appointed rector of [St James Duke's Place](/source/St_James_Duke's_Place), London. In 1844https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001652/18441216/013/0002 {{subscription required}} he became prebendary of [St Paul's Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral), and in 1847 declined Archbishop [William Howley](/source/William_Howley)'s offer of one of the new colonial bishoprics. In 1850 he became rector of the united parish of [St Magnus-the-Martyr](/source/St_Magnus-the-Martyr). When the sittings of [Convocation](/source/Convocation) were revived in 1852, McCaul was elected proctor for the London clergy, and represented them for the rest of his life. At first strongly opposed to the revival of the ancient powers of convocation, he modified his views and worked with the [High Church](/source/High_Church) party, opposing the relaxation of the subscription to the [39 articles](/source/39_articles). McCaul died at the rectory, St Magnus-the-Martyr, near [London Bridge](/source/London_Bridge), on 13 November 1863. He is buried in the [City of London Cemetery](/source/City_of_London_Cemetery_and_Crematorium) in the north-east of the city.London Cemeteries: An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer, by Hugh Meller & Brian Parsons ==Works== McCaul's major works: * ''Plain Sermons on subjects Practical and Prophetic'' (1840). * ''A Hebrew Primer'' (1844). * ''[Warburtonian Lectures](/source/Warburton_Lectures)'' (1st ser. 1846; 2nd ser. 1852). * ''[Rationalism](/source/Rationalism), and the Divine Interpretation of [Scripture](/source/Scripture)'' (1850). * ''The Old Paths'' (1854). * ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=K Some Notes on the first chapter of the Book of Genesis]'' (1861; criticism of ''Essays and Reviews''). * ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=JC03AAAAMAAJ&pg=PP5 Testimonies to the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures]'' (1862). * ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=UTVVAAAAcAAJ&dq=Alexander+McCaul,+Reasons+for+Holding+Fast+the+Authorised+English+Version+of+the+Bible&pg=PA1 Reasons for Holding Fast the Authorized English Version of the Bible]'' * ''An Examination of [Bishop Colenso's](/source/John_Colenso) Difficulties with regard to the [Pentateuch](/source/Pentateuch)'' (1863–4, 2 vols. McCaul seconded [George Anthony Denison](/source/George_Anthony_Denison)'s motion for the appointment of a committee — of which he was then a member — for the consideration of [John Colenso](/source/John_Colenso)'s works on the Old Testament). ==Family== Married in 1823, McCaul left several sons. His daughter, [Elizabeth Anne](/source/Elizabeth_Anne_Finn) (1825–1921), writer and social activist, married [James Finn](/source/James_Finn), [Consul](/source/Consul_(representative)) to Ottoman Palestine,Arnold Blumberg (1980): ''A View from Jerusalem, 1849–1858. The Consular Diary of James and Elisabeth Anne Finn'', Associated University Presses, {{ISBN|0-8386-2271-2}}, p. 28 and founded the Distressed Gentlefolk's Aid Association, now known as [Elizabeth Finn Care](/source/Elizabeth_Finn_Care). ==References== {{Reflist}} '''Attribution''' {{DNB|wstitle=M'Caul, Alexander|volume=35}} ==Further reading== * [Finn, Elizabeth Anne](/source/Elizabeth_Anne_Finn) (1929). ''Reminiscences of Mrs. Finn.'' London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott. *{{cite book |last1=Ruderman |first1=David B. |title=Missionaries, Converts, and Rabbis: The Evangelical Alexander McCaul and Jewish-Christian Debate in the Nineteenth Century |date=2020 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-5214-9 |language=en}} ==External links== {{wikisource|works=or}} * {{Internet Archive author |sname=Alexander McCaul}} * [http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Search/Home?lookfor=%22McCaul,%20Alexander,%201799-1863.%22&type=author&inst= Works by Alexander McCaul], at [HathiTrust](/source/HathiTrust) {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:McCaul, Alexander}} Category:1799 births Category:1863 deaths Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Category:Christian clergy from County Dublin Category:19th-century Irish Anglican priests Category:Hebraists Category:Christian Hebraists Category:Irish Anglican missionaries Category:Critics of Judaism Category:Jewish–Christian debate Category:Missionary linguists Category:Burials at the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander McCaul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_McCaul) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_McCaul?action=history)). 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